Being hit by a box truck is a stunning event. For many accident victims, the initial shock of the collision gives way to even more concerning realities—injuries, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), financial burdens, and other challenges. Allow a box truck accident lawyer to demand fair compensation for all the economic and non-economic damages you face because of the collision.
Insurance companies, a box truck driver, a private organization, a municipality, or others may owe you compensation. Allow your lawyer to provide a personalized strategy and take every detail of your case off your hands.
More Trucks on the Road Mean More Truck Accidents
In a recent 20 year span, the total number of trucks on American roads increased by 111 percent. This growth includes box trucks, typically used for:
- Delivering packages to customers who order goods online
- Delivering construction materials
- Moving personal items from one location to another (moving companies and self-storage facilities typically use box trucks)
- Delivering refrigerated goods
- Hauling construction materials
- Transporting retail and consumer products
- A range of other purposes, typically that involve moving items from one location to another
In many cases, box trucks are carrying heavy cargo, such as furniture. While even an empty box truck can be involved in a fatal accident, those carrying heavy cargo are particularly hazardous.
Box Truck Drivers Do Not Always Need a Commercial Driver’s License. This Can Be a Potentially Lethal Problem.
When you see an eighteen wheeler, you might be assured knowing the driver of that truck has earned a commercial driver’s license (CDL). You cannot be so sure that a box truck driver has a CDL, and that can be very concerning.
Driver inexperience is one of many reasons why a box truck collision might happen, and a list of those reasons includes:
Lack of Regulatory Control Over Box Trucks
Commercial trucks are regulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). While some box trucks are regulated, not all of them are.
Uncertainty about the regulation of box trucks means:
- You cannot be certain if a box truck driver is qualified and fit to drive it
- You cannot be certain if a box truck driver has been operating the vehicle for an unsafe length of time
- The box truck may not be in safe condition
- There is a greater likelihood of driver- and vehicle-related hazards when a box truck does not fall under the purview of regulators
While the lack of oversight may not directly cause a collision, it may contribute to unsafe trucks and unsafe drivers sharing the road with accident victims like you.
Unsecured Cargo
When cargo in a box truck is not properly secured, there’s a possibility that:
- The cargo will fall onto the roadway, presenting a hazard to other motorists
- The cargo will shift or overturn, causing the box truck operator to lose control of the vehicle
- Moving cargo will cause the truck to overturn (which can happen if cargo is abnormally heavy or the cargo shifts while the driver is turning at high speed)
Think of someone who loads their furniture into a box truck on their own. Is that person even aware of the proper ways to load and secure those items?
The relative lack of regulation over many box trucks means that unsecured cargo is a genuine accident hazard.
Drivers with an Incentive to Move Fast
Trucks are the dominant means of moving freight throughout the United States. As an increasing number of people order goods to their home—and the population continues to swell—box trucks have become increasingly relied upon for deliveries.
Many drivers who operate box trucks have a financial incentive to deliver packages and other freight as quickly as possible. This incentive can lead to speeding, dangerous passing, failure to secure cargo properly, and other hazards that increase the risk of accidents.
Questionable Truck Service History (and Defective Trucks)
When someone rents a box truck, they may have no clue about whether that truck has any existing defects or when the truck was last serviced.
Fixing and replacing box trucks costs money. Those who own and rent these vehicles may cut corners or conceal defects in order to save money. This dangerous behavior can lead to accidents involving box trucks.
Inexperienced, Impaired, and Careless Drivers
Whenever any traffic accident happens, drivers’ actions come under scrutiny. Some of the most common driver-related actions that lead to collisions are:
- Driving without the necessary skill or experience: Driving a box truck is a different experience than driving a sedan or any other passenger vehicle. These trucks weigh more, are more top-heavy, have a wider turn radius, and generally take longer to brake. A driver who does not have the skill or experience necessary to operate the box truck safely may be very likely to cause a crash.
- Impaired driving: A driver may be impaired by alcohol, drugs, emotions, or even health issues like poor eyesight.
- Distracted driving: Motorists who text, talk on the phone, take their eyes off the road, or engage in other distracting behavior pose a clear danger to themselves and others.
- Dangerous driving: Speeding, changing lanes dangerously, passing dangerously, and tailgating are some of the many dangerous actions that increase the likelihood of an accident.
Your lawyer will evaluate the actions of any other drivers involved in your box truck collision.
Dangerous Driving Conditions
Not every box truck accident results from a negligent driver or a defective truck. Sometimes, the road itself causes the crash—actually, those in charge of the roads (local, state or federal government entities) can be held responsible for the crash.
Some examples of dangerous driving conditions include:
- Roads riddled with potholes, uneven asphalt, cracks, or other blemishes
- Hazardous work zones or construction crews
- Lack of adequate stop signs, traffic lights, yield signs, and other safety mechanism
- Inadequate lighting
- Faded or unmarked lanes
Adverse weather, such as ice and rain, can also contribute to collisions. There are exceptions, but drivers are often responsible if they fail to adapt their driving to the hazardous weather.
