Many of us share the road with tractor trailers at least a couple of times a day, as we drive to and from work. We share the road with them at many other times, too. At almost any time of the day or night, tractor trailers can be seen on Kansas highways. Although the drivers of the enormous semi-trailers are trained professionals, they are human, and just like all other drivers on the road, they sometimes make mistakes. Unfortunately, when the driver of a tractor trailer makes a mistake and causes an accident, the consequences can be devastating. If you have been in an accident involving a tractor trailer, you know that it was no ordinary car accident. There are differences between accidents involving cars and other cars, pickup trucks, and SUVs, and accidents involving one or more of those smaller vehicles and a tractor trailer. While seeking assistance from a knowledgeable personal injury attorney is a good idea after any type of motor vehicle accident, it is especially important for the victims of accidents involving tractor trailers.
One reason that it is essential that you consult with a Kansas personal injury lawyer after your tractor trailer accident is that you may be seriously injured or even faced with the possibility of being disabled in some way for the rest of your life. The sheer size and weight of tractor trailers means that they often cause serious injuries or death, in addition to massive amounts of property damage. Because of the extent of your injuries, and the amount of property damage caused by the accident, you need a settlement that will adequately compensate you. All too often, accident victims sell themselves short by accepting settlement offers that do not cover the continuing medical care, rehabilitative treatments, or other expenses that they did not think about before accepting the offer. Your personal injury attorney can help you to estimate the true value of your claim, and can work to get you a fair settlement.
Many times, if there is an accident involving two cars or other small vehicles, there are only two drivers involved. With tractor trailer accidents, things can get a little more complicated because the driver of the truck often does not own it, or if they do, they own it as part of a business entity. This means that the company which owns the truck is a party to the accident. There can be even more parties involved in some semi-trailer accidents, if the accident was caused by defective service or maintenance, or defective parts or manufacture. Even though more parties makes for a more complicated and lengthy discussion of liability, it could work to your advantage as far as being able to recover from more than one party. An experienced personal injury attorney can work effectively with the various parties involved in a tractor trailer accident case, and can help you to obtain the best possible results.
The activities of semi-trailer drivers are regulated by both state and federal laws. Most people do not know much about the laws that apply to truck drivers. This is another way that an experienced personal injury attorney can help you after an accident with a tractor trailer. Your attorney not only knows the laws, they can also help you understand how they are relevant to your case.
A fourth reason that any victims of an accident involving a tractor trailers needs to be represented by a personal injury attorney is that if the case is not able to be settled, it will proceed to litigation. Preparing a case involving multiple parties and a variety of types of evidence can be a daunting task. Tractor trailer accident cases involve physical evidence, just like all motor vehicle accident cases, but they also involve business records like safety training records and driver log books. Your attorney has a great deal of experience in presenting many types of evidence to the court, and in representing accident victims just like you.
If you have been injured in a tractor trailer accident, it is important that you speak to a Kansas personal injury attorney right away. To learn more about how we can help you, please call the Wichita office of Cummings & Cummings, L.L.C. today at (316) 264-1548.