If you were involved in an accident with a truck in Milwaukee, you most likely have many unanswered questions.
if you were injured, you may be wondering who will pay for your doctor and hospital bills. You also might want to know what types of damages you can recover from the trucking company. Finally, you may wonder how long you should wait until you contact a Milwaukee truck accident attorney.
Pursuing a claim for personal injuries against a trucking company can be a complicated process. There are different state and federal laws that govern the trucking industry. Insurance companies that represent trucking companies can be very pushy and aggressive, making the process of recovering fair compensation for your injuries difficult.
If you were recently injured in a tractor-trailer accident in Wisconsin, a truck accident attorney in Milwaukee can help. Our attorneys at Gruber Law Offices, LLC have more than 30 years of experience representing people injured by negligent truck drivers and trucking companies.
The staff of more than 120 lawyers and legal professionals are available to speak to you about your truck accident seven days a week. If you have recently been involved in a truck accident, call the team of Milwaukee truck accident attorneys at 414-436-2496 to discuss the steps available to recover compensation for your injuries.
You can also refer to the firm’s 2019 Truck Accidents FAQs for answers to questions that we frequently hear from people involved in a truck accident.
Frequently Asked Questions About Truck Accident Claims
- What Types of Truck Accidents in Milwaukee Lead to Injury Claims?
- Trucks transport goods from state to state and are a necessary part of the nation’s economy. However, accidents involving a tractor trailer truck can be devastating. The types of trucking accidents that occur on Milwaukee’s roads and highways include:
Wide Turn Accidents – If a truck driver first turns to the left before making a right turn, it causes the truck to make a “wide turn.” This type of accident can cause damage to vehicles traveling behind the truck, or in the lane on the right side of the truck. Wide turn accidents often occur when a large truck attempts to navigate narrow city streets that are not designed to accommodate the tractor-trailer’s size.
Rollover Accidents – Rollover accidents occur when a truck driver fails to operate a vehicle safely. When a truck driver is speeding and hits a guardrail, curb or uneven ground, it may cause the truck to roll over. Driving too fast for road conditions is a common factor in rollover truck accidents. If a tractor-trailer or cargo tanker is not loaded properly, or imbalanced, the cargo can shift when rounding a curve, causing the truck to turn over.
Rear-End Accidents – Large trucks are much heavier than passenger vehicles. Because of their weight, 18 wheelers require more distance to stop safely. If a truck is speeding and has to make a sudden stop, often it cannot do so and will collide with the vehicle in front of the truck. Rear end accidents often involve fatigued or distracted drivers who are not alert to changes in traffic conditions.
Jackknife Accidents – A jackknife accident occurs when a tractor-trailer brakes too hard, causing the trailer to skid forward and form a 90-degree angle with the tractor, similar to a folding pocketknife.
Under Ride Accidents –Due to the difference in size between a tractor-trailer and a car, a car can become lodged underneath a truck trailer, causing severe injuries to the automobile occupants. Under ride accidents may occur in rear end or side impact collisions, if the truck does not have under ride guards or the guards fail.
If the truck’s cargo is not properly loaded and secured on the trailer, it can fall onto the road as the truck is moving, creating a highway hazard to other vehicles. This type of accident can be very serious if a truck loses its load while moving at a high speed on an interstate.
- Trucks transport goods from state to state and are a necessary part of the nation’s economy. However, accidents involving a tractor trailer truck can be devastating. The types of trucking accidents that occur on Milwaukee’s roads and highways include:
- Does Colder Weather Lead to More On-the-Road Truck Accidents?
- Weather contributes to a higher number of motor vehicle accidents in Wisconsin and other areas of the country that experience winter driving conditions.
Commercial trucks have schedules to maintain and delivery deadlines to meet. Sleet and snow and poor weather conditions do not keep trucks off the road in Wisconsin. If a truck driver fails to drive at a safe speed for the road and weather conditions, the trucker may lose control of the vehicle on slick roads.
Truck drivers who have a commercial driver’s license are legally required to exercise high levels of caution in cold weather conditions. Their failure to do so may be evidence of negligence in the event of a personal injury accident.
- Weather contributes to a higher number of motor vehicle accidents in Wisconsin and other areas of the country that experience winter driving conditions.
- Is Fatigue A Common Cause of Truck Accidents?
- Yes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, fatigued and overworked drivers are a common cause of commercial trucking accidents.
Truck drivers may disregard the rules requiring them to take rest brakes, and drive while dangerously fatigued. Drowsy drivers are dangerous drivers and may fail to react in time to avoid causing an accident.
Truck drivers who violate hours of service limits may be held liable for the accidents they cause.
- Yes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, fatigued and overworked drivers are a common cause of commercial trucking accidents.
- What Should I Do If I Was Hit by an 18 Wheeler?
