Truck Accident Attorney in Birmingham

truck on highway

If you suffered an injury in a truck accident in or around Birmingham, Alabama, you may be facing a challenging physical and financial recovery. Collisions involving commercial and semi-trucks frequently result in devastating injuries and extensive financial losses for victims and their families.

Taking on a personal injury claim after a truck accident can be complex and overwhelming, especially while you’re still recovering. That’s why you need the assistance of Attorney April H. Collins and the team at Collins Law, LLC. With over a decade of personal injury litigation experience, Attorney Collins can help you seek the compensation you deserve when you are injured by someone else’s wrongdoing.

Contact the Birmingham truck accident law firm of Collins Law today for a free consultation. Attorney Collins and her team will review your case, walk you through the personal injury claims process, and explain your legal options after a truck accident injury.

Why Should You Hire a Birmingham, AL Attorney for Your Truck Accident Claim?

Hiring a Birmingham truck accident attorney to handle your claim is essential. Your attorney will assist you with all aspects of your case, from investigating the accident and filing your lawsuit to negotiating with the insurance companies and representing you in court.

Attorney Collins and her compassionate team go the extra mile to assist their clients by:

  • Empowering accident victims who feel marginalized by providing devoted representation and seeking the compensation they need
  • Working to reduce their clients’ accident-related medical bills once their case is resolved
  • Doing whatever they can to help truck crash victims keep more of the compensation they win — and never taking more money than their clients would

What Should You Do After a Truck Accident?

After a truck accident, there are a few critical steps you should take to benefit your health and your truck accident claim. The most important things to do are:

  • Follow Up with Medical Treatments – Following up with your medical treatments will improve your health and reduce the long-term impact of your injuries. It’s also crucial for your injury lawsuit, as the at-fault party’s insurance company may point to a lack of follow-up treatment as a sign that your injuries aren’t as severe as you claim.
  • Collect Your Medical and Service Bills – Keep all your medical bills and service invoices related to your injuries. These bills may be for surgeries, prescriptions, and other medical treatments, and they can be for vehicle repairs, childcare, and other home services you require because of your injuries. Your attorney will use these bills to calculate your economic losses.
  • Record Your Memory of the Crash – Before your memory of the crash gets hazy, you should write down everything you remember. These notes can help you recall details of the accident when your case goes to trial.
  • Avoid Providing a Statement – Never provide a statement to insurance adjusters without first speaking to your attorney. The insurance adjuster’s job is to get you to say something they can use to reduce the value of your lawsuit.
  • Contact a Truck Accident Lawyer – Consulting a truck accident lawyer in Birmingham is one of the best ways to protect your right to seek compensation after an injury. Your attorney will handle all aspects of your claim, and the sooner you contact them, the sooner they can begin working on your truck accident case.

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

Trucking accidents are often more complicated than other motor vehicle collisions because of the severity of the injuries sustained by victims and how common it is for there to be multiple liable parties. These aspects could impact your truck accident claim in the following ways:

  • Severe Injuries – The size and weight of trucks compared to other vehicles means that victims often suffer severe or fatal injuries due to the force of the impact. The more severe your injuries are, the longer it will take to reach your maximum medical improvement (MMI), which could impact your medical costs. More severe injuries also tend to require medical expert testimony to prove their long-term impact on your life.
  • Multiple Liable Parties – In many truck accidents, more than one party is liable for your injuries. The more liable parties there are, the more complicated the case becomes, as your attorney must identify them all and file a claim or lawsuit for each.

Who Could Be Liable for a Truck Wreck?

Some of the parties most commonly liable for truck wrecks include:

  • Truck Drivers – Negligent drivers, such as distracted, impaired, or fatigued drivers, are a leading cause of commercial truck accidents and are the most likely to be liable for your injuries.
  • Trucking Companies – Companies whose practices contributed to the crash may be liable, such as if they encouraged drivers to skirt the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) commercial driver hours of service regulations or hired an unsafe driver.
  • Vehicle Manufacturers – If a defective part on the truck or your vehicle contributed to the accident, the manufacturer could hold liability.
  • Cargo Loaders – If improperly secured cargo contributed to the crash, such as by shifting or falling off the truck, the loaders could be liable.
  • Maintenance Providers – If poor truck maintenance contributed to the accident, the maintenance providers may be responsible.
  • Third-Party Motorists – If another driver contributed to the crash, such as by cutting the truck off, they could also be liable.

What Compensation Could You Recover in a Truck Accident Claim?

Victims can recover various types of truck accident compensation, including:

  • Medical expenses for your surgeries, hospital stays, treatments, medical devices, prescription medications, and physical therapy
  • Wages you lost while out of work recovering from your injuries
  • The loss of your future earning potential if your injuries impact your ability to work in the long-term
  • The physical pain and emotional suffering you experience as a result of your injuries, including chronic pain and anxiety
  • Funeral and burial costs if your loved one died due to injuries sustained in a fatal truck accident
  • The cost of repairing or replacing damaged or lost property, including your vehicle

Alabama uses the contributory negligence rule, which the courts upheld in Golden v. McCurry (1980). Under contributory negligence, you cannot recover compensation through a personal injury lawsuit if you share any fault for the accident that caused your injuries.

For this reason, it’s vital that you work with an experienced truck accident lawyer like Attorney Collins. She can defend your right to compensation by fighting back against claims that you were partially at fault for your injuries.

Under Alabama’s personal injury statute of limitations, victims can file a truck accident lawsuit within two years of the crash. Failure to file your lawsuit within this period may result in the courts barring you from seeking compensation for your injuries through a lawsuit.

With Attorney Collins, a Birmingham truck accident lawyer, on your side, you can focus on your healing while we take care of the legal paperwork and meet the filing date.

In Alabama, a truck is defined as a “vehicle designed and used primarily for the transportation of property.” Examples of trucks commonly involved in accidents include:

  • Tractor-trailers, also known as 18-wheelers or big rigs, which may tow box, flatbed, or tanker trailers
  • Delivery trucks, such as those operated by Amazon or UPS
  • Garbage trucks
  • Dump trucks and other construction vehicles that carry loads
  • Tow trucks

Some of the most common and dangerous types of accidents involving large trucks are:

  • Jackknife accidents, which occur when a truck’s trailer swings out alongside the cab, often due to slippery road conditions
  • Underride accidents, which happen when a smaller vehicle collides with a truck from the side and goes under the trailer
  • Rollover accidents, which occur when a truck tips over
  • Rear-end collisions, which are common because trucks require longer stopping distances than lighter vehicles
  • Head-on collisions, which involve large trucks are usually fatal for those in the other vehicle
  • Unsecured loads, which can fall off flatbed trucks, creating road hazards and leading to collisions
  • Tire blowouts, which can happen when trucks are overloaded

There are many types of injuries victims can sustain in truck accidents. While these injuries can be mild, they are most often severe, life-threatening, or fatal. Common injuries include:

  • Traumatic brain injuries caused by the brain striking the inside of the skull or being pierced by a foreign object, leading to severe, long-term physical and cognitive impairment
  • Spinal cord injuries leading to permanent paralysis
  • Broken bones and internal organ injuries caused by blunt trauma
  • Lacerations and amputations

Contact a Truck Accident Lawyer in Birmingham, AL Today

If you suffered serious injuries in a Birmingham truck accident, you need a law firm that works with integrity, honesty, empathy, and compassion. Collins Law provides every client with the exceptional legal service they expect and deserve. Contact Attorney Collins and her team for a free consultation about your truck accident injury case.