Have You Been Injured in a Truck Wreck? North Carolina Truck Accident Attorneys Explain Your Rights

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Video Summary

This source features a discussion between legal professionals regarding the unique complexities of litigation involving commercial vehicle collisions. Because these accidents often result in catastrophic injuries, the speakers emphasize the importance of identifying extensive insurance coverage and navigating specific federal and state regulations. They argue that victims should seek experienced counsel with industry-specific knowledge, such as staff members who possess commercial driver’s licenses or experience in law enforcement investigation. Furthermore, the video stresses the necessity of immediate legal action to preserve critical evidence like driver logs and witness statements before they are lost. Ultimately, the resource highlights how advanced resources and professionals are required to successfully challenge the well-funded legal teams representing the trucking industry.

Transcription of the Video

Clarke: Jeff, let’s talk for a minute about trucking accidents. How are trucking accidents different in a personal injury context from other types of accidents?

Jeff: Well, usually the injuries are bad because you’ve got a giant tractor-trailer that’s, you know, run into some car and knocked them clean off the road. So, you know, we are consistently looking for extra coverages, these commercial policies, maybe umbrella policies that these trucking companies have and are required to have. And then also, the trucking industry is regulated by statutes by the government, and so there are specific laws and rules they have to follow.

Clarke: So, in terms of the injuries, in terms of the liability, and in terms of the coverage, each of those things is different than in other types of accidents.

So let me ask you, what should a person who has been injured in a trucking accident consider when they’re looking for law firms and lawyers?

Jeff: Well, you want somebody who’s got experience with the trucking industry, not just automobile wrecks. It is a different animal because you have these different statutes and regulations. We’ve got lawyers who’ve tried cases against trucking companies; we have people on our staff who actually have driven tractor-trailers and have their CDL and worked in the trucking industry. They know about these accidents that happen on the dock when trucks back in and hurt people, or when trucks run into people. They understand the driver logs that they have to have, the different regulations, and things that, if you weren’t in the trucking industry, you would not know.

Clarke: What about investigators? We have investigators who are in-house who have previously investigated these kinds of cases over many, many years for the state government and done the investigations to see who was at fault, what the trucker did that was negligent, and how a person was hurt as a result.

Jeff: Part of our investigation team is people who have been in law enforcement, so they know the laws, they know the rules, they know what these trucks are supposed to be doing and what they’re not supposed to be doing.

When our team goes out, they know exactly what evidence they’re looking for.

Clarke: Not every personal injury law firm is qualified to do a trucking case or a catastrophic case because these are more complex. They require a higher level of experience, more connections in terms of authorities, and more resources to build these kinds of cases.

Jeff: You’ve got to understand the regulations and the nuances of trucking cases; they’re just not the same as an automobile accident. And then you also have trucking cases that aren’t just on the highway. You’ve got cases on the dock, where trucks will back into people, or while people are getting injured while they’re unloading trucks. All of those are different nuances of the same trucking industry, and you’ve got to have people who are experienced and understand those things.

Clarke: So, after an accident involving a commercial vehicle or a truck, should a person kind of wait and see what happens, or should they call us immediately?

Jeff: Well, the trucking companies and their teams of lawyers and adjusters are working on the case immediately. They’ve got people taking pictures, they’ve got people securing statements of witnesses; they’re working on it early, and then the evidence is gone. If people are trying to fight the trucking industry, their insurance companies, and their lawyers by themselves, that is an almost impossible battle to win. You really need to have an experienced lawyer and hire them fast so they can secure the evidence, do the investigations, retain the authorities necessary, and make sure the evidence doesn’t disappear so that the trucking companies cannot take advantage of people who are injured.

Clarke: Thank you, Jeff. So if you’ve been involved in a trucking accident, call us now.