Memphis Truck Accident Lawyers
Experienced truck accident attorneys serving clients in Memphis, Jackson, and throughout West Tennessee
When we hear about a commercial truck accident in Tennessee, we often cringe because we know that someone is likely to have been badly injured. Whether it involved an 18-wheeler or another large commercial truck, the resulting injuries and damages are usually serious.
At Greer Injury Lawyers, PLLC, we put our years of experience to work on behalf of truck accident victims throughout West Tennessee. From our offices in Memphis and Jackson, we help families just like you pick up the pieces after being involved in a serious crash. If you are unsure about how you can protect your family after a truck crash, we can help you.
Common causes of 18-wheeler crashes
There are many factors that can lead to a wreck involving a large, commercial truck and a passenger vehicle. Some of the more common causes, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), include the following:
|
|
Car versus semi wreck
According to the Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security, there were 12,836 crashes involving large trucks in 2023. A passenger car has an average weight of 3,500 pounds. Pit that against a loaded 80,000-pound commercial truck, and disaster is certainly likely. Several factors determine how serious a commercial truck accident will be:
- Whether the truck is loaded properly
- Whether the freight is flammable or hazardous
- How fast each vehicle is traveling
- Whether the driver of either vehicle is distracted or impaired
Free Case Evaluation
What are the proper steps to take following a truck accident?
After a truck accident, you are likely of have an injury. Here are some of the steps you can follow:
- Check on the passengers in your car, and if you can safely get out of your vehicle, check on passengers of the other vehicles involved in the crash to make sure that everyone is okay. If there are others who are also injured, assess their condition, and dial 911 to get help.
- If you can, move your vehicle so that it is out of the way of oncoming traffic, and make sure that you stay out of the roadway.
- Remain at the scene, and offer whatever aid you can until help arrives.
- Do not say anything about the accident. Do not describe what happened or say anything to anyone at the scene about the collision. Without thinking, you might say, “Oh I am sorry you are hurt,” to one of the injured people at the scene, and they might take that as an admission of fault.
- Gather information about the accident by taking pictures and video. Get the name, contact information, and insurance information from the other drivers at the scene. Write down the make and model of the truck and any other vehicles involved.
- Speak to the responding police officer, and get a reference number for the police report if there is one.
- Make sure that you inform your insurance company about the crash, and schedule a visit with your doctor right away.
- Finally, be sure to call an experienced Memphis truck accident lawyer to represent you right away. There is a legal time limit called a statute of limitations of one year from the date of the injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. Pursuing compensation after a truck accident can be far more complicated than for a car accident, so the sooner you get started, the better.
Know your rights after a truck crash injury
If you or a loved one was involved in a truck accident and think the driver of the truck or the trucking company was at fault, you should be aware of your rights. The first thing that must be done is to prove that a person or a company was negligent. Oftentimes, it is both.
What is negligence? One example might be the truck driver was texting on his cell phone at the time he hit your vehicle. The driver could be named as a defendant because he did not “exercise a reasonable degree of care” to keep you from getting hurt.
Another example would be the trucking company refusing to replace worn tires, and a blowout on the truck caused your accident. In this case, the trucking company could be considered negligent.
It is also possible that others could be held responsible along with the driver and truck company. You could also receive compensation for your injuries from contractors, employers, and insurance companies.
How much is my truck accident case worth?
Dealing with a truck accident is completely different from dealing with a passenger vehicle crash because a semi-truck is a commercial vehicle. Depending on the nature of the wreck, you might be facing multiple defendants and insurance policies. While every truck crash case is different, there are certain factors that determine the value of your case including:
- Total medical expenses
- Lost wages
- How severe the injuries
- Pain and suffering
- Property damage
- Any additional factors specific to your case.
Your attorney might be able to give you a rough estimate of what your case might be worth, but they will not have a more accurate number until the investigation is complete.
How can a truck accident attorney help me?
As we have said, Tennessee commercial truck accidents frequently result in severe injuries and even death. Because the law can be confusing, it is a good idea to contact an experienced personal injury attorney to help you sort through your options.
After an injury from a truck wreck, you may be tempted to think that you can handle suing the insurance company for the truck driver on your own. But would you know that you might also be able to sue the trucking company that hired the truck driver, the manufacturer responsible for the defective brakes that caused the crash, and the maintenance company that didn’t realize that the brakes were defective when they installed them? Do you think that you would be able to recover as much compensation as an attorney who is trained in all aspects of injury law and familiar with the tactics that the big insurance companies use to make sure that they pay as little as possible? How will you know how much your case is worth, and how will you know that the insurance company has offered you a lowball offer?
