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When a massive commercial truck crashes into your vehicle, the results can be devastating. Truck accidents can often result in catastrophic injuries, permanent disabilities, and even wrongful death due to the sheer size and weight difference between commercial vehicles and passenger cars.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident, you need experienced legal representation to take on the trucking companies and their powerful insurance carriers. At Skeeters, Bennett, Wilson & Humphrey, our truck accident attorneys have more than five decades of experience handling high-stakes personal injury cases and securing the compensation our clients deserve.
Based in Radcliff and serving Elizabethtown and all of Central Kentucky, we provide big-city legal results with hometown personal care.
How Truck Accidents Differ From Car Crashes
Commercial trucking accidents in Kentucky present unique legal challenges that require specialized knowledge of federal and state trucking regulations.
Unlike typical car accidents, truck crashes often involve multiple potentially liable parties, including the truck driver, trucking company, maintenance contractors, and cargo loading companies. Our legal team understands the intricate web of regulations governing the trucking industry and knows how to investigate these cases thoroughly to identify all sources of compensation for your injuries.
Why Truck Accidents Are So Dangerous in Elizabethtown
Commercial trucks can weigh up to 80,000 pounds when fully loaded, making them exponentially more dangerous than passenger vehicles in a collision. The physics of a truck accident often result in severe injuries that require extensive medical treatment and long-term care.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Truck accidents frequently cause traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), which can have lasting effects on victims and their families. These injuries may not be immediately apparent after a crash, but they can lead to cognitive impairment, memory loss, personality changes, and other debilitating symptoms that affect every aspect of a person's life.
Our attorneys understand the long-term implications of TBI cases and work with medical experts to ensure these hidden injuries are properly documented and compensated.
Other Common Truck Crash Injuries
The most common severe injuries we see in Elizabethtown truck accidents include spinal cord injuries resulting in paralysis, multiple bone fractures, internal organ damage, and severe burns. These injuries often require multiple surgeries, lengthy rehabilitation, and may prevent victims from returning to their previous employment.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Kentucky
Understanding what causes truck accidents is essential to building a strong legal case. Our investigation often reveals that crashes result from violations of federal safety regulations designed to prevent these tragedies.
Driver Fatigue
Driver fatigue represents one of the most significant risk factors in commercial trucking. Federal Hours of Service regulations limit how long truck drivers can operate their vehicles, but some drivers and companies violate these rules to meet delivery deadlines.
When drivers exceed their allowed hours, reaction times slow and judgment becomes impaired, leading to serious accidents.
Cargo Loading
Improper cargo loading can cause trucks to become unstable or lose their loads on the highway. Overloaded trucks require longer stopping distances and are more difficult to control, especially in emergency situations. When cargo is not properly secured, it can shift during transport or fall onto the roadway, creating hazards for other drivers.
Truck Maintenance
Poor vehicle maintenance can lead to catastrophic mechanical failures. Commercial trucks require regular inspections and maintenance to operate safely. When trucking companies cut corners on maintenance to save money, critical systems like brakes, tires, and steering components can fail without warning.
Distracted Driving
Distracted or impaired driving affects truck drivers just like other motorists, but the consequences are far more severe given the size of commercial vehicles. Texting while driving, using GPS systems, or driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs can result in devastating crashes.
Determining Liability in Elizabethtown Truck Accidents
Truck accident cases often involve multiple defendants, each with their own insurance coverage and legal team. Identifying all potentially liable parties is crucial to securing full compensation for your injuries.
Trucking Company
The trucking company may be liable for hiring unqualified drivers, failing to properly train employees, or pressuring drivers to violate safety regulations. Many trucking companies also fail to conduct adequate background checks or ignore red flags in a driver's history.
Maintenance Companies
Maintenance contractors can be held responsible when mechanical failures contribute to accidents. If a repair shop performs substandard work or fails to identify safety issues during inspections, it may share liability for resulting crashes.
Cargo Loaders
Cargo loading companies must follow specific procedures to ensure loads are properly secured and distributed. When improper loading practices contribute to accidents, these companies can be held accountable for their negligence.
Types of Compensation Available in Truck Accident Cases
The severe nature of truck accident injuries often results in substantial damages that go far beyond what typical car accident victims experience. Our legal team fights to secure compensation for all aspects of your losses.
Medical Costs
Medical expenses in truck accident cases can be enormous, often exceeding insurance policy limits. These costs include emergency room treatment, surgeries, hospitalization, rehabilitation, and ongoing medical care. We work with medical experts to project future treatment needs and ensure these costs are included in your claim.
Lost Pay
Lost wages become particularly significant when injuries prevent you from returning to your previous employment. Many truck accident victims face permanent disabilities that require career changes or prevent them from working entirely. We calculate both immediate lost income and diminished future earning capacity.
Pain and Suffering
Pain and suffering compensation addresses the physical discomfort and emotional trauma you've endured. Truck accidents often result in life-altering injuries that cause chronic pain and require victims to give up activities they previously enjoyed.
Why Choose Skeeters, Bennett, Wilson & Humphrey for Your Truck Accident Case
With over 50 years of serving Elizabethtown, Radcliff, and Central Kentucky, our firm has the experience and resources necessary to take on large trucking companies and their insurance carriers. We understand the tactics these companies use to minimize their liability and are prepared to fight for your rights.
Our attorneys have a proven track record of securing substantial settlements and verdicts in truck accident cases. We invest in thorough investigations, working with accident reconstruction experts, medical professionals, and industry specialists to build the strongest possible case on your behalf.
We provide personalized attention to each client while delivering big-city legal results. Our team takes time to explain the legal process, answer your questions, and keep you informed about the progress of your case. We understand that truck accidents often occur during the most difficult times in our clients' lives, and we're here to provide both legal expertise and compassionate support.
Contact Our Elizabethtown Truck Accident Attorneys Today
If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident in Elizabethtown, Radcliff, or anywhere in Central Kentucky, don't wait to seek legal representation. Trucking companies and their insurance carriers begin investigating accidents immediately, and important evidence can disappear if not preserved quickly.
Contact Skeeters, Bennett, Wilson & Humphrey today for a free consultation to discuss your case. Call us at 270-351-4404 or fill out our online contact form to get started. We work on a contingency fee basis, which means you don't pay attorney fees unless we secure compensation for your injuries. Let our experience and dedication work for you during this challenging time.