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Truck accidents are among the most devastating roadway incidents in North Carolina. Due to the size of the vehicles and the cargo they are carrying, these types of motor vehicle accidents can lead to severe injuries that result in hospitalization, surgery, prolonged recovery, and sometimes even death.
You have legal options to seek compensation for your medical bills and other financial losses. Our Morganton personal injury lawyers can help.
If you or a loved one in Morganton suffered injuries in an accident involving a commercial truck, you might have grounds to pursue compensation from that driver or their employer.
Let a Morganton truck accident lawyer from Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC, investigate your accident. We can identify the liable party or parties and gather evidence to build your case. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation with a member of our team.
What Compensation Can Morganton Truck Accident Victims Receive?
Whether your accident took place on West Fleming Drive or I-40, crashing with a semi-truck or another large commercial vehicle can cause severe, if not devastating, losses.
Still, it doesn’t require a catastrophic injury such as paralysis to qualify you for damages. If you or a loved one sustained an injury or died in a truck wreck, you could be eligible to recover fair compensation.
In personal injury cases, plaintiffs can demand compensation for numerous damages. Below are some common examples of compensatory damages.
Your case may involve these damages and others not listed here. Our legal team can review your case and discuss which damages to pursue during your free initial consultation:
Medical Expenses
All medical bills are recoverable. You could recover compensation for emergency room care, hospitalization, doctor’s appointments, physical therapy, surgeries, and future medical care you might need to fully recover from your injuries.
You may also demand financial compensation for prescription medications and medical devices you must purchase to treat your injuries. If an injury was not there prior to your accident, then you should not have to pay for it to heal.
Income Loss
If you had to use paid time off (PTO) or miss work to recuperate from the accident, you could request compensation for wages you lost. If your injuries affect your ability to return to your regular position, you could petition for the difference in salary or wages you would have earned had you not been injured. You may even demand compensation for training in a new career that accommodates any permanent injuries.
Pain and Suffering
This type of damage can be an umbrella term for various noneconomic damages, which apply to physical and emotional losses. Your lawyer can assign a monetary value to the physical pain and discomfort you felt during and after the accident. This trauma can include emotional distress, permanent disability, psychological anguish, depression, and anxiety.
Property Damage
If your vehicle suffered damage in the truck accident, you can seek recovery for the costs to repair or replace the vehicle, depending on how severe the physical damage is. This damage can also include any items and personal effects destroyed in the accident, such as a cell phone.
Wrongful Death Damages
If you lost a loved one in a fatal accident, please accept our condolences. Our Morganton wrongful death lawyers can help you file a separate action regarding their wrongful death to pursue damages like funeral expenses, loss of consortium, and loss of parental guidance or companionship.
North Carolina requires a personal representative of the deceased to file for compensation. Our personal injury law firm can identify the best person for your family’s wrongful death claim.
Proving Negligence in a Morganton Truck Accident Case
Once you have determined what damages you are entitled to receive, you must prove how the at-fault party was negligent in collecting those damages. Without proving negligence, you will not be able to recover damages.
Once you select your Morganton personal injury attorney to represent you, they will get to work to determine if the other party:
- Owed you a duty of care
- Violated their duty to you
- Committed actions that led to your truck wreck
Additionally, the truck wreck must have caused your injuries and losses. This includes injuries that were reaggravated because of the accident.
A Morganton truck accident attorney can review your accident to determine if you have a case for compensation. You can discuss details with a team member during an initial free consultation. Call us today.
Our Morganton Truck Wreck Attorney Can Determine Who Is Liable
In many semi-truck wrecks, the liable party is not necessarily the truck driver—even if the driver was at fault for the accident. Depending on the truck driver’s employment status, you could hold another party liable for the wreck. In some cases, multiple responsible parties might exist.
Some possible liable parties in truck accident cases include the following:
- The truck driver
- The trucking company that employs the driver
- The maintenance company that worked on the truck
- The loading company that stocked the truck
- The truck’s manufacturer
- A truck parts manufacturer
- A municipality in charge of safe road conditions where the accident took place
- A third-party driver who started a chain reaction that led to the truck colliding with you
Our legal team can investigate your case to determine who you could hold liable for your damages. If necessary, we can help you file multiple insurance claims or personal injury lawsuits against the appropriate parties.
