Driving next to giant trucks and trailers on the highway can feel intimidating. When accidents happen, they can be huge and devastating. In such a case, you should contact an attorney about taking legal action.
If truck accidents are famous for anything, it’s their sheer size and severity. Trucks are huge vehicles, and accidents are often catastrophic. Injuries might include broken bones, lacerations, brain damage, spinal cord injuries, and a whole host of long-term or even permanent complications. Your top priority should be calling for emergency help after a crash. Next, you should exchange information with others at the scene and try to take pictures if you can. Various parties might be involved in the accident, and our team will help you determine who should be held responsible. We can also help you uncover valuable evidence we can use to build the strongest case possible.
Call our truck accident lawyers at (410) 694-7291 and ask our team at Rice, Murtha & Psoras for a free claims assessment.
Injuries and Damages in Ossining Truck Accident Cases
People who survive truck accidents rarely walk away unscathed. Physical injuries are often severe in truck crash cases. Common injuries include, but are not limited to, broken bones, deep lacerations, severed limbs, spinal cord injuries and paralysis, traumatic brain injuries, and even burns if a vehicle catches fire. Victims often face a long road to recovery, and many live with permanent complications, scarring, and disabilities.
Considering how serious injuries might be in a truck crash, it should be no surprise that damages for medical expenses are often sky-high. Surgeries, physical therapy, medication, X-rays, scans, lab tests, and other treatments do not come cheap. Our truck accident lawyers can also help you consider future medical expenses. Perhaps your treatment will last beyond the case. We can estimate your future medical expenses and add them to your damages. We should also account for mobility aids, like wheelchairs, and alterations you might need to make to your home to accommodate any disabilities or other medical complications.
Property damage is also a major concern for truck accident survivors. Your vehicle might be totaled, and replacing it will likely be expensive. You might have lost numerous personal items that were in your car during the crash. Replacing cell phones, laptops, jewelry, and other belongings will be costly and should be accounted for in our damages calculations.
Not all your damages are based on how much money they cost. For example, your psychological and physical pain and suffering might take a massive toll on your life. Perhaps you must leave a promising career behind because your injuries prevent you from working. Maybe you must live with significant scarring for the rest of your life. You might be experiencing psychological issues like depression, panic attacks, anxiety, or some form of PTSD. We can help you get evaluated by a mental health professional and hopefully get you significant compensation for these painful experiences.
What to Do Right After a Truck Crash in Ossining
Immediately after a truck accident, you or someone with you should call for help. Truck accidents can be severe, and you might not be able to call for help on your own. Perhaps a passenger with you or another driver can make the call for you.
You should exchange contact information with other people at the scene if you can. It might be hard to know who caused the accident immediately after the fact, so it is a good idea to exchange information with as many people as possible. Even if some of these people are not responsible for the crash, they might be able to testify as witnesses.
The police should be sent to the accident scene, and they will likely want to investigate. If you have not yet been transported to the hospital for emergency treatment, you should make sure to talk to law enforcement. If you are unable to talk to the police at the accident scene, we can help you contact them later.
If you are too badly hurt, you should remain where you are and wait for help. If you can safely exit your car, you should try to record the accident scene however you can. If you have a camera, take pictures and record videos. If you do not have a camera, you should at least make notes about anything that seems important. Take note of license plates and the overall position of the crash.
Finally, call a lawyer as soon as you are able. You might still be unsure about taking legal action, and our team can help you explore all your options.
People Who Might Be Responsible for a Truck Accident in Ossining
It is a common misconception that lawsuits may only be filed against one defendant. As such, plaintiffs sometimes want to sue the person they think bears the most responsibility for their injuries. In reality, a single lawsuit may include many defendants, and you can sue numerous people who contributed to the accident.
The Driver of the Truck
One of the first potential defendants we should look at is the truck driver. Truckers are not like ordinary drivers on the road. Operating such a large vehicle often requires special licensing, training, and skills. They also must comply with various laws and industry regulations regarding trucking and truck safety. A deviation from these rules could spell disaster.
The Truck Company
If we plan on suing the trucker involved in your accident, we should also include their employer, the trucking company that hired them. Under the legal doctrine called respondeat superior, an employer may be legally responsible for injuries inflicted by a negligent employee if they acted within the scope of their typical duties. Doing this might be wise, as trucking companies often have greater financial resources and might be better able to pay your extensive damages.
Call Our Ossining Truck Accident Lawyers for Help Today
Call our truck accident lawyers at (410) 694-7291 and ask our team at Rice, Murtha & Psoras for a free claims assessment.