At our law offices in Memphis and Jackson, you will find an attorney who:
- Helps you deal with the aftermath of the accident, including medical costs, lost wages, and emotional suffering
- Explains the steps in filing a lawsuit against those who caused your accident
- Takes action against those who were negligent, including other drivers, company supervisors, and owners
- Takes care of the many necessary parts of a legal action, including research, witness interviews, negotiations, and trial preparation
When you work with Greer Injury Lawyers, PLLC, you work with a small team of Memphis truck accident lawyers who see you and treat you as a person, not a case number. We work hard to create innovative and customized strategies designed to help you recover the maximum amount of compensation possible after your accident.
Is there a Memphis truck accident lawyer near me?
Greer Injury Lawyers, PLLC are located in Memphis, Jackson and Nashville and represent people throughout Tennessee. Rest assured, however, that if you are critically injured and unable to come to us, we will travel to visit you in the hospital or rehabilitation center. We also offer virtual conferences and telephone consultations.
Accomplished truck accident lawyers serving West Tennessee families
Greer Injury Lawyers, PLLC, is widely acknowledged in West Tennessee and throughout the state for our tenacity when it comes to protecting our clients. If you have been hurt in a crash with an 18-wheeler, or if you are a truck driver who has sustained an injury because of a defective part on your truck, please call 901-680-9777 or fill out this contact form to schedule a free consultation at our Memphis or Jackson office.
Related Articles
Truck Accident Blog Posts
Using Technology to Increase Driver Safety
All drivers should understand the basics of safe driving. Don’t drive while you’re distracted, tired, or intoxicated. Obey the Tennessee traffic laws. Drivers should understand how to drive when it’s raining, snowing, foggy, or too sunny. But as cars and trucks become more technologically advanced, driver safety may rely more on technology than good ol’…
What Are the Biggest Risks When Sharing the Road 18-Wheelers?
Driving near 18-wheelers and semi-trucks can be frightening. You do NOT want to have an accident with an 18-wheeler. Semis and rigs are much longer, higher, heavier, and wider than the average car, and a collision could be catastrophic. While lawsuits are often the best way to hold negligent truck drivers and defendants liable for…
How a Driver Is Paid May Affect the Likelihood of a Truck Accident
Many truck driver accidents happen because drivers want to make their deliveries too quickly. To improve speed and efficiency, drivers may feel the need to cut corners. One way to cut corners is by speeding or running through red lights and stop signs. Another way to cut corners is to drive continually instead of taking…
Why Is It Important to Recover the Black Box after a Truck Wreck?
Any time there’s a truck wreck it’s important to preserve as much evidence as you can following the wreck, and the reason is the trucking company has already been to the scene. They’ve already sent investigators and lawyers and accident reconstructionists to the scene to defend their case. One of the most critical pieces of…
Can Underride Guards Save Lives?
Underride guards are devices that are attached to the backs and sides of large trucks. The purpose of these guards is to keep smaller vehicles from rolling underneath them. When smaller vehicles roll under a large truck, the results are usually catastrophic. These underride guards can save lives by preventing drivers from slipping underneath a…
Do You Handle Cases against FedEx?
Over the years we’ve handled many cases against FedEx. Of course, anybody from Memphis knows what a big employer FedEx is, and they do do a lot of great things for the community. But at the same time, they have a lot of trucks out on the roadway. They have a lot of hub…
Deadly Tractor-Trailer Wreck on I-40 Leads to More Questions
On November 6th, a tractor-trailer traveling down I-40 crashed into multiple vehicles, including a patrol car. The Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) is investigating the wreck, which left two Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) contract employees dead, and injured a third contractor as well as a State Trooper. At this time, the truck driver is not…
How Much Is My Rear-End Truck Accident Worth?
The only good news in rear-end truck accident cases is that the person at fault is almost always the driver who struck your car or truck. Plain and simple, the driver behind you should have slowed down. The bad news is that being struck in the rear can cause a lot of damage – to…
A Young Woman Died because of a Missing $3 Truck Part
Tulane University senior Margaret Maurer was struck and killed by a set of wheels that separated from an 18-wheeler on an interstate in Mississippi. During the tragic accident, the runaway wheels flew more than 450 meters, hitting Ms. Maurer as she was about to get back into her car. The investigation into the accident found…
Who Is Driving All These Commercial Trucks?
There are certain types of trucks that require certain types of licenses. Any driver who wishes to operate a semi-truck, tractor trailer, bus, or any type of commercial truck or vehicle must have a valid commercial driver’s license (CDL). A valid CDL gives the driver the right to drive in all 50 states – though…
Are Electronic Logging Device Requirements Helping?
According to Trucks.com, the trucking industry is slowly learning to adjust to a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) law effective December 2017 that requires truckers to use digital electronic logging devices (ELDs) to track the hours they drive. The FMCSA requires drivers to monitor their hours because driver fatigue is known to cause numerous…
Should Teens Be Driving 18-Wheelers?
There’s been a recent push to put teens and young adults—ages 18 to 21—on the interstate as tractor-trailer drivers. With a driver shortage across the country, many trucking industry representatives and politicians believe that loosening federal safety rules around the legal age for interstate trucking drivers can help relieve the problem. However, safety concerns about…