Truck Accident Attorney in Alabama

Were you hit by a semi-truck somewhere in Alabama? If so, you’re probably dealing with serious injuries and worried about their long-term effects on your life. At the same time, your medical bills are likely piling up while you’re too hurt to work or go about your business as normal. You shouldn’t have to pay the price of a bad accident someone else caused. Instead, you deserve compensation — and an Alabama truck accident lawyer from Collins Law, LLC can help you demand it.

Led by Attorney April H. Collins, our law practice’s goal is to empower you to recover the money you need to rebuild your life. We are proud of being one of the few personal injury law firms in Alabama to get our clients’ medical bills reduced upon the conclusion of their lawsuits. More importantly, we give accident victims the voice they need in seeking justice for someone else’s negligence behind the wheel of a truck.

Contact us today for a free consultation, and find out how Attorney Collins and her team can make a difference in your truck accident case.

What Are the Benefits of Hiring an Alabama Truck Accident Attorney?

The aftermath of a commercial truck accident can be overwhelming. You’re in pain, out of work, and trying to focus on your care. At the same time, you might be getting calls from insurance adjusters hounding you to accept a settlement you’re not sure is fair. Worse, the trucking company might be trying to shift the blame onto you in an attempt to get out of paying you at all. During this difficult time, you deserve a friend and ally who can step in and advocate for your rights. You deserve Attorney Collins.

While you work on getting better, an Alabama truck accident attorney from Collins Law can work on the following:

• Investigating the accident to find out what happened and why
• Reducing your accident-related medical bills, a service few in the legal industry offer
• Determining everyone who could be at fault for your injuries, from the truck driver to their employer and beyond
• Calculating what the accident has and will cost you, both financially and personally, so we know what fair compensation entails
• Filing your truck accident claim and negotiating with involved parties for an out-of-court settlement
• Preparing for trial and representing you in court if the liable parties won’t make you a fair offer
• Treating you with the empathy and compassion you deserve from the moment you walk through our door
• Never charging you any upfront costs to get started on your case

Our law firm has a proven track record of keeping our clients’ medical bills down after their cases are resolved, which is rare in the legal profession. We also have a policy to never take home more money than our clients if we get their cases resolved via settlement or verdict. You deserve compensation for your injuries, and we make sure more of it gets to you.

You should not have to take on the powerful trucking and insurance companies alone. Instead, trust our team to take care of the legal matters while you focus on healing.

What Should You Do After a Truck Accident?

The things you do after an accident with an 18-wheeler will lay the groundwork for your truck accident lawsuit. The following are what you can do to start things off on the right footing:

• Seek medical attention if you have not already done so, and follow your doctor’s treatment plan to the letter. Not only will this help with the healing process, but it will document your injuries, tie them to the truck accident, and show that you’re doing what you can to get better.
• Notify your insurance provider of the collision. Your policy likely includes terms requiring you to do so promptly, usually within a few days of the crash. Do not go into unnecessary details or speculate about the accident’s cause.
• Be cautious about what you say to other involved parties. The trucking company might send representatives, or their insurance provider might contact you. Politely decline to give recorded statements and tell them you’ll have a lawyer contact them again soon.
• Start gathering evidence, such as photos of the accident scene, eyewitness contact info, and a written account of what happened. Other useful evidence could include medical records, communication with your employer, pay stubs, and repair estimates.
• Contact a truck accident lawyer in Alabama like Attorney Collins and ask for a free consultation. Bring your evidence folder with you to your initial meeting so your prospective lawyer can look it over.

Why Are Trucking Accidents More Complicated Than Other Motor Vehicle Collisions?

Personal injury cases involving truck crashes are typically more complicated than those involving other vehicle collisions. Here are a few reasons why:

• Trucks are large and heavy, and the considerable force they impart on impact can cause severe injuries.
• Liability is often shared by many different parties involved in the trucking industry.
• The trucking industry is subject to state and federal regulation, which can complicate matters of liability.
• Trucking companies have deep pockets and high-power legal teams to protect their profits.

Because of these complexities, it could be a mistake to trust your case to a run-of-the-mill personal injury lawyer. Instead, look for a lawyer like Attorney Collins, who’s handled and won truck accident cases in the past.

Who Could Be Liable for a Truck Wreck?

The complex, multilayered nature of the trucking industry means that many different parties could be liable for your injuries, including:

• The truck driver, if they were negligent in the operation of their vehicle
• The trucking company, if it directly employs the driver or negligently supervised a subcontracted driver
• The truck’s owner, if they did not adequately maintain the vehicle
• The company that loaded cargo onto the truck, if they did not follow securement regulations
• A vehicle or parts manufacturer, if defects contributed to the accident

Depending on the circumstances, several of the above parties could have played a role in causing your injuries. If that’s the case, your lawyer will seek to determine everyone who’s to blame so that they can pursue claims against each party and maximize your compensation.

What Compensation Could You Recover in a Truck Accident Claim?

If someone else is liable for the big rig accident that injured you, your truck accident compensation could include money for your:

• Past and future medical expenses
• Lost income and diminished earning potential
• Pain and suffering
• Lost quality of life
• Property damage, including the repair or replacement of your damaged vehicle

What Happens if You’re Partly at Fault for a Trucking Accident?

Alabama follows a contributory fault system, under which an accident victim cannot recover compensation if they are in any way responsible for their injuries. Trucking companies often try to exploit this rule by shifting a portion of the blame onto an accident victim, as even 1 percent of fault bars them from financial recovery.

Experienced truck accident lawyers know how to fight back against this tactic, such as by raising the “last clear chance” doctrine. Under this rule, a defendant who has the sole power to avoid an accident, but does not, can be held liable for a victim’s injuries, even when that victim would otherwise be partially to blame. A lawyer like Attorney Collins can assess your situation and determine whether this rule would apply.

Is There a Deadline for Filing a Truck Accident Lawsuit in Alabama?

Alabama’s statute of limitations on personal injury claims gives you two years from the date of a truck accident to file suit against the at-fault parties. If you miss this deadline, you could be unable to recover fair compensation for what you’ve suffered. Rather than risk this possibility, get in touch with Collins Law, a reputable Alabama truck accident law firm, today.

What Is Considered a Truck in Alabama?

The Alabama Department of Revenue defines a truck as a “self-propelled vehicle designed and used primarily for the transportation of property in or upon its own structure.” A truck may also qualify as a “commercial motor vehicle” if it is operated for business purposes and has a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of over 10,000 pounds, or if the combination of truck and trailer has a GVWR of at least 26,001 pounds. Such vehicles are subject to state regulation. If they are involved in interstate commerce, they are also subject to federal regulation.

What Are Common Types of Commercial, Big Rig, and Semi-Truck Accidents?

Commercial truck accidents come in many different types, some specific to these types of vehicles. The most common include:

What Injuries Can Someone Sustain in a Truck Accident?

The most common truck accident injury types include:

Furthermore, the psychological trauma of having a painful, near-death experience can lead to the development of mental health disorders. These can include emotional distress and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Contact a Truck Accident Lawyer in Alabama Today

Were you hurt in a truck collision in Alabama? Did you lose a loved one to a fatal truck accident? If so, Collins Law can empower you to get the money and justice you deserve for what you’ve suffered. Contact us today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation.