The Robert Pahlke Law Group has handled trucking cases for over 30 years and has done so in numerous states including Colorado, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming and in the process has recovered millions of dollars for the firm’s clients including cases involving cars and other vehicles:
- Hit by trucks whose drivers who were inattentive, speeding and lost control;
- Trucks attempting to turn across highways in the dark of night without adequate warnings;
- Trucks that have struck parked cars on Interstate highways;
- Trucks that have collided with escaped livestock on the highway;
- Trucks engaging in improper and dangerous passing;
- Trucks that failed to properly secure lug nuts causing wheels to become unguided missiles striking oncoming family vehicles.
The Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) reports that semi-trucks and other heavy trucks were involved in more than 2,200 crashes in 2017. Getting in an accident can produce enormous stress, and financial, emotional, and physical devastation in the worst cases. When an accident includes a large truck, the property damage and physical damage is often even worse. Most heavy trucks weigh 20 to 30 times more than passenger cars, resulting in more severe injuries and more destructive property damage.
If you sustained an injury in a trucking accident, you need an experienced personal injury attorney who has dealt with the large insurance companies and complex liability issues they involve. Call one of the skilled attorneys at The Robert Pahlke Law Group in Scottsbluff at (308) 633-4444 to discuss the merits of your case and find out if Nebraska law entitles you to compensation.
The Robert Pahlke Law Group’s Results in Trucking Accident Cases
The Robert Pahlke Law Group’s attorneys have years of experience settling and litigating personal injury cases, including those that involve trucking accidents. In a recent case, the court awarded our client $3,250,000 after a speeding truck driver rear-ended and severely injured him. This only serves as an example and does not guarantee results in your particular case—each case has its own unique circumstances. Rest assured, however, that the legal team at The Robert Pahlke Law Group will work to obtain the best possible outcome for your case.
Injuries That Trucking Accidents Can Cause
Because tractor-trailers and trucks are so much heavier than cars, trucking accidents often produce more severe and more deadly injuries. If you lost a loved one in a trucking accident, contact a lawyer to determine if you might qualify to file a wrongful death suit.
Common injuries that occur in trucking accidents include:
- Broken and crushed bones
- Scrapes and lacerations
- Road rash
- Burns that may result in scarring or disfigurement
- Back and spinal cord injuries, such as slipped or herniated discs and paralysis
- Head injuries, such as concussions and traumatic brain injuries
- Neck injuries and whiplash
- Amputations
The Many Sources of Truck Accident Liability
Trucking accident lawsuits often include multiple layers of complexity because many parties often share liability. This also makes assigning fault difficult. An at-fault truck driver will most likely share liability with an employer or a government entity, for example. Here are some scenarios where different parties are at fault:
- Drivers – The driver might face responsibility for a trucking accident if driving distracted or driving under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or prescription medications.
- Trucking companies – If a driver works for a trucking company, that employer might bear partial or full liability for a trucking accident. If the company forces a driver to log more hours than legally allowed or doesn’t perform required maintenance on the truck, the court may hold the trucking company liable.
- Government entities – The state of Nebraska, counties, and municipalities might face liability if the trucking accident resulted from a poorly maintained road.
- Truck or part manufacturers – If a truck or truck part malfunctions and causes an accident, the truck or part manufacturer might bear liability.
Truck Accident Victims Frequently Recover Compensation
The specifics of your case will determine the damages you might recover in a personal injury lawsuit. Common costs that victims recover include:
- Medical expenses such as ambulance services, hospitalization, radiology, surgery, prescription medication
- Current and future lost wages due to your injury that cause you to miss work
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation costs
- Assistive device costs for items such as wheelchairs or prosthetic limbs
- Long-term healthcare in the case of long-term injuries that require around-the-clock care
- Modifications for your home for accessibility such as ramps, handrails, etc.
- Replacement services for domestic chores that you can no longer do, such as cooking, cleaning, lawn care, snow removal, etc.
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of consortium
What Ways Do Those Who Are Liable Try to Avoid Paying?
Trucking companies and insurance companies named in a personal injury lawsuit will likely try to avoid assuming liability. Insurance companies will deny claims, downplay your injuries, and give you lowball offers that are far less than the cost of your injuries. Trucking companies will distance themselves from the driver, especially if the Driver works as an independent contractor. Nebraska is a modified comparative negligence state, giving the defense a reason to shift the blame to you.
Under comparative negligence rules, the court may assign a percentage of blame to each party. If you are partially to blame for your injury, the court will deduct your percentage of responsibility from the total award. For example, if the award is $5,000,000 and the court says that you are 20 percent at fault for your injury, the court will deduct $1,000,000, resulting in a $4,000,000 award. In the event that you are 50 percent or more at fault, Nebraska law prohibits you from recovering damages. Common strategies for shifting the blame to the victim include accusations of reckless driving, driving under the influence, distracted driving, or breaking other traffic regulations.
The truck accident lawyers at The Robert Pahlke Law Group know all about these tactics and prepare themselves to counter them.
Contact The Robert Pahlke Law Group Now
Personal injury attorneys generally offer free consultations for potential clients to discuss the merits of their case. This gives you the opportunity to share your story and let the lawyer advise you about your next steps. A lawyer who decides to represent you most likely will handle it on a contingent fee basis. You will not have to pay an attorney’s fees up front—your attorney will instead recover fees out of any settlement or judgment that the court awards you.
The severity of trucking accidents is often life-changing. Let a skilled trucking accident attorney worry about the details of your case while you concentrate on recuperating. If you were in a trucking accident and live in the Scottsbluff, Nebraska, area, contact one of the experienced trucking accident lawyers at The Robert Pahlke Law Group online, or call our office at (308) 633-4444 for a free consultation.