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Hire a truck accident attorney in Clarksville who knows how to get it done
While semis, tractor-trailers, and other large trucks provide an invaluable service to our community, they also can pose great danger. These massive vehicles can weigh as much as 20 cars, generating a huge impact in a crash. Victims of truck accidents often sustain life-altering injuries or even death.
If you or someone you love has been involved in a truck accident, the personal injury lawyers at Hughes & Coleman want to help you get the compensation and justice you deserve.
If you’ve been injured in a truck accident, call us today for a free consultation. Our legal team is here 24/7 to listen to your situation and to help guide you towards the best possible outcome for your claim.
We understand that after an accident, all you want to do is put it behind you and move forward with your life. Victims of truck accidents often suffer physically, emotionally, and financially. An experienced truck accident attorney will help ensure you get the financial compensation you deserve on your road to recovery while also helping you understand your legal rights.
Immediately following an accident, the trucking companies dispatch their lawyers and insurance providers to begin investigating the crash. We strongly advise that you never discuss the accident with these opposing parties without your lawyer present. They don’t have your best interests at heart; they only care about the bottom line. They want you to settle for the lowest dollar amount possible.
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Call 911: If no one has already contacted the authorities, call 911 immediately. This is crucial because truck accidents can result in severe injuries, and prompt medical assistance can often be crucial. Follow the advice of EMTs; if they recommend hospital transport, follow their advice and recommendations. Your top priority should be your physical health if you’re seriously injured. Police officers will often also respond to the scene when you call 911 after an incident. If an officer responds and completes a report, the report could be valuable evidence in any future legal claims.
Gather Information: If you are able, collect details from the truck, including its registration number and the trucking company’s name. Obtain the truck driver’s name, contact info, and any witnesses’ information. Use your phone or camera to take photos of the accident scene and the vehicles involved.
Be Cautious in Conversation: Avoid statements that could be misconstrued as admitting fault when speaking with law enforcement or other parties. For instance, refrain from saying things like “I didn’t see the truck” or “I didn’t realize my speed.” Such statements can be used against you later.
Seek Medical Attention: Even if you don’t require emergency transport, undergo a medical evaluation to identify potential injuries. Timely diagnosis is crucial for your health and any future legal claims.
Consult a Truck Accident Attorney: A lawyer for truck accident cases can help you understand your rights and can put your claim on the best possible path from the start. A Clarksville truck accident lawyer can also obtain a copy of the collision report on your behalf.
In this video, attorney Lee Coleman discusses the most important things to know if you’ve been injured by a semi, 18-wheeler, or other commercial truck. We’ll also talk through how a Clarksville truck accident attorney can help you along the way, so that you can focus on your recovery.
Truck accident victims often experience severe injuries as a result of crashes with tractor-trailers, semi-trucks, or commercial vehicles that were operating negligently. In most truck crashes, passenger cars are not equipped to withstand the force of a collision, leaving victims with both physical injuries and emotional scars.
Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI): Resulting from head trauma, TBIs may cause symptoms like headaches, dizziness, memory loss, and cognitive issues.
Spinal Cord Injuries: These injuries can lead to paralysis, loss of sensation, muscle weakness, and breathing difficulties.
Broken Bones: Truck accidents can cause fractures in limbs, ribs, and the pelvis, sometimes requiring surgery and extensive rehabilitation.
Burns: Wrecks may result in burns of varying severity, necessitating treatments like skin grafts.
Internal Injuries: Potentially life-threatening, these injuries can harm organs like the liver, spleen, or kidneys, often not immediately apparent.
Emotional Distress: Truck accidents can also cause emotional issues such as anxiety, depression, and post traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.
If you’ve been in a truck accident, seek immediate medical attention, even if injuries seem minor. Some may surface days or weeks later. Additionally, consult with an experienced attorney to understand your rights and seek compensation for your injuries.
“An experienced lawyer does more than make promises; they deliver results. We founded Hughes & Coleman to get hard-earned results.”
Lee Coleman
Managing Partner & Co-Founder
Numerous laws apply to the trucking industry, which governs truck drivers and trucking companies and can be pivotal in truck accident insurance claims or lawsuits. Examples of these laws encompass:
Because negligence needs to be established, legal violations are a crucial aspect of any truck accident case. At Hughes & Coleman, we possess comprehensive knowledge of these pertinent laws in the trucking industry to effectively advocate for the rights and interests of our clients involved in 18-wheeler accidents.
