Chicago Truck Accident Lawyer
Injured in a semi crash or big rig accident?
Contact Chicago’s top truck accident lawyer and get the fair compensation you deserve – Zayed Law Offices has over 20 years of combined trucking accident investigation experience to ensure that we uncover the negligence that led to your crash.
From tired truck drivers to improper maintenance and overloading, we leave no stone unturned to ensure you and your family receive the maximum remedy available under the law.
many millions already recovered
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Chicago Truck Accident Attorney
According to the latest census data, there are over 3.5 million truckers in the US.
Based on nationally available truck accident data, large trucks were involved in over 5000 fatal truck crashes in 2019.
This is a 43% increase in fatal truck accidents as compared to 2010 and is consistent with the broader shift to online shopping and home deliveries of goods.
Fortunately, the vast majority of truck accidents do not result in a fatality, yet many people are still injured when their small passenger vehicle collides with larger commercial vehicles or a commercial truck.
Because of the significant size disparity between a car accident and trucks these collisions often result in significant property damage and physical injury.
It is estimated that in 2019 there were 118,000 accidents that involved large trucks.
If you were in a truck accident on the Kennedy expressway or the Dan Ryan expressway , or anywhere else in Chicago Illinois, and suffered any damages such as loss of earnings or loss of earning capacity, or emotional distress, a Chicago truck accident attorney can help you recover the costs for current and upcoming medical expenses, disability and related needs, and other pain and suffering.
In the case of a loss of life or a truck accident fatality, family members may be able to sue for loss of care and loss of support along with emotional distress.
There are millions of semi-trucks, big rigs, 18 wheelers, tractor trailers, and multiple vehicles on the road right now, and that number increases every day – so does the likelihood of you or a loved one being involved in an accident involving a truck or other vehicles.
What’s more, there are nearly half a million or 500,000 tractor trailer accidents implicating trucks in some way in the United States every year, which means that you and your loved ones are at risk every time you get on the road.
When a semi-truck is fully loaded, it can weigh up to 10 times as much as a typical passenger car.
Accordingly, in truck crashes, the people in passenger cars and the truck are much more likely to be injured than in car accidents.
Therefore, an accident involving an 18-wheeler, garbage truck, or other large truck, or vehicle with a trailer is much more likely to cause serious damage to the individuals and vehicles involved.
Why Do I Need Truck Accident Attorneys?
If you’ve been injured in a trucking accident, then you need to consult with experienced truck accident attorneys in Chicago to ensure that you get all the damages you are rightfully owed.
This holds true whether you are the driver of the truck or were the driver or passenger in another vehicle that was struck by the truck.
A trucking accident attorney will be able to help you determine what harms were incurred and what kind of damages you are entitled to, file a truck accident lawsuit against the trucking company’s insurance and other multiple parties involved, and work with you to get the appropriate payout or fair settlement that you are due.
Dealing with the potentially complicated details of semi-truck is what commercial vehicle accident lawyers specialize in; what’s more, truck accident attorneys know the ins and outs of the law and how the legal system handles these trucking accident cases and will assist you throughout bringing a suit against the necessary parties.
Moreover, our personal injury attorneys who have a background in trucking law and handling truck accident cases in Chicago and Illinois will help you be able to determine who to sue and what kind of damages to claim as per the city and state’s particular regulations.
In truck crashes, more than one party can be held vicariously responsible for the driver’s negligence, issues with the truck or tractor, or even the truck’s cargo.
Truck drivers and freight, shipping, and trucking companies carry millions in insurance and have their own adjusters – so a trucking accident lawsuit or truck crash claim is not something you should try to handle on your own and expect a maximum or even somewhat ideal settlement.
When Do I Hire a Truck Accident Lawyer?
One of the most important aspects of dealing with a truck accident is contacting and engaging the services of a Chicago trucking accident attorney as soon as possible after the incident occurs.
This is because gathering evidence and getting the correct narrative is essential to achieving the best possible results with a lawsuit, and the longer you wait the more memories fade and evidence becomes more complicated to find and verify.
Why Do I Hire a Trucking Accident Attorney?
If you think you have a trucking accident case or should file a lawsuit after a trucking accident – or even if you have been in accident with a semi-truck and aren’t sure about dealing with your insurance policy and insurance company and the post-accident follow-up claims – you should contact a lawyer with a background in commercial vehicle accident or trucking injury cases to help you navigate the complexities of the situation.
