Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Evansville

Truck accidents can occur for various reasons, and identifying the cause of the accident is crucial in determining liability and pursuing compensation. Some common causes include:

  • Driver fatigue: According to Indiana trucking laws, hours of service regulations are in place to prevent driver fatigue, but violations are still a common cause of truck accidents.
  • Distracted driving: Distractions such as cell phone use, eating, adjusting controls, or reaching for objects can take a driver’s attention away from the road.
  • Speeding
  • Improper loading: Incorrectly loaded or overloaded trucks can cause instability and imbalance, leading to truck accidents.
  • Mechanical failures
  • Intoxicated driving
  • Poor weather conditions
  • Negligent hiring or training

These are just some of the common causes of truck accidents, but determining the causes that affected your case requires a thorough investigation by experienced personal injury attorneys. Properly identifying the cause of the accident is essential in proving negligence and pursuing compensation for your injuries and damages.

Type of Injuries Related to Truck Accidents

Truck accidents can have devastating consequences, often resulting in severe injuries due to the sheer size and weight of commercial trucks compared to passenger vehicles. The aftermath of a truck accident can leave victims with life-altering injuries that may require extensive medical treatment and long-term care. Some of the common types of injuries related to truck accidents include:

The severity of injuries sustained in truck accidents can vary widely, but even minor injuries can result in significant medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. 

Common Types of Truck Accidents

We have seen how truck accidents can take many forms, each with unique causes and potential outcomes. Here are some of the most common types of truck accidents that occur on Evansville’s roads and throughout Indiana:

Jackknife Accidents

Jackknife accidents occur when the trailer of a big rig swings out to form a 90-degree angle with the truck’s cab. This often happens when a truck driver brakes too suddenly, causing the trailer to skid and swing out of control. Jackknife accidents can block multiple lanes of traffic and often lead to multi-vehicle collisions.

Rollover Accidents

Rollover accidents happen when a truck tips onto its side or roof, often due to excessive speed, improper turns, or uneven cargo distribution. Rollover accidents can cause severe damage to surrounding vehicles and are highly dangerous for the truck driver and other motorists.

Rear-End Collisions

When a truck collides with the rear of a vehicle in front of it, the results can be devastating due to the truck’s size and momentum. These accidents often occur in stop-and-go traffic or if the truck driver fails to maintain a safe following distance.

Underride Accidents

An underride accident happens when a smaller vehicle slides under the trailer of a truck, often shearing off the top of the vehicle. These crashes are extremely dangerous and frequently fatal. Many underride accidents occur during sudden stops or lane changes.

Tire Blowouts

A tire blowout is when a truck’s tire bursts, causing the driver to lose control. Tire blowouts can result in swerving, rollovers, or collisions with nearby vehicles. Poor maintenance or defective tires are common causes of these accidents.

Wide Turn Accidents

Trucks need extra space to make turns, often swinging wide into adjacent lanes. If a truck driver misjudges the distance or doesn’t account for nearby vehicles, this can result in side collisions with cars caught in the truck’s turning path.

Head-On Collisions

These accidents can happen if a truck driver drifts into oncoming traffic or when other vehicles make unsafe passing maneuvers.

T-Bone/Side-Impact Collisions

T-bone accidents occur when the front of a truck crashes into the side of another vehicle, often at intersections. Due to the size of trucks, side-impact collisions can crush the smaller vehicle, causing severe injuries or fatalities.

Blind Spot Accidents

Trucks have large blind spots on all sides, and accidents occur when a truck driver changes lanes or turns without seeing a smaller vehicle. These blind spot crashes can be deadly, particularly if a vehicle is struck by the truck’s trailer.

Are Truck Accident Cases Different from Other Types of Crashes?

Truck accidents are a whole different beast compared to your typical car crash. If you’ve been involved in one, you’ve likely already felt the weight of that difference. From the sheer size and force of these massive vehicles to the complex web of regulations and parties involved, a truck accident requires a legal strategy tailored to your needs. Overall, these are the main differences we consider when supporting our truck accident clients across Indiana:

Size and Severity of the Accident

Commercial trucks are vastly larger and heavier than standard passenger vehicles, sometimes weighing up to 30 times more. This size disparity means that when a collision occurs, the potential for severe injuries or fatalities is much higher, especially for occupants of smaller vehicles.

