New Orleans Truck Accident Lawyer

Let an attorney fight to get you the compensation you need and deserve

The trucking industry helps keep America running by transporting critical goods, products, and cargo across the country every day. While truckers are trained professionals who are required to have a commercial driver’s license (CDL) and must follow a strict set of federal regulations, many make poor decisions and cause crashes that result in severe injury or death.

Cases involving negligent truckers and/or trucking companies are often complex for victims seeking justice and financial compensation for their damages. That’s why it’s important to talk a truck accident lawyer who can clearly lay out your legal rights and options.

When the driver of an 18-wheeler, tractor-trailer, semi-truck, big rig or other type of large commercial vehicle acts negligently, they are more prone to causing a truck accident that results in serious and sometimes fatal injuries.

According to statistics from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), thousands of people die every year in fatal truck accidents while many others are severely injured. Most of those deaths are occupants of passenger vehicles, motorcyclists, pedestrians, and bicyclists. This is due to the massive size of large commercial trucks, as a fully loaded tractor-trailer can weigh up to 80,000 pounds – which is 20-30 times more than the average passenger vehicle. Factor in the commercial vehicle’s height advantage, and it’s no wonder why 18-wheeler/tractor-trailer accidents often result in serious accidents.

If you were badly injured in a crash with a commercial vehicle or someone you love died in a fatal truck accident due to negligence, call The Law Offices of John S. Williams, LLC right away to speak to an experienced New Orleans truck accident attorney. It’s important to remember that you have rights. You may think that the process of recovering compensation for your damages will be easy, but most trucking companies have teams of attorneys ready to defend them against lawsuits. Attorney John S. Williams can help you level the playing field playing field. John has experience investigating trucking companies, building strong cases and proving negligence. He treats clients like family and will fight for what’s right, what’s fair and what’s just.

Who’s liable in a truck accident?

Liability for a trucking accident can fall on multiple different parties, including:

• The trucker
• The trucker’s employer (trucking company)
• The owner of the truck, if not owned by the trucking company
• The shipping company responsible for loading the cargo
• The truck manufacturer
• A broker
• A third party, such as another driver involved in your crash

Determining liability in a truck accident is critical if you’ve been injured or a loved one died in a fatal accident with a large truck. To recover compensation for your damages, whether it be via settlement or court verdict, you will need to take action against the correct party.

What are the leading causes of trucking accidents?

Truck accidents are often caused by truck driver and/or trucking company negligence. Some of the most common causes of truck accidents include:

• Speeding
• Distracted driving
• Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• Fatigued driving
• Trucker inexperience
• Poor truck maintenance

Truckers are held to extremely high standards and are obligated to follow strict regulations that are handed down from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). For example, truckers are required to obey hours of service regulations, which mandate how long the truck driver can be on duty. This information is recorded and stored in the commercial vehicle’s electronic logging device (ELD).

If a trucker fell asleep at the wheel and caused an accident, reviewing the driver’s hours of service log can reveal whether the trucker acted negligently by illegally working too many hours.

Want to learn more? Visit our truck accident FAQ page to get answers to some of the most common questions our law firm receives.

What do I need to do after a truck accident?

If you get into an accident with a large commercial truck and you’re healthy enough to do so, you should:

• Call the police. An accident with an 18-wheeler or semi-truck can cause a lot of damage and result in serious injuries, which means the police will need to be on scene to sort everything out and eventually generate an accident report. Let the dispatcher know right away if anyone has been injured and needs an ambulance.
• Take pictures. Get as many pictures of the accident as you can, paying special attention to the position of the truck and every other vehicle involved in the wreck. Capture images of all the damage, skid marks, street signs, traffic signals, construction, visible injuries and anything else that may be relevant to your crash. Photographic evidence can be critical when attempting to prove liability so that you can recover compensation from the at-fault party.
• Exchange information. Ask the truck driver for their name, contact information, license number, license plate number, insurance information, and the name and contact information of the trucking company that they work for. Do not talk about the accident or argue about fault at the crash scene.
• Look for witnesses. See if anyone at the crash scene witnessed your crash, and if so, get their name and contact information. Eyewitness testimony is very powerful and can be a key piece of evidence to support your case.
• Seek medical attention. Even if you aren’t experiencing any noticeable pain after your truck accident, get checked out by a doctor as soon as possible. Some injuries have delayed onset symptoms that don’t manifest right away, meaning you may be injured and not know it.
• Call a truck accident attorney. Before you talk anyone about your truck accident, including the insurance company or someone who represents the trucking company, you should strongly consider speaking to a truck accident lawyer to go over your rights and understand your legal options. This can typically be done at no cost, as most personal injury law firms offer a free consultation.

How can a truck accident lawyer help me?

You should consider hiring an attorney for your truck accident if you were seriously injured or a loved one died in an accident with a commercial vehicle. Without legal representation, you may find it difficult trying to recover compensation for all your damages.

A truck accident lawyer will know how to investigate your crash, gather evidence, calculate your damages and build a strong case on your behalf to help you recover compensation for your accident-related expenses. This can include medical expenses, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, replacement services, pain and suffering, and more.

Let a New Orleans truck accident attorney hold them accountable

If you or someone you love was involved in a serious crash with an 18-wheeler, tractor-trailer, semi-truck, big rig or other type of large commercial vehicle, call our law firm right away to see how we can help with your case.

John S. Williams is an experienced truck accident lawyer who serves clients in New Orleans with compassion and care. He will treat you like family and fight to get you the justice you deserve. Whether you were severely injured in a rear-end truck accident or got hurt in a rollover accident with a commercial vehicle, John can investigate your crash, find the facts, and stand by your side as he personally guides you through the entire legal process.

John will do everything in his power to negotiate a fair settlement or earn favorable court verdict so that you can get the compensation you need and deserve. Contact us today for a free consultation. Our law firm represents clients on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay nothing unless we win.