Nashville Truck Accident Lawyers

A truck accident can change a person’s life in an instant, leaving them with serious injuries, medical expenses, and uncertainty about the future. If you’ve been hurt in a crash with a commercial truck, you need a legal team that understands the nuances these cases present.

The Nashville truck accident lawyers at the Law Offices of Luvell L. Glanton are committed to fighting for those injured due to negligence. 

Our team works hard to hold trucking companies and insurers accountable, ensuring victims receive fair compensation for injuries, lost work hours, and pain and suffering. You don’t have to go through this alone. Contact us today for a free consultation.

Liability in Truck Accidents

Liability in truck accident cases can go beyond just the truck driver. The trucking company, cargo loading companies, truck manufacturers, and even maintenance providers may share responsibility.

Factors such as negligent hiring, improperly loaded cargo, mechanical failures, and driver negligence can all contribute to a crash. Even if a truck driver worked as an independent contractor, it might be possible to file a claim against their insurance company.

A thorough investigation by a Nashville truck accident attorney is essential to identify all responsible parties and aim for maximum compensation.

Recoverable Damages in Truck Accidents

Personal injury cases can cover different losses. There are several types of damage truck accident victims may pursue:

Medical expenses

Truck accidents often lead to catastrophic injuries, resulting in huge medical costs, such as emergency room visits, surgeries, hospital stays, and ongoing medical care. Victims may also require rehabilitation, physical therapy, and specialized medical equipment to aid in their recovery. 

There may also be expenses related to medications, home health care, and necessary home and vehicle modifications to accommodate their injuries. These can all be included in a Tennessee truck accident claim.

Loss of income and earning capacity

Truck accidents can impact a victim’s ability to work and earn a living. In many cases, serious injuries can lead to an extended absence from work and a significant loss of income. This financial strain can be exhausting, especially when combined with other accident-related expenses. 

Additionally, some victims may experience diminished earning capacity due to long-term or lifelong disabilities caused by a truck wreck. This can affect their capacity to perform their previous job duties or pursue career advancement opportunities.

Pain and Suffering

Pain and suffering include everything truck accident victims endure as a result of their injuries. This type of damage is often more challenging to quantify than medical bills or lost wages, as it involves subjective experiences that change from person to person. 

It could include anything from persistent discomfort to debilitating agony to emotional suffering due to anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following accidents.

Common Causes of Truck Accidents

Trucking accidents are caused by different factors. Some of the most common trucking accident cases in Tennessee include:

Trucker fatigue and illegal hours cases: Truckers are expected to drive incredibly long hours. To avoid fatigue, those hours are supposed to be regulated, but many truckers and trucking companies try to break these rules. If the driver is fatigued or has exceeded the legal number of driving hours, they may be at fault.

Driver Negligence: If a negligent driver was responsible for your accident due to distracted driving, speeding, or violating federal trucking regulations, you may have grounds for a claim against both the driver and their employer. In cases where a negligent trucking company failed to enforce safety protocols or engaged in negligent hiring, they may also be liable. 

Driving under the influence cases: As with any driver, drinking alcohol or using certain substances makes it harder to control the vehicle and increases the risk of an accident.

Braking issues cases: Brakes are heavily regulated on semi trucks and should regularly be checked and repaired. If the truck’s brakes are faulty, that may increase the liability on the trucker and the trucking company.

Aggressive driving cases: Truckers have tough deadlines to meet, which can lead to very aggressive driving, such as speeding, tailgating, and a lack of braking. This style of driving can increase the liability of the trucker and the trucking company in the case of an accident.

Overloaded truck cases: If a truck carries weight beyond legal specifications, it can be harder to stop and maneuver, leading to more accidents.

Common Injuries Following Truck Accidents

TBIs

Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs) are a common result of truck accidents. TBIs happen when a direct trauma or indirect force causes damage to the brain. These injuries can be mild concussions or severe brain damage, and they often lead to long-term or permanent disability.

In Tennessee, truck accident victims suffering from TBIs have the right to seek compensation for their injuries in cases of negligence.

Our team runs detailed investigations, often involving accident reconstruction specialists, to prove the negligence of the truck driver or trucking company and hold them accountable for the injuries sustained.