Complexity of Liability

One of the major differences between truck accidents and other vehicle crashes is the complexity of determining liability. In a typical car accident, liability usually rests with one or more drivers involved. However, in a truck accident, multiple parties may be held accountable, including:

  • The Trucking Company: Companies may be liable for improper hiring, training, or overworking drivers.
  • Cargo Loading Companies: If improperly loaded cargo contributed to the crash, the loaders could share responsibility.
  • Vehicle or Parts Manufacturers: Faulty truck parts, such as brake failures or tire blowouts, could involve the manufacturer in the case.
  • Maintenance Providers: If negligence in truck maintenance led to the accident, the company responsible for upkeep may be held accountable.

Industry Regulations

The trucking industry is governed by strict federal and state regulations, making truck accident cases more complex. These regulations include:

  • Hours of service: Limits on how long a driver can be behind the wheel to prevent fatigue.
  • Maintenance and inspection requirements: Trucks must undergo regular maintenance and inspections to ensure they meet safety standards.
  • Driver qualifications: Drivers must meet specific criteria to operate commercial trucks, including obtaining a commercial driver’s license (CDL).

A violation of these regulations can play a critical role in proving liability.

Higher Potential Damages

Due to the serious nature of truck accidents, victims often face substantial medical expenses, long-term rehabilitation, and extensive lost wages. Pain and suffering, emotional trauma, and permanent disability are also common damages in truck accident cases in Indiana. As a result, truck accident cases tend to involve higher compensation amounts than other types of motor vehicle accidents.

No matter the case, seeking legal guidance from an experienced Evansville truck accident lawyer is crucial to navigating these challenges and pursuing fair compensation. We aim to consider all your losses—not only the immediate consequences of the accident, as you can see in our case results.

Why Do You Need a Specialized Truck Accident Lawyer to Claim for Your Damages and Injuries

Truck accident cases can be complex and challenging to navigate without the expertise of an attorney who can help you claim what’s yours according to the law. 

Hiring a local lawyer can be crucial in protecting your rights and maximizing your chances of obtaining fair compensation for all your damages and injuries because a professional can help you understand what type of injuries and losses you can claim. 

Here is how an attorney can help you recover from a truck accident and find justice:

In-depth knowledge of federal regulations

These accidents are subject to federal regulations, including the FMCSRs mentioned earlier. A specialized truck accident attorney will have a thorough understanding of these regulations and how they apply to your case, allowing them to build a strong legal argument and hold the trucking company and driver accountable for any violations.

Investigation and evidence gathering

Truck accident cases often require extensive investigation and evidence gathering to determine liability. 

Your attorney will have the resources and expertise to investigate the accident scene, obtain relevant records, collect witness statements, and analyze data from the truck’s black box or electronic logging devices to gather critical evidence to support your claim.

Identification of all liable parties

In a truck accident case, there may be multiple parties that could be held liable for the accident, including the trucking company, truck driver, truck owner, maintenance provider, and others. A specialized personal injury attorney will have the experience and knowledge to identify all the potentially liable parties and hold them accountable for their negligence.

In fact, Indiana Code § 34-51-2 establishes the principles of comparative fault, which means that multiple parties can be held liable for a truck accident, including the trucking company, truck driver, truck owner, maintenance provider, and others.

Legal strategy and negotiation

Trucking companies and their insurance carriers often have aggressive legal teams and adjusters who will try to minimize or deny your claim. 

At Christie Farrell Lee & Bell, we can help you develop a strong legal strategy tailored to your case, negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf, and advocate for your rights to ensure you receive fair compensation for your damages and injuries.

Litigation experience

While most truck accident cases are settled out of court through negotiations, some cases may require litigation to resolve disputes and obtain fair compensation. In some cases, you’ll need the help of an attorney to litigate your case in court, including presenting evidence, cross-examining witnesses, and arguing on your behalf to a judge or jury.

tractor trailer accident statistics

Proving Negligence When Truck Company and Drivers Were at Fault

Proving negligence is a crucial element in a truck accident case to establish liability and obtain compensation for your damages and injuries. In Indiana, negligence is defined as the failure to exercise reasonable care, resulting in harm to others. 

