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Pittsburgh Truck Accident Lawyers With 40 Years Of Helping Victims

Commercial vehicle accidents are complex and often complex. Accidents with a semi-truck usually involve multiple parties. Our truck accident law firm has helped victims navigate these issues throughout Pennsylvania. These incidents cause medical and legal difficulties for drivers, passengers, and even pedestrians. Especially when seriously injured, you face immediate problems that sometimes feel overwhelming.

In these circumstances, it is important to engage knowledgeable legal help as soon as possible to investigate precisely what caused the incident or crash, everything that happened, and who was at fault.

Trucking Accidents Bring Major Issues

Truck accidents mean not only the driver is involved but also potentially the company that employs them and their insurance. These accidents can also lead to major injuries for those in the other vehicle. Under Pennsylvania law, the driver who was at fault for injuring you is responsible for paying compensation for:

  • Pain, suffering and inconvenience
  • Loss of life’s pleasures
  • Permanent disfigurement
  • Your distress and any interference with your family relationships
  • A loss of wages and your future earning ability because of the injury
  • Any other costs that were a direct result of your injury

At John A. Caputo & Associates, P.C., in Pittsburgh, our truck accident lawyers have decades of experience in these cases and will examine the situation thoroughly to determine the most effective approach for your particular case. See some verdicts and settlements we have obtained for injured clients.

How Are Pennsylvania Truck Accidents Different Than A Car Accident?

A collision between motor vehicles of any kind introduces the risk of physical harm and financial hardships. Among the various types of crashes, truck accidents differ significantly from car accidents due to several factors.

One major difference is the possibility of multiple responsible parties in terms of financial compensation. In the average car accident, the primary parties are usually the drivers involved in the collision and their respective insurance providers.

By contrast, in a truck accident, there could be several parties that may carry financial responsibility, including:

  • The truck driver
  • The trucking company
  • The trucking company’s insurance
  • Your own insurance company

Even an auto part or other manufacturer could hold a share of the accident blame, making liability determinations more challenging.

Additionally, trucking companies and their insurance providers are often more experienced and skilled at fighting accident claims. They have dedicated legal teams to help refute claims and minimize payouts. It is often more difficult to receive fair compensation without legal aid.

Injury severity is another distinguishing factor between passenger vehicle and truck accidents. Due to their much larger size and weight, the sheer force of a collision can lead to catastrophic injuries. The recovery process can be arduous, long and extremely costly.

The search for the specific cause of a truck accident can also introduce additional complications. Here are three examples:

  • If driver fatigue is suspected, a complex investigation into the operator’s hours of service and federal compliance may be required.
  • Accidents resulting from distracted driving might necessitate a thorough examination of phone records or onboard technology.
  • Mechanical failure-related crashes could involve defective parts or poor maintenance services, adding more potentially responsible parties to investigate.

Given these and other possible complexities, having an experienced attorney help you file your claim can be crucial to securing just compensation. They can ensure all responsible parties are accounted for, helping maximize your truck accident compensation.

What Can A Truck Accident Lawyer Help With After An Accident?

At John A. Caputo & Associates, P.C., our attorneys want to do everything in our power to help ensure victims of trucking accidents reach a fair settlement for their pain, suffering and inconvenience. We have many years of experience and a huge repository of legal knowledge we can leverage during negotiations or at trial.

In general, a truck accident lawyer can:

  • Provide the legal guidance you need about your options following an accident with a semi and explain what it takes to navigate the legal procedures to come
  • Protect you from being unfairly blamed for the accident by the other parties involved or their insurance companies in an attempt to devalue your claim
  • Identify all potentially liable parties, which can open additional avenues for compensation – something that can be critically necessary for severe injuries
  • Act swiftly to make sure that important evidence is preserved, such as witness statements, surveillance footage and the truck driver’s hours of service records
  • Network with medical professionals and accident reconstructionists who can lend strength to your claims
  • Negotiate with the insurance companies and other parties to seek fair compensation for your losses, including your medical bills, property damage, lost wages, emotional distress and future anticipated expenses

You should never delay speaking to an experienced truck accident lawyer after a wreck with a semi. Large trucking companies and their insurers have vast legal resources at their disposal, and they will leap into action very quickly. You need a skilled, capable advocate on your side if you want a fair outcome to your case.

In addition, our attorneys always approach every truck accident claim with the knowledge that a negotiated settlement may not be possible. That means our lawyers take a strategic approach that leaves them prepared to litigate, when necessary, on your behalf. We can and will present a compelling, effective narrative in court to secure the compensation you deserve.

Pennsylvania Crash Statistics Around Trucking Accidents

In 2022, Pennsylvania had the dubious distinction of being among the top five most hazardous states for truck crashes, with 7,646 wrecks – 158 of which included fatalities. That may primarily reflect how important a corridor the state’s highways are for the shipping industry between the East and West Coasts.

Other statistics about fatalities and injuries in truck accidents also create a disturbing picture. Consider these:

  • There are approximately 168,000 truck accidents in the United States every year
  • Roughly 32% of those accidents involve injuries to the trucker or the occupants of other vehicles involved in the wreck
  • Roughly 3% of those wrecks involve a fatality
  • Roughly 71% of those injured are the occupants of other vehicles, and 27% of injury victims are truckers (the remainder are pedestrians and bicyclists)
  • Intoxication plays a role in 2.4% of fatal accidents involving trucks

That’s distressing news, especially if you happen to be on the roads in the Keystone State. Even though there are federal “hours of service” mandates that trucking companies and drivers are expected to follow, not everybody adheres to the rules. Nobody knows exactly how often truck drivers break the law regarding driving hours because they do not always get caught – but there are indications that the problem is on the rise since new flexibility was added to the old regulations.

Here’s another statistic that may be important to understand: trucking companies know that a successful accident claim will be expensive. In 2019, settlements and verdicts on claims where the plaintiff asked for less than $1 million averaged between $406,000 and $449,000, while the mean damages paid on more significant claims was $3.1 million. That means you can expect a trucking company and its insurers to fight your claim aggressively, even when their liability is obvious. Our truck accident lawyers have experience litigating against the tactics these companies routinely employ when fighting a claim.

Experienced truck accident lawyers can protect your interests, keep you from being pressured into taking less than you are rightfully due and help you obtain fair compensation even when the insurer is being unreasonable. Our truck accident law firm knows the stakes after an accident.

Our Truck Accident Lawyers Know The Impact of Truck Crashes In Pennsylvania

The weight and force of a truck, especially when moving at high speed, create a tremendous impact in a collision with a smaller vehicle. Severe vehicle damage and serious personal injuries, even fatalities, are almost inevitable. These events often lead to high monetary judgments against trucking companies. Trucking companies often rely on a team of lawyers they keep on retainer to fight these cases. When you are injured in a crash involving a truck, you need a truck accident lawyer who will stand up just as forcefully for your interests.

Talk To An Experienced Truck Accident Attorney About Your Claim

We are dedicated to the pursuit of justice and appropriate compensation for the victims of serious and catastrophic personal injuries. If you have been injured in a car or truck crash, contact us online or by telephone at 412-620-6361 for a free consultation to discuss the specifics of your situation. When your case is accepted, you owe nothing out of pocket unless our truck accident lawyers recover compensation for you.