Back Injuries

Back injuries are a common result of truck accidents due to the force and impact involved. Victims may suffer from herniated discs, spinal fractures, or even paralysis. 

These injuries can lead to chronic pain and require continuous medical treatment, including surgery and physical therapy. In serious cases, back injuries can result in long-term disability, affecting the victim’s ability to work and perform daily activities.

Amputations

Amputations are one of the most devastating injuries that can result from trucking accidents. The sheer size of commercial trucks can lead to severe trauma, resulting in the loss of limbs. 

Victims of truck accidents who suffer amputations face a lifetime of challenges, including physical limitations, emotional distress, and significant changes in their daily lives.

The recovery process for amputation injuries is extensive and often involves multiple surgeries, prosthetic fittings, and rehabilitation. Beyond the immediate medical expenses, victims may face ongoing costs for prosthetic maintenance and replacements, as well as physical and occupational therapy.

Internal Organ Damage

Internal organ damage in truck accidents often results from the immense force and impact experienced during a collision. This type of injury can affect vital organs such as the liver, kidneys, spleen, and lungs, leading to conditions that require immediate medical attention. The severity of internal organ damage varies based on the force of the impact and the organs affected.

Wrongful Death

The loss of a loved one in a truck accident is a devastating experience that no family should have to endure. Wrongful death claims take place when a fatality is caused by the negligence or misconduct of another party, such as a truck driver or trucking company. In Nashville, families who have lost a family member in a truck accident may seek compensation for the emotional and financial consequences of their loss.

Wrongful death claims can provide compensation for a variety of damages, including funeral and burial expenses, loss of companionship, loss of future income, and the emotional distress and suffering experienced by surviving family members.

Contact our Experienced Truck Accident Attorneys

If you or someone you love has been in a truck accident in middle Tennessee, we are here to stand up for you. We work on a fee contingency basis, which means you won’t pay us a penny unless we win your case.

Whether your accident involved a small truck or a larger truck, such as a commercial truck or a tractor-trailer, we have decades of experience with the legal process that goes into proving liability in these types of accidents. Contact us for a free consultation.

FAQ

How do truck accident lawsuits take place in Nashville?

The courts in Tennessee provide a path for those who have been harmed by others’ negligence to pursue a claim. However, in order to secure compensation for damages, the victim has to prove that the truck driver owed a duty to the victim, they did not live up to this duty (or, they are largely at fault for one reason or another), and this failure of duty resulted in the injuries and other costs experienced by the victim. Should these three things be proven, Tennessee law says you may be entitled to compensation for specific damages.

What Should I Do After a Truck Accident?

After a truck accident, prioritize safety and protect your rights:

1. Check for injuries and call 911 if needed.
2. Report the accident to the police.
3. Notify your insurance, but avoid speaking with the other party’s insurer.
4. Document everything—photos, witness info, and accident details.
5. Seek medical attention even if you feel fine.
6. Contact a Nashville truck accident attorney as soon as possible.

Do I need a personal injury attorney to help with my case?

While it is legal to pursue a claim without a truck accident lawyer, it is not advisable. A personal injury attorney has experience handling truck accident claims and insurance companies. Their experience can help victims receive a far better outcome than they would on their own.

How long do I have to file a Nashville truck accident claim?

In Tennessee, the statute of limitations for filing a truck accident claim is typically one year from the date the accident occurred. A Nashville truck accident attorney can ensure your claim is filed on time.

How is a truck accident case different from a car accident case?

Truck accidents often result in more severe injuries than standard car crashes. Additionally, commercial truck accident claims involve multiple responsible parties, and extensive insurance policies. 

Truck accident claims require accident reconstruction experts, industry-specific evidence (such as driver logs and cargo records), and knowledge of negligent hiring or improperly secured cargo issues.

Should victims accept the settlement offer from insurance companies?

After a truck collision, the insurance company representing the trucking company or commercial driver will frequently try to minimize payouts. They may dispute liability, downplay severe injuries, or pressure injury victims into accepting a low settlement.

Can I get a free consultation with a Nashville truck accident lawyer?

Our Nashville truck accident lawyers offer a free initial consultation to evaluate your case. During this meeting, we review the accident lawsuit process timeline, potential responsible parties, and possible damages. This allows you to make informed decisions about pursuing legal action without upfront costs.