- If you were involved in an accident with an 18-wheeler tractor-trailer, here is what you should do:
- Check to see if you are injured, or if any of the occupants of your vehicle were injured.
- Next, you should call 911 and request an ambulance if needed.
- While you wait for the police and the ambulance, it is safest to remain in your vehicle. However, if you are able, and it is safe to do so, you can check to see if the occupants of the other vehicle need assistance.
- It is very important that you do not move your vehicle until emergency personnel arrive on the scene.
- If you are able, take photographs of the truck accident scene and damage to both vehicles.
- Exchange insurance and registration information with the other drivers involved. But do not discuss how the accident occurred with the other driver. Give your statement to the investigating police officer.
- Report the accident to your insurance company within a day after the accident.
- Obtain a copy of the police report to make sure that all the information you provided to the police is correct.
- Contact a truck accident lawyer in Milwaukee so that you can understand what rights you have moving forward.
- If you were involved in an accident with an 18-wheeler tractor-trailer, here is what you should do:
- What Are The Most Common Mistakes Accident Victims Make After A Truck Accident in?
- The most common mistake after a truck accident is failing to report the accident to the police or leaving the scene of the accident. If you fail to report the accident to the police, then it will be your word against that of the other driver. It will be more difficult to file a claim against the other driver because there will be no documentation of how the crash occurred. If a driver leaves the scene of an accident in which serious injuries occurred, the police may charge the driver.
Make sure you avoid these mistakes by following our truck accident checklist.
Other common mistakes that are made after a truck accident include:
- Apologizing to the other driver or accepting blame
- Failing to document how the accident occurred
- Posting photos and other information about the accident on your social media accounts
- Waiting too long to seek medical care, making it more difficult to link your injuries to the accident
- Waiting too long to contact a truck accident attorney in Milwaukee.
- The most common mistake after a truck accident is failing to report the accident to the police or leaving the scene of the accident. If you fail to report the accident to the police, then it will be your word against that of the other driver. It will be more difficult to file a claim against the other driver because there will be no documentation of how the crash occurred. If a driver leaves the scene of an accident in which serious injuries occurred, the police may charge the driver.
- Why Are Commercial Truck Accidents More Complicated to Resolve Than Automobile Accidents?
- Commercial truck owners are required to carry higher amounts of liability insurance than the average car owner is required to purchase. For example, in most states, commercial truck companies are required to insure their trucks for a minimum of $1 million. That means the stakes are higher, and insurers will move aggressively to limit their liability.
Multiple parties may share liability in a truck accident, including the truck driver, the trucking company, a cargo shipper and the company that loaded the trailer. Each may have separate insurance coverage. The insurance companies will try to minimize the amount of any settlement and may dispute liability or try to shift the liability to others involved. This can make a commercial truck accident much more complicated to resolve than a regular automobile accident.
- Commercial truck owners are required to carry higher amounts of liability insurance than the average car owner is required to purchase. For example, in most states, commercial truck companies are required to insure their trucks for a minimum of $1 million. That means the stakes are higher, and insurers will move aggressively to limit their liability.
- When Should I Call A Truck Accident Attorney?
- If you were involved in a tractor-trailer accident in Milwaukee, the attorneys at Gruber Law are ready to help. You should call a truck accident attorney in Milwaukee as soon as you can following your truck accident.
It is crucial that you contact an experienced truck accident attorney so that the attorney can investigate the accident and gather evidence as quickly as possible. This may include locating and speaking to witnesses, gathering documents, taking photographs and obtaining any security camera footage if available.
Your Milwaukee truck accident attorney can help you seek a successful resolution of your claim against the trucking company and others involved.
- If you were involved in a tractor-trailer accident in Milwaukee, the attorneys at Gruber Law are ready to help. You should call a truck accident attorney in Milwaukee as soon as you can following your truck accident.
- What Types of Tractor-Trailer Accidents Cause Lawsuits In 2019?
- Personal injury lawsuits arise out of tractor-trailer accidents when there is one or more persons injured as a result of the negligence of the truck driver and trucking company. People injured in truck accidents caused by others may sue for damages such as pain and suffering, medical expenses, lost wages, and property damage.
For a free legal consultation with a lawyer serving Milwaukee, call 414-276-6666
Contact a Truck Accident Attorney Today
If you sustained injuries in an accident with a tractor-trailer, you may be entitled to damages. Call David Gruber and his legal team at 414-436-2496 or fill a contact form online to discuss your legal rights.
David has been representing people injured by negligent truck drivers for more 30 years. He is proud to work with his wife Nancy, who is a managing partner, and his son Steven, who is also an attorney.
You can read the client testimonials on Gruber Law Offices website at https://www.gruber-law.com.
Remember, “One Call, That’s All.”
Call or text 414-276-6666 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
