Commercial trucks, including semi-trucks, flatbeds, and delivery trucks, are much larger than most of the vehicles on the road. This means that crashes involving commercial trucks often cause significant property damage and serious injuries. Sadly, many commercial truck accident victims do not survive. If you were hurt or a loved one died in a truck crash, you may be interested in taking legal action against the trucking company.

Bringing a successful injury or death claim against a trucking company or carrier is no easy feat. To win the case and recover damages, the plaintiff and his or her attorney must prove several elements, including the cause of the crash and the party at-fault for the crash. Accident reconstruction can be a valuable tool in truck accident cases.

What is Accident Reconstruction or Crash Reconstruction?

Accident reconstruction is the process of understanding what series of events led to a crash and representing these facts through models and simulations. Experts in the field of accident reconstruction often have an advanced understanding of physics, mathematics, and engineering. They evaluate evidence and witness testimony to understand how and why a crash occurred.

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Seeing your child get hurt in a car accident can be a traumatic experience for a parent. You probably do everything you can to keep your child safe. Having another driver carelessly harm your child can feel like a real-life nightmare. After you have gotten your child to safety and had their injuries treated, you may start to wonder how you can hold the negligent driver accountable for what happened to your child. Since minors cannot file a lawsuit on their own behalf, you will need to act on their behalf. As a parent or guardian of a minor, you can pursue compensation for your injured child. An attorney can help you determine what the best next steps are.

What Damages Can a Minor Recover?

Calculating damages owed to a minor who has been injured in a car accident can be a little more complicated. Minors are not responsible for their own medical bills, and any income they earn technically belongs to their parents. This does not mean that recovery for these damages is impossible - rather, it must simply be sorted out who is owed what. Minors can recover most of the same damages that adults can, like:

• Pain and suffering - Children may not cope with pain, injuries, and medical procedures, as well as an adult, can. Fortunately, you can pursue damages on behalf of your child that will compensate them for their pain and suffering.
• Emotional trauma - Many children need counseling after going through the trauma of a car accident where they were injured. Your child may have troubling emotional symptoms like being afraid to ride in a vehicle, or being unable to stop thinking and talking about the car accident.
• Medical bills - While minors are not responsible for their own medical bills, these economic damages are recoverable by the parents, who are responsible for these bills.
• Lost future income - If the accident was severe enough that your child will have permanent disabilities that could impact their future earning potential as an adult, they can receive compensation for their lost future wages. However, calculating and proving the amount of lost future income for a child can be quite challenging. A skilled attorney will need to approximate the amount your child would have earned as an adult before and after the accident.

If the child reaches the age of majority before a parent or guardian files a claim on their behalf, the child then has a period of two years to file their own claim. However, at this point, certain expenses that the parents became responsible for often cannot be recovered. It is important to file a suit as soon as you are able.

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Semi-trucks, flatbeds, delivery trucks, and other commercial trucks are usually much bigger than the other vehicles on the road. Consequently, accidents involving commercial trucks are often catastrophic. If you or a loved one were injured in a serious truck crash, you may be able to hold the at-fault party accountable and recover financial compensation through a truck crash injury claim. Obtaining and preserving evidence is a crucial aspect of a successful claim.

Preserving Evidence So it is Not Lost or Destroyed

Robust evidence is a necessity if you want to win your truck accident case. You will need evidence to prove that the at-fault party’s actions caused the crash and that your injuries were the result of that crash. You will also need to prove that you sustained damages as a result of your injuries.

Crucial evidence in a truck accident case may include:

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When a careless driver crashes into you, you can be thrown into a horrible situation. You might be in pain from your injuries. You could be missing work or unable to fulfill your household responsibilities. Your vehicle is probably totaled, forcing you to replace it. The one saving grace in that situation should be that the responsible driver’s insurance company is supposed to pay all your expenses so that you do not suffer any financial losses. When it turns out that the other driver does not have insurance - or his insurance is insufficient to fully compensate you - you may be wondering who will pay for your expenses and lost income due to the accident. Your best bet is to contact an attorney who can help you understand your options for making a financial recovery after a serious accident with an uninsured motorist.

Who Pays if the Other Driver’s Insurance Will Not?

You may have multiple options for recovering financial compensation after a crash caused by an uninsured motorist. The two main parties you could recover compensation from are your own insurance company, and the other driver himself. There are benefits and drawbacks to both. A lawyer can help guide your decision about which route to pursue.

Every insurance company operating in Texas must offer uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. This type of coverage exists specifically to address this type of situation. Unless you specifically opted out in writing when you signed up for your insurance policy, you almost certainly have this type of coverage. Even if you only have state minimum insurance, you may be able to recover up to $30,000 in damages from your own insurance company.

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Most of the time, it is merely an annoyance when some component of a vehicle stops functioning. A tire starts to go flat, so you pull over unharmed. The battery dies and you need a jump to get it started. Other times, however, a mechanical problem on a car can be dangerous. When a vehicular malfunction leads to a car accident, untangling liability might be complicated. Proving that the accident was in fact caused by a mechanical failure is just the first step. There are a number of other considerations and a number of different parties who could be liable. You will want to work with an attorney who is experienced in handling these complex cases.

Which Vehicle Defects Are Likely to Cause Accidents?

When a breakdown happens while someone is driving, there is a distinct possibility that a car crash will happen. Some types of vehicular malfunctions that are likely to cause accidents include:

• Tire blowouts - Tires should be well-designed and well-constructed so that they can handle a puncture without bursting suddenly. When a tire explodes rather than gradually deflates, it can cause the car to swerve out of control and hit other vehicles.
• Steering failure - A driver who cannot steer can do little to avoid an accident, save for slamming the brakes and hoping for the best.
• Brake failure - Suddenly finding yourself unable to stop can be terrifying for the driver as well as for everyone else on the road. Rear-end collisions are common, including chain-reaction rear-end collisions due to the force of impact. This situation can be especially dangerous when the driver with defective brakes is sent hurtling into an intersection.
• Lights out - When driving at night, headlights and taillights, including brake lights, are more important than many people realize. If you cannot see a vehicle because its lights are out, it is very easy to collide with it.

Who Can Be Liable in These Accidents?

Liability in accidents caused by mechanical issues on a car typically depends on who ultimately caused the failure. If the manufacturer of the component made a mistake in designing or manufacturing the part, and that mistake directly caused the crash, the manufacturer may be liable under a products liability theory. If a mechanic or body shop made a mistake while repairing, replacing, or handling that part, they could be liable. The driver may be liable if they caused the failure, like by forgetting to check their lights or overinflating their tire, then the driver may well be liable.

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