Trucking Accidents

Truck Accident Attorneys in McAlester

Backed By More Than 60 Years of Experience in Personal Injury Law

Semi-trailers are particularly dangerous to other motorists. In a collision, a passenger car is no match for a truck with a gross weight of 20,000 pounds or more, traveling at highway speed. In almost every case in which a car driver and passengers survive such a collision, they are left with serious, often catastrophic, injuries.

An additional result is that victims must typically battle with the trucking company for compensation to cover hospital bills, doctor bills, rehabilitation, lost wages, and future earnings capacity. At Stipe Law Firm, our truck accident attorneys in McAlester have extensive experience standing up to trucking companies and are here to help when you need it most. Our lawyers are also highly effective in cases involving oil service truck accidents.

Determining the Cause of Your Truck Accident

The first step in determining who is liable in any accident is determining the cause of the accident itself. These causes usually involve one or more of the following:

  • Driver fatigue. This may be due to an excessively heavy work schedule, or it may be caused by the driver’s reluctance to rest because they are being paid by the mile.
  • Driver intoxication or substance abuse. Some drivers abuse alcohol and drugs with disastrous consequences for other drivers. Driving a massive 18-wheeler while impaired can be criminally negligent.
  • Aggressive driving. Truckers who tailgate smaller vehicles or change lanes regardless of the right of way can cause fatal accidents when they overrun a smaller vehicle. Drivers who are paid by the mile instead of salaried will often drive aggressively, change lanes unnecessarily, and exceed speed limits to make a few extra dollars.
  • Failure to leave enough stopping distance. A large, fully loaded truck traveling at highway speed needs a much greater stopping distance than most other vehicles. Failure to leave enough room to allow for emergency braking is a major cause of rear-end collisions.
  • Driving inappropriately for weather conditions. Failure to drive with proper tires or chains, or traveling at excessive speed on a wet or icy highway, is likely to cause a commercial truck to jackknife or overturn and collide with other vehicles nearby.
  • Inadequate training and experience. Although both a commercial driver’s license (CDL) and special training and examinations are required to operate a semi-truck, continuing training is a necessity that some trucking companies ignore to the detriment of their own and other drivers.
  • Improperly loaded truck. An improperly loaded truck will become unbalanced while driving on curves and is likely to overturn.
  • Poorly maintained/defective truck. The potential danger an 18-wheeler can cause is increased when it also has bad brakes, inoperable lights, or defective steering.

Any of these factors can contribute to an accident leading to catastrophic injury or even death. Trucking companies and insurers will work hard to bury the evidence, but our firm fights for the result you need.

 

 

 

Who is at Fault in Your Oklahoma Truck Accident?

Both investigative skills and detailed knowledge and understanding of trucking laws are required in order to have a successful case after an accident. A McAlester truck accident attorney or investigator must research the extensive records kept by the trucking company in order to determine its blame, if any. These records include the driver’s time and distance reports, the vehicle’s service and repair records, and any electronic data recordings of the truck’s speed, braking, and operating times.

Filing timely legal motions, requiring the company to retain the damaged truck for examination, is essential. Ultimately, defendants may include the truck driver, the trucking company, contractors who supplied parts or serviced the truck, the truck’s manufacturer, government entities who negligently failed to inspect or improperly inspected the truck, or even insurance companies. Our experienced legal team looks closely at your case to determine liability.

Liability and Truck Accidents

Unlike car accidents where liability it generally straightforward, several parties could be determined liable for a truck accident depending on the circumstances of the case. Since employers are responsible for their employees while they are on the clock a company could be found liable for an accident if their driver was proved negligent.

The truck driver could be liable for an accident if they drive and maintain their own truck, or if they are an independent contractor for the company they are driving for. There are of course exceptions to these general rules, for instances if a driver was running a personal errand on his own time with a company truck, the company may claim they are not liable. In all cases, truck accidents are usually complex and require a full investigation to determine liability and negligence.

 

Standing Up to Truck Companies to Earn Your Compensation

Trucking companies will make every effort to bully victims and hide evidence, but our lawyers will not let that happen. We care about protecting your rights and make sure that whoever is responsible for the accident is held accountable. We seek compensation for:

  • Medical coverage. Your accident may leave you with injuries ranging from minor to catastrophic. No matter how serious your condition, we help you obtain compensation to cover medical bills and rehabilitation costs.
  • Vehicle repairs. We work toward recovering the cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle by aggressively pursuing those responsible for its damage or loss.
  • Loss of income/earning capacity. If you are disabled, whether totally or partially, permanently or temporarily, we fight to obtain compensation for your lost wages or salary.
  • Pain and suffering. These are known as “non-economic damages”. We seek this type of compensation on behalf of the seriously injured.

Our truck accident lawyers in McAlester help you stand up to trucking companies, and are dedicated to providing outstanding service for cases involving motor vehicle accidents, SUV accidents, and bus accidents as well.


Contact us today at (918) 505-7741, or use our contact form to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with an experienced truck accident lawyer in McAlester. Let us shoulder your burden so you can focus on your recovery.


 

Why Do I Need A Truck Accident Lawyer?

Recovering the compensation you deserve after suffering injuries in a truck accident is crucial to recovering well and securing the justice you deserve, however without an experience attorney on your side can be very difficult to do so.

Trucking companies are often backed by top-tier law firms who are hired to protect their company, and in short, keep you from recovering a proper compensation amount. The attorneys at Stipe Law Firm are experienced in handling truck accident claims and know what to expect during the entire claim process.

  • We offer no-obligation case evaluations.
  • Our clients have unlimited accessibility to us.
  • Our firm has secured millions in verdicts and settlements.
  • We serve injury victims across Southeast Oklahoma.
  • Our attorneys have 60+ years of legal experience.



Don't Wait to Get Help, Consultations Are Free

Let the attorneys at Stipe Law Firm put our years of experience to work for you and protect your interests after a trucking accident. After suffering severe injuries in an accident it can feel like your whole world has turned upside down. Our attorneys know what you are going through and are therefore dedicated to fighting relentlessly on your behalf for the justice and compensation you deserve, so you can focus on healing from your injuries.

 

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