Head-on collisions are some of the worst accidents imaginable. When one of the vehicles is a large truck, the consequences can be catastrophic. If you’ve been involved in a head-on crash with a truck, you could be faced with painful and life-threatening injuries, significant medical bills and lost wages, and much more.
Unfortunately, insurance companies representing the at-fault parties often add insult to injury by dragging their feet and underpaying or outright denying claims. You deserve a truck accident attorney that will fight for the compensation you deserve.
That’s where Elrod Pope Law Firm can help you. Please contact us to speak to a truck accident attorney in Rock Hill who can help you move forward after a head-on collision.
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No upfront costs to you or your family. We strive to recover the maximum possible compensation allowed under the law for our clients.
Causes of Head-On Truck Collisions
Victims of large truck and semi-truck head-on collisions have the burden of proving negligence on the part of the truck driver, the trucking company, and possibly other parties. It helps to have an understanding of the most common causes of these accidents.
Your attorney will investigate whether any of the following were involved:
- Inexperienced driver: Truck drivers should be adequately trained so they understand how to handle the large vehicles they use every day. But inexperience with the proper handling of these trucks can easily lead to a major accident.
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol: Any use of drugs (legal or not) or alcohol that impairs driving presents a serious risk to others. Driving under the influence dramatically increases the likelihood of a head-on truck collision.
- Distracted driving: Taking your eyes off the road for just five seconds while driving at 55 miles per hour is equivalent to driving the length of a football field blindfolded. Any sort of distracted driving is hazardous to others, especially when a large truck is involved.
- Drowsy driving: Federal regulations limit the amount of time a driver can be on the road without sleep, with the goal of preventing semi-truck head-on collisions. But many drivers and trucking companies disregard these rules to finish routes and increase profits.
- Speeding: It’s dangerous enough when a passenger vehicle speeds and even worse when a truck does. Speeding increases the chances that a truck will cross traffic lines and crash directly into an oncoming automobile.
- Overloaded trucks: Trucks that are too heavy are difficult to control and take more time to stop, especially when other factors like bad weather or insufficient street lighting are involved. Overloading typically points to negligence on the part of the trucking company.
- Trucking malfunction: Defects such as poor braking systems are also to blame in many head-on truck accidents. If a problem with the truck itself caused the collision, liability may lie with the manufacturer or a repair or maintenance shop.
Serious and Fatal Injuries in Head-On Truck Accidents
The sheer weight, size, and speed of trucks make head-on accidents disastrous. Victims may suffer permanent or even fatal injuries, including:
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Spinal cord damage
- Paralysis
- Permanent disability
- Back and neck injuries
- Concussions
- Lacerations
- Internal organ damage
- Internal bleeding
- Bone fractures
- Amputations
In the event, the victim dies from his or her injuries, certain surviving family members may be able to file a wrongful death claim. These are similar to personal injury lawsuits, and our truck accident attorney can assist you in pursuing one.
What is Needed to Prove Liability for a Front-End Truck Accident?
As indicated above, there are several parties who could potentially be held liable for a head-on truck accident. For instance, you may be able to pursue a personal liability claim against the driver and/or the company that employed the driver by establishing the following elements:
- Duty of care: Using the driver as an example, this individual owes everyone else on the road the duty of safely operating the vehicle and following all applicable traffic and safety laws.
- Breach: A breach is a violation of the duty of care and may be evidenced by the causes listed above (e.g., driving under the influence) or by violating specific rules like federal trucking regulations.
- Causation: The breach must be the “proximate cause” of the victim’s injuries, a legal term that actually consists of causation in fact (the injury would not have occurred but for the defendant’s negligence) and legal cause (the injury must have been foreseeable).
- Damages: Damages are essentially the sum total of compensation a victim may receive. The victim must establish the nature and amount of his or her damages and assign a monetary value to them.
You may also be able to pursue other causes of action, for example, against the truck’s manufacturer if a defect caused the accident. These claims are similar to personal injury lawsuits in that they allege some form of negligence on the part of the defendant.
Recoverable Damages After a Semi-Truck Head-On Collision
Every head-on truck accident is different, so the available damages in one case will differ from those of another. Generally, victims can seek the following damages:
- Past, present, and future medical bills, including hospitalization, surgery, ambulance services, prescription drug medications, rehabilitation, physical therapy, adaptive medical equipment, and more
- Lost wages for time missed from work while you are recovering from your injuries
- Lost future wages in the event you are unable to work the same job after your accident
- Non-economic losses like pain, suffering, and disfigurement
- Wrongful death damages, such as the victim’s final medical expenses and funeral costs
- In some cases, punitive damages
How Elrod Pope can help
When you retain our dedicated head-on truck accident attorney to handle your case, we get to work immediately investigating how and why the wreck happened. This helps us identify all potential parties who may be held liable since more defendants generally equates to more compensation for the victim.
We also handle all negotiations with the insurance company, which could help avoid the need for a lengthy, drawn-out trial.
In the event the insurance company refuses to make a fair settlement offer and a trial becomes necessary, we will apply our extensive legal experience in building a compelling case on your behalf. That includes using discovery, a process of obtaining relevant evidence from the defendant and other parties.
We also call upon expert witnesses during trial. These are individuals with specialized knowledge who can explain complicated or technical matters, such as how the accident happened and what future expenses and losses you can reasonably be expected to incur.
Get Your Free Case Evaluation
No upfront costs to you or your family. We strive to recover the maximum possible compensation allowed under the law for our clients.
Contact Our Rock Hill Head-On Truck Accident Attorney
We understand the anxiety you are likely facing after suffering a head-on truck collision, as medical bills pile up and you miss time from work. That’s why we stand up for the rights of those who have been harmed by others’ negligent and irresponsible conduct. If you or a loved one were injured in a head-on truck collision, call Elrod Pope Law Firm today to request your consultation.