What to Do If You or a Loved One Were Hit by a Box Truck
If you or a loved one have suffered an injury in a collision involving a box truck, read carefully. What you do next—or don’t do next—can have long-ranging benefits or consequences.
Every box truck accident survivor should:
- Get medical care
Every traffic accident victim—whether they’re hit by a scooter or a box truck—should seek medical care because:
- You may have life-threatening injuries that require immediate diagnosis and treatment
- Even if injuries are not immediately life-threatening, each one requires treatment so the victim can recover
- Documentation of accident-related injuries is an important element of insurance claims and lawsuits
Your safety and recovery have to be top priority after a box truck accident. See as many medical professionals as you need to get accurate diagnoses, a treatment plan, and the services you require.
- Hire a box truck accident attorney
Many accident victims are just as worried about their financial security as they are about their health. A truck accident can render a healthy, working person injured and unable to work—and do so in the blink of an eye.
A lawyer will be responsible for delivering you the compensation you deserve. This compensation will be meant to eliminate all financial concerns you face after the accident. Don’t wait to hire your attorney so they can get right to work for you.
You Should Not Hesitate to Hire a Box Truck Accident Attorney—A Few Good Reasons Why
There are a few reasons why hiring a lawyer is a logical first step after your accident. Most who survive a box truck collision don’t know:
- Who is financially responsible for their accident
- What damages they deserve compensation for
- How much their case is worth
- Whether filing a lawsuit is necessary
- How to protect themselves from those who want to see their case fail
- What to do next
Hiring a lawyer answers all of these questions. Retaining a box truck accident attorney will also:
Give You the Support System You Deserve
Your attorney and their team will support you in several ways, including:
- Proactively providing advice, which will serve as a simple checklist for you to follow after the collision
- Being available to update you, answer your questions, and alleviate concerns throughout your case
- Providing all the resources necessary to lead your case effectively, including but not limited to attorneys, paralegals, and expert witnesses
Simply knowing that an entire team of legal professionals has your back can be just what you need after a traumatic accident.
Help You Keep Your Recovery the Priority
Box truck accident survivors have plenty to worry about and only a finite amount of time. Let your lawyer handle everything related to your case. Just worry about getting better.
Prevent Many Potential Errors, Mistakes, and Hazards to Your Case
Most people are not in a box truck accident more than once in their life. This isn’t an event you’re familiar with. This unfamiliarity can be a detriment when you’re seeking compensation because:
- You don’t know who is truly on your side and who has ulterior motives (note that insurance companies often have unethical agendas)
- You may not recognize bad-faith tactics used by those trying to undermine your case
- You may not know your options for seeking compensation (or how to effectively handle an insurance claim or lawsuit)
This general uncertainty may increase your risk of making a costly mistake or misjudgement.
A lawyer is experienced. Let them use this experience to your benefit. Your lawyer and their team will prevent mistakes and fight for the fairest, most efficient resolution to your case.
Allow You to Sue, Should You Choose To
A trucking company may be financially liable for your accident. If you intend to pursue all the money you are entitled to, filing a lawsuit—possibly against a trucking company—is an option your lawyer will weigh.
With a truck accident lawyer leading your case, you can determine together if filing a lawsuit is the best course of action.
Your Attorney Will Start Fighting from the Moment You Hire Them
If anyone understands the urgency of your circumstances, it’s a truck accident lawyer. Your legal team will not waste a moment in fighting for the compensation you deserve, and the process ahead may involve:
Documenting the Collision Right Away
Evidence will create a vivid picture of your box truck accident. The more evidence your lawyer can secure, the more tightly the puzzle pieces may lock together.
Securing accident-related evidence will be one of your lawyer’s most urgent duties. In fact, the need to secure evidence is one of the most pressing motivations to hire your lawyer right away.
Proving Both Economic and Non-Economic Damages
Your lawyer may prove the financial cost of your accident with:
- Medical bills
- Healthcare records (including images of injuries)
- Bank statements
- Receipts
- Photographs of damaged property
- Expert testimony
Your lawyer will also rely on your own words as necessary, as this will provide a firsthand perspective of the accident’s cost.
Seeing If a Fair Settlement Is Possible
Your attorney will likely be ready to reach a fair settlement. The question is whether liable parties are as willing.
If liable parties negotiate in good faith, your attorney may secure the financial settlement you deserve.
Representing You in a Lawsuit If You Decide to Sue
If your case leads to a lawsuit, trust your attorney to manage every detail of your case for you, including any necessary trial.
Damages Your Attorney May Include in Your Box Truck Accident Case
Recoverable damages in your box truck accident case may include:
- Lost income
- Medical costs
- Pain and suffering
- Property damage
- Mental health services
Your attorney will demand fair compensation for these and all other types of harm stemming from your box truck crash.
Hire Your Box Truck Accident Attorney as Soon as Possible
The number of fatal truck accidents has been on a steady upward trajectory. Attorneys are there to serve the increasing number of truck accident victims, and a lawyer will start serving you as soon as you hire them.
Do not wait to complete free consultations and find the right box truck accident lawyer for your case.