Once it is established that you have a truck accident case or legal representation to sue the trucking company or other party involved in the incident (which makes you the plaintiff in this case), then your attorney will help you determine exactly the potentially held liable parties for your serious injuries and losses and therefore can be sued (making them the defendants).
Your Chicago truck accident lawyers will also determine the jurisdiction and the venue in which your complaint or lawsuit should be filed, along with actually filing the suit with the appropriate court and subsequently arguing your Illinois truck accident case and dealing with the defendants on your behalf.
For example, in a trucking accident that occurred in Chicago and the trucking company involved does business in Illinois, the venue would be a court located in Chicago since that is place where the accident occurred or the dispute arose and the courts in Chicago have legal duty and the ability to exercise authority over trucking companies and individuals that do business in Illinois.
How Do I File a Lawsuit for a Truck Accident?
The trucking industry is heavily regulated by both state and federal laws and regulations.
If one or more of these laws is violated during the course of an accident, the chances of a lawsuit recovering significant damages are high, especially if you work with a lawyer who understands the complexities of trucking law and the consequences for different types of violations.
Filing a lawsuit for a trucking accident is a complicated process of legal proceedings best handled by a personal injury attorney who has experience bringing lawsuits for trucking accidents that happened in your state or city.
Furthermore, if you or a family member were the injured party in a truck accident or tractor-trailer accident, you should focus on your health and recovery and let an experienced attorney handle the work during the aftermath of an accident.
Who is at Fault in a Semi-Truck Accident?
Determining who is at fault for a semi-truck accident can be complicated, which is why insurance companies and attorneys hire their own inspectors and investigate the circumstances of nearly every trucking accident to determine liability, especially if there is a lawsuit or potential trucking accident case lawsuit involved.
Generally, a semi-truck or 18 wheeler accident claim or lawsuit involves one or more of the following potentially liable parties being at fault:
- The truck driver
- The truck driver’s employer or trucking company that employs the driver
- The owner of the truck or tractor
- The owner of the freight or cargo on the truck (if different from the owner of the vehicle)
- The owner of the trailer (in the case of a semi-truck or tractor)
- The truck, trailer, and/or tractor manufacturer
- The company name identified on the trailer of the truck
Have you been in an accident and
need a truck accident lawyer?
Types of Semi-Truck Accidents
There are all kinds of Chicago truck accidents and each must be handled differently in order to ensure the best possible outcome for you and your family. The way that a trucking accident lawsuit is handled depends on a number of factors, the primary ones being the cause or causes of truck accidents and the serious injuries and associated traumas and problems that occur as a result. Semi-truck or big rig accidents are caused by a variety of factors, such as truck safety violations, trucking company negligence, inclement or disastrous weather, debris on the road, or a number of other issues. However, if the trucker or trucking company prove fault (and it is nearly always worth investigating), it is time to contact Chicago truck accident attorneys who have a background in personal injury cases involving damages from truck-related incidents. Contact the trial lawyers at Zayed Law Offices for a free consultation. The various types of semi-truck accidents can include but are not limited to:- Truck jackknife accidents which can be caused by unsafe driving conditions such as potholes, debris in the road, or poor weather including severe rain or snowstorms
- Overloaded trucks and improper loading
- Truck driver negligence
- Truck driver error
- Breaking safety rules
- Improperly loaded trucks or unbalanced cargo which can result in objects falling from the vehicle or other problems
- Truck driver errors or miscalculations
- High speeds or other aggressive driving behaviors
- Low speeds
- Truck driver fatigue and driver fails
- Drunk or otherwise impaired truck drivers
- Truck driver cell phone usage
- Breaking hours of service rules
- Unlicensed truck drivers and negligent hiring
- Time-sensitive cargo delivery schedules that push truck drivers and their vehicles beyond reasonable expectations
- Poor visibility and lack of reflectors
- Failure to use blind spot mirrors
- Failure to follow federal safety regulations
- Failure to follow state and federal regulations
- Improperly installed or missing blind spot mirrors
- Defective or malfunctioning tires, brakes, lights, or other parts of the truck, trailer, or tractor
- Failure to inspect the truck properly, including tires, brakes, lights, and other areas
- Dangerous or defective highways
- Unsafe or poor road conditions due to weather or other damage to the surface such as cracks or potholes
Trucking Accident Investigations
Why You Should Hire a Trucking Accident Attorney?