The primary difference between car accidents involving commercial trucks and car accidents involving just passenger vehicles is that there are even more potentially liable parties in incidents involving the trucks. For example, semi-truck accident cases frequently involve major corporations and can result in more severe injuries, leading to substantially larger financial implications compared to typical car accidents. With higher stakes comes increased legal intricacy, as trucking companies may be backed by sizable insurance firms equipped with their own extensive legal resources.
Truck drivers are often to blame for crashes; however, it is important to understand that there may be other at fault parties that can be held accountable. These can include:
In many cases, one or more parties can be responsible and be included in a truck accident claim. Experienced truck accident attorneys will be able to properly investigate the crash so that when determining liability, all entities that played a role can be identified and pursued. The best truck accident lawyers in Clarksville will have the resources to thoroughly handle your claim while navigating the complexities along the way.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has conducted an extensive study to examine the causes of accidents involving large trucks. A number of different factors have been found to contribute to these accidents, such as driver fatigue, distracted driving, and speeding.
However, the FMCSA found that defective truck parts and equipment also led to deadly crashes. The study showed that vehicle failure was a factor in 29.4% of all truck accidents.
Manufacturers have a duty to create safe parts. Trucking companies are obligated to supply their drivers with trucks that are in good working order. Meanwhile, drivers are responsible for routinely inspecting their trucks and loads to ensure safety.
Suppose a defective part was the cause of your truck accident. In that case, our legal team will investigate whether a lack of protocol allowed the defect to go undetected, or whether the blame lies with the manufacturing company themselves. In truck accident cases, we often use the services of accident reconstruction experts to ensure that we know all factors that led up to the crash.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires the following inspections to be made and logged before each route is driven:
If our investigation reveals that a defective part was the cause of your truck accident, we need to determine who is liable for the part. An injury claim based on a defective part is specifically a product liability claim.
In Clarksville, as in the rest of Tennessee, the statute of limitations for a truck accident or personal injury case can vary depending on the circumstances. Generally, Tennessee has a statute of limitations of one year for personal injury claims. This means that you typically have one year from the date of the truck accident to file a lawsuit against the responsible party or parties.
However, there can be exceptions and nuances to this rule. It’s essential to consult with a truck injury lawyer in Clarksville who can provide guidance based on the specific details of your case. A truck accident lawyer can help you determine the applicable statute of limitations and ensure you take the necessary legal actions within the required timeframe. Keep in mind that failing to file a lawsuit within the statute of limitations can result in your claim being barred, so it’s crucial to act promptly if you have a potential truck accident case.
The amount of a truck accident settlement can vary significantly based on several factors, including the severity of the accident, the extent of injuries or damages, liability, insurance coverage, and jurisdictional considerations. There is no one-size-fits-all answer to how much most truck accident settlements are because each case is unique.
It’s important to consult with a law firm that can assess the specific details of your truck crash case and provide a realistic estimate of the potential settlement value.
Trucking companies routinely offer less than what truck accident victims deserve. In this case, our client was initially offered $50,000, but our attorneys fought back and secured a $12,000,000 truck accident jury verdict.
Our team obtained a $6.7 million verdict for a client who suffered injuries due to the negligence of a tow truck company.
We were successful in securing a truck accident settlement of $1,000,000 for a family who suffered significant injuries due to a wreck. The accident occurred when a semi-tractor trailer failed to obey a traffic signal and collided with our client’s vehicle, which was delivering food to a relative.
See more of our victories and how we’ve helped truck accident victims.
Mr. Coleman is now the Managing Partner and majority owner of Hughes and Coleman Injury Lawyers, a firm he co-founded in 1985 with J. Marshall Hughes. The firm has grown for over 40 years, and we currently have over 30 attorneys and multiple offices across Kentucky and Tennessee, as well as an affiliate firm in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Mr. Coleman’s efforts and accomplishments have been widely recognized, including being named as a Kentucky Super Lawyer in Personal Injury since 2012, and being awarded an AV Rating, the highest rating given, by the nation’s preeminent Attorney Rating service, Martindale- Hubbell®.
Cathy White and her team took amazing care of me. From start to finish, they were incredibly professional, attentive, and supportive. Knowing I had Cathy on my side gave me peace of mind throughout the entire process. I can’t recommend her enough if you’re in need of a lawyer.
