A truck crash can have devastating consequences for the people involved – especially when a large commercial vehicle hits a smaller passenger car. Getting into a collision with a semi-truck in Weston can leave you with severe injuries that require extensive medical care and permanent disabilities.

You shouldn’t have to bear the financial consequences of a truck crash caused by a trucker’s or trucking company’s negligence. Let the Weston truck accident attorneys at Robinette Legal Group, PLLC, help. Our legal team stands ready to review your case, explain your rights and options, and handle all the details of pursuing the maximum compensation you deserve so you can focus on healing. We limit the number of cases we take to provide the attention and resources every client deserves.

If you’ve been injured in a truck crash in Weston, WV, you may have the right to recover money for your losses. Contact Robinette Legal Group, PLLC, today for a free initial consultation with a Weston personal injury lawyer.

Common Types of Truck Accidents

Tractor-trailers and other kinds of commercial trucks can get into various crashes. Some of the most common truck accident types that occur in Weston include:

  • Rear-end collisions
  • Sideswipe collisions
  • Underride accidents
  • T-bone and side-impact collisions
  • Jackknife accidents
  • Rollover accidents
  • Head-on collisions
  • Road departure and runaway accidents caused by truck brake failure or the truck driver falling unconscious, for example
  • Cargo accidents, including spilling cargo from the truck or shifting cargo, causing a loss of control, for example

Why Truck Accidents Are More Severe Than Car Accidents

Truck accidents tend to cause more severe injuries than car accidents due to the size and weight of 18-wheelers and other large commercial vehicles. Commercial trucks weigh many times more than typical passenger cars, resulting in greater collision forces. These violent forces can more easily cause severe, life-altering, and life-threatening injuries for the occupants of smaller vehicles hit by a semi-truck.

The shape and height of an 18-wheeler can also pose a hazard to occupants of cars, especially sedans, couches, or convertibles. When these kinds of vehicles get into an underride accident with a tractor-trailer and become wedged underneath the trailer, the vehicle’s occupants can suffer catastrophic head and neck injuries.

Various kinds of truck accidents, including jackknife, rollover, and cargo accidents, can involve multiple vehicles in a pile-up crash, potentially injuring numerous people.

What to Do After a Semi-Truck Accident in Weston, West Virginia

Following a semi-truck accident, you can take steps to help prepare to pursue compensation from an at-fault truck driver and liable trucking companies. Things to do after a trucking accident include:

  • Seek emergency medical treatment to diagnose and treat your injuries.
  • Report the accident to the authorities.
  • Follow your doctor’s treatment plan and recovery instructions.
  • Obtain copies of medical records of your treatment and rehabilitation.
  • Request a copy of the police accident report.
  • Keep all bills, invoices, and receipts to document your expenses from the accident.
  • Gather copies of your pay stubs to calculate your lost earnings if you take time off work or become disabled due to the accident.
  • Talk to the Weston truck accident lawyers at Robinette Legal Group, PLLC, as soon as possible after the crash to discuss your legal options and next steps to seek compensation from the parties liable for your losses.

Injuries Typically Suffered in Semi-Truck Crashes

Due to the severity of semi-truck crashes, accident victims frequently suffer life-altering trauma. Some examples of injuries that may result from a trucking accident include:

  • Severe lacerations and abrasions that lead to permanent scarring
  • Dislocated joints
  • Ligament sprains and tears
  • Muscle and tendon strains and tears
  • Broken bones
  • Herniated spinal disc injuries
  • Traumatic brain injuries
  • Internal organ injuries and internal bleeding
  • Facial trauma, including eye and dental damage
  • Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
  • Burns from post-accident vehicle fires
  • Traumatic amputation or limb loss

Parties That May Be Liable in a West Virginia Truck Accident

Because the trucking industry involves multiple individuals and companies, responsibility for truck accident injuries may fall on multiple parties. Examples of parties that may bear truck accident liability include:

  • The truck driver
  • The trucking company that employed or retained the truck driver
  • The truck and trailer’s owner (if not the driver or motor carrier)
  • The shipping company that loaded the truck or trailer
  • The truck and trailer’s manufacturer
  • Manufacturers of auto parts used on the truck or trailer, including tires, brakes, and transmissions
  • Third-party mechanics who maintain or repair the truck and trailer

Damages Awarded in WV 18-Wheeler Accident Claims

In a truck accident claim, you can pursue financial recovery for losses you have incurred or will incur due to the crash. Compensation in your case may provide you with money for financial and personal losses, such as:

  • Costs of medical treatment and rehabilitation for injuries you sustained in the accident
  • Long-term care expenses if your injuries result in severe, prolonged, or permanent disabilities
  • Lost wages if you miss time from work or earn less in a part-time or modified-duty role necessitated by your injuries
  • Loss of future earning capacity and employment benefits if you become permanently disabled from your job or other work
  • Pain and suffering
  • Reduced quality of life because of physical disabilities or permanent, visible scarring or disfigurement caused by your injuries
  • Costs of accident damage repairs to your vehicle or reimbursement of your vehicle’s value if totaled in the crash

Deadline to File a Weston Truck Accident Claim

Under West Virginia’s statute of limitations on personal injury claims, plaintiffs typically have two years to file a personal injury claim against a liable truck driver, trucking company, and other liable parties. Although two years may sound like plenty of time to file your truck accident claim, don’t wait to contact our truck accident lawyers about your case. Seeking prompt legal representation can help ensure your claims get filed on time. If you file your lawsuit after the deadline, you will likely lose the opportunity to pursue compensation from at-fault parties in civil court.

Talk to an Experienced Truck Accident Lawyer in Weston Today

After a truck accident in Weston, WV, you deserve to pursue accountability and justice for your injuries and losses. Contact the law firm of Robinette Legal Group, PLLC, today for a free consultation with one of our experienced truck accident lawyers in Weston, WV.