Bloomfield Truck Crash Lawyers

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), tractor-trailer crashes are estimated to occur every 15 minutes in the United States, resulting in over 400,000 crashes and 4,000 fatalities each year.

Trucking law encompasses commercial truck crashes’ unique aspects, processes, consequences, and outcomes. Crashes involving commercial trucks are handled differently than passenger vehicles. If you or a loved one are injured in a truck crash, you need a legal team with extensive experience handling these complex cases. That team is Buchanan Law Firm, LLC. Our knowledgeable and compassionate Bloomfield truck crash lawyers are dedicated to protecting your rights and holding the responsible parties accountable for your injuries and losses. We represent clients injured in numerous types of truck crashes, including head-on collisions, jackknife, rear-end, rollover, T-bone, and underride crashes.

What Are Common Causes of Truck Crashes?

Truck crashes occur for various reasons, typically due to unsafe driving habits or human error by the truck driver or other motorists. Some of the most common causes of truck crashes include:

• Distracted driving: Cell phone use, texting, eating, onboard technology, and other distracting activities are the leading causes of vehicle crashes.
• Drowsy driving: Sleep deprivation causes many of the same impairments as drunk driving, including reduced focus and reaction time, blurred vision, and induced blackouts or sleep.
• Impaired driving: Drivers who operate trucks under the influence of alcohol or drugs, including prescription, pose a serious risk of a devastating crash.
• Failure to stop or yield: Trucks require 500 or more feet to come to a complete stop, roughly eight times longer than passenger vehicles. Vehicles traveling too closely in front of trucks risk a serious crash in sudden stops.
• Fluid cargo: Half-filled tanker trucks cause liquid cargo to move more. Sudden side-to-side or front-to-back swaying can cause the tanker to fishtail or tip over, which can be especially dangerous if flammable or toxic.
• Inadequate training: Drivers who operate trucks without the required number of training hours or proper training from their employer put everyone at risk of a devastating crash.
• Lack of maintenance: Poorly maintained trucks, such as bald tires, faulty brakes, or broken lights, can lead to serious crashes. Over 29 percent of nationwide truck crashes are caused by a lack of maintenance brake failure.
• Speeding: Truck drivers often speed to meet strict delivery schedules, increasing the stopping distance with each mile per hour over the speed limit. Speed and distance are significant factors in rear-end collisions, the most common type of truck crash.
• Unsecured cargo: Cargo must be loaded and its weight distributed to prevent tipping if the load shifts during turns, stops, or falls from an open trailer.
• Weather: Due to their size and weight, trucks are even more vulnerable during inclement weather than passenger cars.

To reduce the danger and number of truck crashes, the trucking industry is heavily regulated with stringent rules that trucking companies and their drivers must comply with. Drivers must complete rigorous training and are subject to regular drug testing and mandatory licensing, operating and resting hours, fitness assessments, and lower blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels.

Who Is Responsible for Truck Crashes?

Truck crashes are notoriously challenging. Given the damage these massive vehicles inflict, determining the cause of the crash and those responsible can be difficult. Establishing cause and fault requires extensive knowledge of trucks, crash and claims experience, and often expert reconstruction for a definitive answer. Further complicating truck crash cases are the number of potentially responsible parties, such as:

• Truck driver: If the driver behaved in a reckless or dangerous manner, such as speeding or weaving in and out of lanes, they may be responsible for the crash.
• Trucking company: If the employer owns the truck, which is most often the case, the company may be liable for the crash, particularly if the driver is inexperienced or undertrained or the truck has not been properly maintained for safety.
• Truck owner: Commercial trucks are often owned by a third party, who may be responsible if the truck was not properly maintained, failed inspection, or did not meet federal safety regulations.
• Truck manufacturer: The manufacturer may be considered liable if the crash was caused by a design flaw or defective part or system, and the manufacturer knowingly ignored the problem and failed to notify the truck’s owner.

How Can a Bloomfield Truck Crash Lawyer Help Me?

Working with an experienced truck crash lawyer is crucial following a crash. A knowledgeable and skilled truck crash lawyer can evaluate and investigate the crash and prepare a solid case, holding those responsible accountable for your injuries and losses. Our Bloomfield truck crash lawyers at Buchanan Law Firm, LLC can help in the following manner:

• Investigate the crash scene.
• Review police reports and interview responding officers.
• Gather and interview witnesses.
• Prepare and file all required documents.
• Establish your current and future medical care needs.
• Hire experts, if necessary, including crash reconstruction, medical, automotive, and financial experts.
• Negotiate maximum compensation with insurance companies.
• Represent you in court should the case move to trial.

These complex cases are time-consuming and can take years to resolve; however, you have a limited period of time to file a claim. New Mexico’s statute of limitations for a truck crash claim is three years from the date of the crash or death.

What Should I Do If I Am in a Truck Crash?

Truck crashes cause catastrophic and life-altering injuries. The overwhelming majority of crashes result in the deaths of passenger car occupants. If possible, you should:

• Call the police and report the crash and injuries.
• Exchange contact information with the truck driver, but avoid further discussion that could incriminate you.
• Photograph the scene, including vehicle damage, injuries, weather and road conditions, signage, and other factors contributing to the collision.
• Ask witnesses for contact information and statements,
• Seek medical attention, even if your injuries are minor, to avoid life-threatening conditions that do not present immediate symptoms. You will also need a medical report documenting your injuries for your claim.
• Retain all medical records, expenses, and communication related to the crash.
• Consult an experienced truck crash lawyer skilled at negotiating with commercial truck insurance companies.

How Much Is My Truck Crash Claim Worth?

Tractor-trailer crashes typically result in much higher compensation than passenger car crashes due to the severity of injuries, significant medical expenses, and fatalities. You can seek compensation for your economic damages, such as medical costs, lost wages, home modification, or funeral services, and non-economic damages for other losses, such as pain and suffering, emotional trauma, scarring and disfigurement.

What Are Common Truck Crash Injuries?

Truck crashes cause serious and extensive injuries. Only three percent of individuals survive truck crashes but often suffer life-altering injuries requiring extensive medical care and rehabilitative therapies, home modifications, and permanent disability. Common truck crash injuries include amputations, burns, spinal and organ damage, traumatic brain injuries, and more.

Our Bloomfield Truck Crash Lawyers at Buchanan Law Firm, LLC Help Injured Survivors Seek Justice and Compensation

If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a tractor-trailer crash, our experienced Bloomfield truck crash lawyers at Buchanan Law Firm, LLC can help you seek the compensation you deserve. Call 505-900-3559 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation. Located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, we serve clients in Santa Fe and surrounding areas.