If a car weighing one-ton is hit by a 10-ton truck, it is very likely that the driver and the passengers of the car are going to suffer serious personal injuries or even be killed in the truck accident.
A truck accident – whether it is with a tractor-trailer, semi, big rig, van, trash truck, or emergency vehicle – almost always results in huge medical bills, financial hardship, and emotional trauma for those in the car.
Bill Newkirk of the Law Offices of William H. Newkirk is an experienced truck accident attorney. It is absolutely critical that your attorney have experience representing people in truck accidents as proving liability may be complicated.
Who Is Responsible for Compensating You
The person or company that is at fault will be responsible for compensating you for your injuries or loss. But who is at fault is not always obvious.
The fault could be solely one person's, such as the truck driver. Or the fault might be the owner of the cab. Or, a portion of the fault could be the driver's and another portion could be the manufacturer's.
That is why it is so important that you have representation by a successful and experienced truck accident attorney like Bill Newkirk of the Law Offices of William H. Newkirk.
Causes of Truck Accidents
A tractor-trailer, semi, or big rig truck accident can be due to the negligence of one party or a number of parties.
- Truck Driver – there are many possibilities for truck driver negligence, including driver fatigue, using a cell phone or texting, drugs and alcohol, reckless driving, or aggressive driving.
- Truck Owner – it is possible that the entire truck (trailer and cab), are owned by the same person or company. It also is possible that each is owned by a different person or company.
The truck owner(s) may be all or partially responsible if, for example, the driver was forced to drive too many hours; the truck was loaded improperly; or the truck was not serviced or inspected adequately.
- Truck Manufacturer – if the truck manufacturer, or the manufacturer of any part of the truck, built the truck with a defective part, the manufacturer may be completely or partially responsible for the truck accident.
- Loading Company – in some instances the truck is loaded by an independent company. If loading was not done properly, the loading company could be partially or totally responsible for the tractor-trailer, semi, or big rig truck accident.
- Government Owned – there are a few ways that your case could involve the federal, state, or local government. In some cases the government may have immunity from being sued. Sometimes it gives up immunity. Other times it has no immunity.
If your truck accident was with an emergency vehicle, like a fire engine, ambulance, or police car, the case involves the government entity that operates the vehicle.
If your truck accident was caused by a defective or unsafe road, the government entity responsible for the maintenance of that road might be negligent.
Building the Case for Compensation
In more than 25 years of advocating for people who suffered a serious personal injury or who killed in a truck accident, Bill Newkirk of the Law Offices of William H. Newkirk has handled almost every type of motor vehicle case.
In representing you, Bill Newkirk will review every aspect of your case and handle all dealings with the insurance companies.
Working with a professional accident investigator, he will document how the accident happened and the liability of the responsible party or parties.
Bill Newkirk also will work with your doctor or other medical experts to determine the medical treatment and rehabilitation services you will need.
Finally, he will calculate your lost earnings and place a value on your pain and suffering for inclusion in your compensation demand.
The Cost of a Lawsuit
In most situations the Law Offices of William H. Newkirk take truck accident cases on a contingency basis. This means there is no cost to you until your lawsuit is resolved.
Free Consultation with a Lawyer
For a free, no-obligation consultation about your case, contact Bill Newkirk of the Law Offices of William H. Newkirk in Los Angeles, California.
The Law Offices of William H. Newkirk represents people from throughout Southern California who have been seriously injured or killed in a truck accident.