I have such a professional team helping me with my case. From the start, they have gone above and beyond for me. I’m treated with respect, kept informed and updated and my team genuinely cares about my case. Every person I speak with is kind, professional, and makes me feel supported every step of the way. I can’t thank them enough for their hard work and dedication – they make a stressful situation so much easier. I highly recommend this firm to anyone who needs real help and honest people on their side.
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One year. In Tennessee, you have one year to initiate a personal injury lawsuit, and the clock starts ticking on the day the accident happened. This is also referred to as the statute of limitations. If you miss the limitations deadline, you may be barred from filing a claim.
As soon as possible. Once you’ve obtained representation, your attorneys can begin to communicate on your behalf and start negotiations with the insurance company so that you can focus on your recovery.
When we represent you or other loved ones involved in a wreck, we work on what’s called a contingency fee basis, which means that you don’t ever pay out of pocket – ever. We only get paid if you do.
When trying to understand how long a car accident settlement will take, it’s important to understand that each case is different. Factors that a Clarksville car accident lawyer will evaluate are the extent of your injuries, how serious they are, and how long you may need to recover.
Additionally, an experienced attorney will aim to ensure you receive every dollar you deserve, rather than rush to settlement. Some claims can be settled quickly, however it is important to speak with a personal injury lawyer that can help provide you with more information on what to expect in your unique situation.
There is no online case calculator that some firms try to put out there that can estimate the worth of your case. The best way to understand the value of your situation is to discuss your injuries and other damages with the car accident lawyers on our team. Some things that are considered in valuation include:
As you can see, there is a lot to factor into evaluating a case and how much yours can be worth. The best way to determine how much your case is worth is to contact a Clarksville car accident attorney who has the experience to determine a fair value. Let us ensure you get fair compensation so you can focus on the most important thing – getting better.
All drivers in Tennessee are required to be insured. However, some drivers don’t have insurance or are underinsured, which can make things even more stressful for your situation.
If you’ve obtained uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, this can help you but may not cover all your costs.
If you don’t have uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, you can file a lawsuit against the other driver. Keep in mind, though, that even if you’re successful, you can only recover what the other driver can pay, and if they don’t have insurance, this often means that they do not have the resources to pay you what you deserve.
Fortunately, the uninsured driver may not be the only one on the hook for your injuries. A car accident lawyer can investigate your situation to recover money from all parties that may have a role in your compensation.
Yes. Even minor car accidents can cause major problems that may just seem minor in the moment. Having legal representation can benefit you even in a seemingly minor crash. According to research, hiring a personal injury attorney can also get you up to 3.5 times more money.
A lot of cases end in a settlement; however, we approach each case as though it will be litigated. If needed, we will not hesitate to take your case to court.
Each state’s car accident laws are unique in certain ways. Tennessee follows a comparative negligence law which states that each party will receive a portion of fault for the accident.
Yes, in shared fault accidents, each driver may pursue the other for the share of the damages that correspond with the other driver’s fault. For instance, imagine another driver rear-ended you, but since your brake lights were out, you receive 10 percent of the blame and the other driver 90 percent. Your damages come to $10,000. You are eligible to recover $9,000, or 90 percent of your total damages, from the other driver.
Your liability share could bar you from recovering compensation. The law also holds that you cannot recover compensation if you are more than 49 percent at fault for the accident.
Let us return to the above scenario for a moment. Now suppose the other driver, the one who rear-ended you, convinces the police and a judge that you slammed on your brakes in a fit of road rage. As a result, you receive 75 percent of the blame, and the other driver receives 25 percent.
Since your share of the fault exceeds 49 percent, you would not be able to pursue the other driver for any of your accident-related damages. Moreover, the other driver could come after you for 75 percent of their damages.
As you can see, the law is somewhat complex. An attorney from Hughes & Coleman Injury Lawyers will help you navigate it, protect your rights, and fight for the damages you deserve.
Yes, you can still be held liable if you have insurance after a car accident for property damage and injuries. It’s important to speak with an experienced accident lawyer that can help reduce your share of liability if you were involved in a wreck that resulted in injuries.
If you have any other questions, reach out to us at any time.
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured, please fill out the form below for your free consultation or call us at 800-800-4600.
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