But when it comes to truck accidents, negligence can arise from various parties, including the trucking company, truck driver, maintenance provider, and others. Here are some key factors to establish negligence in truck accident cases:

  • Violation of federal motor carrier safety regulations
  • Driver error or negligence
  • Negligent hiring and training practices
  • Failure to maintain and inspect vehicles
  • Overloading or improperly securing cargo
  • Violation of traffic laws

Proving negligence in a truck accident case requires thorough investigation, collection of evidence, and legal expertise. A truck accident attorney will have the experience and knowledge to effectively prove negligence and establish liability on the part of the trucking company and/or driver. 

They will gather and analyze various types of evidence, such as police reports, driver logs, maintenance records, witness statements, and expert opinions, to build a strong case on your behalf.

What to Do if You’ve Been in a Truck Accident

Your actions in the minutes, hours, and days following the accident can make or break your case, so it’s important to take strategic steps to protect yourself and your future.

Here’s what our truck accident lawyers in Evansville recommend:

  • Ensure your safety and seek medical attention: Some injuries, like internal trauma or concussions, may not be obvious right away but can become serious without proper treatment. Documenting your injuries from the start is essential for your case.
  • Call the police and file an accident report: Having the accident officially documented by law enforcement is key. The report from the Evansville Police Department will be an important piece of evidence in your claim and can help establish liability. Make sure you get a copy for your records.
  • Document the scene: If you’re able, take photos or videos of everything—your injuries, the vehicles involved, the road conditions, skid marks, and any debris. This visual evidence can help show what really happened when it’s time to prove your case.
  • Exchange information: Get the contact information of the truck driver, including their insurance and employer details.
  • Avoid admitting fault: In moments of shock, it’s common for people to say things like “I’m sorry” or take the blame, even when they aren’t at fault. Don’t make any statements about what caused the accident or share information on social media until you’ve spoken to a lawyer. Insurance companies can twist your words to reduce your claim.

Truck accident claims are complex—there are often multiple parties involved, from the truck driver to the company that owns the truck and even the maintenance provider. That’s why you need a lawyer who knows how to handle these cases. At Christie Farrell Lee & Bell, we’ll investigate the accident, gather the necessary evidence, and deal with the insurance companies, so you can focus on getting better.

Compensation Available for Evansville Truck Accident Victims

If you’re wondering what kind of compensation is available, it’s important to know that truck accident cases tend to involve higher payouts due to the serious nature of the injuries and losses involved. But securing that compensation isn’t always easy—insurance companies and trucking companies are often looking to protect themselves, not you.

At Christie Farrell Lee & Bell, we don’t let that happen. We fight to make sure you get everything you’re entitled to, even when this involves dealing with insurance companies.

Compensation after a truck accident can include:

  • Medical expenses: From emergency room visits to surgeries, rehabilitation, ongoing treatments, and even future medical care, these costs can add up quickly. We make sure your current and future medical bills are covered.
  • Lost wages and future earnings: Serious injuries often mean missed work. If your injuries prevent you from returning to your job, or you can’t earn what you once did, you deserve compensation not just for today’s lost wages, but for the earnings you’ll miss out on in the future.
  • Pain and suffering: We’ll work to get compensation for the impact this has had on your mental well-being and quality of life.
  • Property damage: The financial loss doesn’t stop with your injuries—your vehicle and personal property might be wrecked as well. Property damage: The financial loss doesn’t stop with your injuries—your vehicle and personal property might be wrecked as well. Your truck accident attorney will make sure these costs are covered in your claim, too.
  • Punitive damages: If the trucking company or driver acted recklessly or with extreme negligence, you may be entitled to punitive damages. This goes beyond compensating you—it’s about punishing those responsible and sending a message that this kind of behavior won’t be tolerated.

Our lawyers that handle these types of cases

Lee C. Christie

Lee C. Christie

Katherine M. Marshall

Katherine M. Marshall