Phoenix Truck Accident Lawyer

What to Do After a Phoenix Truck Accident

After an accident, there’s a chance that you suffered catastrophic injuries, and you may be unsure of what to do next. Here are some of the steps you need to take after your crash:

Seek Medical Attention

Getting medical care right away after a truck accident is vital, even if your injuries feel minor. Visit the emergency room or see your doctor to be examined and treated appropriately.

Injuries could worsen over time, or you may not realize the full extent initially. Getting prompt medical attention establishes an important treatment record that will aid in obtaining compensation later.

Contact the Police

Calling the police is essential to file an official accident report. Ask the responding officer to come to the crash scene. Provide full details of what occurred to the officer, including locations and details of the vehicles involved, as well as any contributing factors.

Obtain the officer’s name, badge number, and incident report number for future reference. An official police report documents key facts about the accident.

Gather Evidence and Information

Timely evidence collection through photography is extremely valuable. Before things change, take photos of your vehicle, the truck, any damage or skid marks on the roadway, and the overall scene.

Be sure to also acquire contact information from witnesses who observed the crash. Their statements can corroborate your version of events. Keeping evidence and witness contacts secures useful supporting documentation.

Consult an Experienced Truck Accident Lawyer

Scheduling an initial free consultation with a truck accident attorney immediately gives you access to legal help. We will advise you on your rights and options to fully recover compensation.

An experienced lawyer understands insurance claims intricacies and knows how to negotiate forcefully to ensure you are paid for all damages. We can prevent you from accepting the first insurance company’s first settlement, which can protect you from being taken advantage of.

What Damages Can You Recover After a Phoenix Commercial Vehicle Accident?

If you have been injured in a truck crash, it is important to understand what types of damages you may be entitled to recover. With the help of an experienced truck accident attorney in Phoenix, victims can work to obtain compensation from negligent parties and their insurance companies.

Some common types of damages our Phoenix personal injury attorney can help you recover include:

• Medical expenses: This includes all costs for ongoing doctor visits, surgeries, physical therapy, prescriptions, medical equipment and more. These accident injuries often lead to high medical bills over time.
• Lost wages: For those unable to work due to injuries sustained in the crash, lost income compensation may cover both past and future lost earning potential.
• Pain and suffering: No amount of money can undo the physical and emotional toll of a serious accident, but compensation can be pursued for trauma and reduced quality of life.
• Property damage: Funds to repair or replace a damaged vehicle and compensate for diminished value after collision repairs.
• Loss of consortium: If the crash results in long-term disability, compensation may be available to a spouse or partner for loss of support, affection, society, and sexual relations.
• Scarring and disfigurement: For severe injuries leaving permanent scars or other visible effects, additional compensation addresses ongoing psychological impacts.
• Punitive damages: In rare cases where reckless behavior caused the wreck, punitive damages may be awarded to punish the defendant and deter dangerous actions.

Insurance companies do not make it easy to collect full damages owed. Our Phoenix truck accident attorney can ensure you recover the compensation you need.

Causes of Phoenix Truck Accidents

Driver Fatigue

One of the most common causes of truck accidents is driver fatigue. Long hours, tight schedules, and pressure to meet delivery deadlines can lead truck drivers to operate vehicles while exhausted despite regulations that limit driving hours. Fatigued drivers have slower reaction times, impaired judgment, and a greater risk of causing an accident. At Suzuki Law Offices, we examine driver logs, delivery schedules, and electronic tracking data to identify signs of fatigue. Holding drivers and trucking companies accountable for these dangerous practices is critical to securing compensation and preventing future accidents.

Improper Truck Maintenance

Trucking companies must conduct regular maintenance checks to ensure their vehicles operate safely. However, cost-cutting measures or negligence can result in trucks with worn brakes, tire blowouts, or faulty steering mechanisms. Accidents caused by mechanical failures are not only dangerous but entirely preventable. Our attorneys investigate maintenance records, inspection logs, and repair histories to determine whether a failure in truck upkeep played a role in your accident. By identifying responsible parties, we build a strong case for compensation based on the negligent maintenance that endangered your life.

Overloaded or Improperly Loaded Cargo

Improperly loaded or overweight trucks can create hazardous driving conditions, as unbalanced or unsecured cargo makes trucks harder to control and more prone to rollovers. Federal regulations specify weight limits and loading procedures for cargo, but violations still occur. Our team examines cargo records and works with trucking experts to determine if improper loading contributed to the accident. This attention to detail enables us to identify potential liability and seek appropriate compensation from those responsible for unsafe loading practices.

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How Long Do You Have to File a Truck Accident Claim in Arizona?

After you suffer injuries and losses, you only have so much time to file a personal injury claim. According to A.R.S. § 12-542, you have two years from the accident date to file a compensation claim. Although two years seems like enough time, you shouldn’t underestimate the time it will take for you to heal from your injuries.

Even though there’s a strict deadline, you may have more or less time to file, depending on your case. You can meet with our Phoenix truck accident lawyers at Suzuki Law Offices to find out exactly how long you have to file a claim.

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Determining Liability After Your Accident

Liability for a truck accident can be complex and involve multiple parties. Determining who is liable often depends on the specific circumstances of the accident.

Here are some key parties that can be held liable for a truck accident:

• Truck driver: The truck driver’s actions will often be scrutinized first to assess liability. Examples where they could be deemed negligent include reckless driving, speeding, impairment from alcohol and drugs, or fatigue-related issues despite being highly caffeinated.
• Trucking company: The trucking company may face responsibility claims if shown to have overlooked safety in hiring, training, maintenance, or demands that encouraged breaking the rules to hit delivery goals.
• Truck owner: If the accident occurred due to the owner’s negligence, liability could apply to the owner for mechanical or truck-based issues contributing to the crash.
• Cargo loaders: Improperly loaded or secured freight shifting in transit may indicate liability with those who packed the shipment.
• Mechanics: Negligent upkeep leading to a crash-causing mechanical failure could target maintenance contractors.
• Manufacturers: Defective components causing a collision may prompt manufacturers’ pursuit.
• Government entities: Occasionally, issues beyond a driver’s control, like poor infrastructure, factor into the crash. Roads in poor condition that lead to accidents can place liability on the government.

Did the Truck Driver Violate FMCSA Trucking Safety Regulations?

Driver negligence can take many forms. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) provides certain rules that trucking industry drivers must abide by regarding things like hours of service, drug testing, and more. If any driver fails to meet these criteria and causes an accident, they can be held liable.

For example, the FMCSA hours of services regulations specifically state that commercial truck drivers are limited to no more than 11 hours of driving after having at least 10 hours off in between.

Additionally, truck drivers are forbidden from driving more than 60 hours in seven days or 70 hours in eight days and must take at least an eight-hour rest break while on duty. Commercial drivers are also subject to periodic drug tests to ensure that drivers are not using drugs or alcohol before getting behind the wheel. These types of precautions are meant to safeguard truck companies against negligent behavior and keep people safe on the road.

Unfortunately, many truck drivers ignore hours of service regulations in order to meet strict delivery deadlines. If a tired truck driver causes an accident, however, both they and the trucking company can be held liable for damages.

Call Our Phoenix Truck Accident Attorneys for a Free Review

At Suzuki Law Offices, our truck accident lawyer in Phoenix is ready to help you recover compensation for the pain you’ve suffered. We can answer any questions you have about your case when you meet with us.

Contact us today for a free consultation.