How a Morganton Truck Accident Lawyer Can Help Build Your Case
If you decide to work with a Morganton truck accident lawyer from Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC, we will prepare your case by:
- Analyzing the official police report to identify potentially liable parties and understand what information the responding officer recorded
- Conducting a separate investigation into your accident to retrieve more information and collect evidence to support your personal injury claims
- Contacting eyewitnesses and expert witnesses to testify on your behalf
- Handling communications with insurance adjusters, opposing attorneys, and other inquiring parties to protect you from making statements they could use against you
- Negotiating a fair settlement with the opposing party
- Taking your case to court if necessary
Your legal team will assess your case after a collision. We can advise you on the best way to proceed, which could involve settling with the insurance company or filing a civil lawsuit. Our law office maintains open lines of communication while handling your case, providing you with the answers you need.
How Much Compensation Could You Get After a Morganton Truck Wreck?
The compensation you could receive after a truck accident depends on several factors. Often, lawyers focus on the extent of the damages you experienced when considering your level of compensation. If you sustained severe injuries, you may receive a higher settlement.
Note that insurance companies may try to convince you to settle your case immediately after an accident. We recommend that you allow our Morganton truck accident lawyer to look over any settlement before you accept it, as early offers may not cover the full extent of your losses.
Once you accept a settlement, you cannot seek additional compensation if future expenses related to your accident arise. Let us guide you through the legal process to protect your financial future.
How Much do Morganton Truck Accident Attorneys Charge?
Unlike some attorneys who demand a fee upfront to secure their services, our team of truck accident lawyers works on a contingency-fee basis. This means you pay nothing out of pocket for us to work on your case.
Our lawyers only receive payment after resolving your claim or lawsuit through a settlement or verdict in your favor. You only pay us if we win the case for you.
In addition, you can discuss the circumstances of your accident with our dedicated team members for free. During this complimentary consultation, you can learn more about what your case is worth, who may be liable, and what your best options are to seek the maximum compensation possible for the losses you have suffered.
How Long Can You Wait to File a Truck Accident Claim?
Under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-52, the statute dictates that plaintiffs have a three-year time limit, starting from the date of their wreck, to file a personal injury lawsuit with the Burke County courthouse. If you are pursuing a wrongful death lawsuit, N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-53 would apply, which generally gives the family two years to file.
Keep in mind that several aspects of building your case can take months, so you should take that into account when deciding how to proceed with your case. If you file your lawsuit late, the court might bar you from pursuing compensation.
Contacting a lawyer right after your accident also allows your legal team to speak with witnesses and gather evidence quickly. These steps can help us construct a strong claim for you, focusing on securing compensation for all your losses.
Dangerous Roads in the Area
The best way to avoid a truck accident is to avoid the most dangerous roads in your area. However, we understand that this is not always possible. Sometimes, you must travel on certain highways to go to work, attend events, or visit family.
Dangerous roadways should not get in the way of you enjoying your life. However, knowing which roadways are most dangerous can ensure you are alert when passing through those areas.
According to the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV), there were over 290,000 commercial vehicle crashes statewide in 2022. In Burke County, there were 2,129 commercial vehicle crashes. Of those wrecks, 494 resulted in injuries. Twelve led to a fatality.
High-traffic areas where commercial vehicles pass, including Interstate 40 or US Highways 64 and 70, put drivers at risk of injury or death should they get involved in accidents.
What You Should Do After a Truck Accident in Morganton
If you have been in an accident with a large commercial vehicle in Morganton, take these steps to protect yourself:
- Check yourself, your passengers, and the other vehicle’s occupants for injuries
- Move to a safe location to avoid further injuries if you can
- Call 9-1-1 and let the operator know what has happened, where you are, and the status of everyone
- If you can, start collecting evidence with photographs and videos
- Collect contact information from the other driver and any witnesses
- When speaking with the police, only mention what you know; do not speculate
- Avoid speaking with the insurance company until you speak with a lawyer
- See a doctor as soon as you can and follow their orders
Then, call us.
Call Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC, to Hire a Morganton Truck Accident Lawyer
At Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC, we advocate for truck accident victims in Morganton and want to help injured people like you fight for the compensation you need. You can reach us for personalized care and support.
When you call our law firm, you receive a free consultation with one of our team members. We can answer any questions you have and then have one of our Morganton truck accident lawyers begin working on your case. Call today to get started.