Hiring a trucking accident attorney helps to protect your legal rights if you’ve been in an accident of any kind. Furthermore, if you’ve been injured in any way during a truck accident, or you’ve lost a loved one from a fatal truck accident, then you’ll specifically want to consult an attorney with expertise in trucking law and dealing with the aftermath of trucking accidents in order to ensure that you are getting everything you are entitled to after suffering from an on-the-job accident or any accident that involves a semi-truck or tractor trailer. When an accident involving a semi-truck, delivery trucks, garbage truck, or 18-wheeler occurs, there are several parties involved who could potentially be considered at fault, including the commercial driver of the truck, their employer, and the associated insurance companies. The company that owns the cargo on the truck or even the manufacturer of the truck may also be included. Be aware that all of these companies or parties will want to do everything they can to protect their interests, which is why you should hire a truck injury lawyer as soon as possible after you’ve been in an accident with a semi-truck or tractor-trailer. Government agency, shipping companies, freight companies, truck manufacturers, and any other business involved in the trucking industry (even peripherally) are all expected to follow certain laws and regulations that are designed to protect employees and promote consumer safety. When companies fail to meet these expectations and violate these laws, they are then responsible for compensating the injured parties for their losses.How Much Is a Tractor-Trailer Accident Case Worth?
- Disability
- Current or immediate medical expenses and medical treatment bills
- Future medical treatment bills
- Future medical care
- Suffer devastating injuries
- Loss of earnings or wages (in the present)
- Financial recovery
- Physical therapy
- Loss of earning capacity in the future (in the event of a disability or catastrophic injuries)
- Emotional distress and personal injuries
- Suffering pain
- Brain Injury or Traumatic Brain Injury
- Spinal Cord Injury
- Bone Fracture
- Whiplash
- Wrongful Death
What Should I Do If I Was in a Truck Accident?
Here’s a list of the steps you should take after being involved in a trucking accident:
- Call 911 and seek any necessary medical attention, and call the police to get an accident report started.
- Take pictures of the accident scene, if you are able to at the time of the collision or incident, along with any severe injuries and damage to passenger vehicles.
- Exchange contact information with other parties and any bystanders who could potentially be witnesses if applicable and you are able to at the time.
- Document any doctor reports or any other medical attention that you receive, including bills and other costs.
- Call your insurance company.
- Call a personal injury attorney who has experience dealing with truck accidents, commercial vehicle accidents, or big rig accidents in your state or the state where the accident occurred. They can help you handle the claim and potential lawsuits from this point on.
- Do not speak to any other party’s insurance company, their claims adjusters, lawyers, or anyone else associated with the case without your lawyer’s involvement.
Our Chicago Truck Attorneys Are Here to Help
A trucking accident can be a catastrophic and traumatic event that affects you, your family, and your career in many complicated and devastating ways. Furthermore, the effects of being in a truck accident can last for many years into the future, affecting your health, medical costs and future medical needs, lost wages, lost income, and future income, and even your family’s future if you lose earning capacity or the ability to care for yourself. And if you’ve lost a loved one to a trucking or commercial vehicle fatality, contact our Chicago wrongful death attorneys to recover a fair wrongful death claim settlement and to deal with the grieving process as best you can without the extra stress of dealing with insurance companies and other third parties. All of the above reasons are why you should work with truck accident lawyer or Chicago car accident lawyer who has experience dealing with truck accidents and trucking injuries who can help you recover costs for pain and suffering, loss of earnings, loss of earning capacity, medical bills, disability, and emotional distress. Have you been in an accident with a semi-truck or other commercial trucks and need a truck accident lawyer to help you recover compensation for damages and severe injuries? Trunk accident victims have legal rights, and our Chicago personal injury attorneys can help with experienced legal representation. Through our attorney client relationship, our truck accident lawyers Chicago welcome the opportunity to provide legal advice with you about your legal situation and help you determine the next steps. Please contact Zayed Law Offices and schedule a free case review and confidential initial consultation by completing our short contact form. We’ll schedule a time that is convenient for you and please note that you will not pay lawyer’s fees unless we recover and pursue compensation for you.Reach Out to Zayed for Truck Accident Lawyers
If you’ve recently experienced a truck accident in the Chicago area reach out to us!
Contact a personal injury lawyer today to get your consultation.
Zayed Law Offices
161 N Clark St Ste 1600
Chicago, IL 60601
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At Zayed Law Offices, we are proud advocates on behalf of our clients’ interest. Our clients are usually going through one of the most difficult periods of their lives when they come to us for representation. Nothing pleases our team more than when our clients are satisfied with the outcome of their case.