Indianapolis Personal Injury Indianapolis Truck Accident

Indianapolis Truck Accident Attorney

On the Side of Truck Accident Victims Since 1993

Accidents involving 18-wheelers, semi-trucks, box trucks, or other commercial vehicles are a common cause of serious injuries and fatalities on Indianapolis roadways. These incidents highlight the importance of having an experienced truck accident lawyer to help you seek justice. What makes these accidents even more heartbreaking is that many are entirely preventable.

Trucking accidents often occur due to negligence or unsafe behavior by commercial drivers, leading to devastating consequences for everyone involved. In some cases, the trucking company itself may be at fault, such as when they fail to properly maintain their vehicles or push drivers to operate without adequate rest. Addressing these issues requires holding the responsible parties accountable.

To learn more about how an Indianapolis truck accident lawyer can help, call Christie Farrell Lee & Bell at 317-488-5500 for a free case evaluation.

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Lee Christie is a partner with Christie Farrell Lee & Bell and a lifelong Indiana resident. He has trial experience in both federal and state court and is a frequent lecturer on personal injury.

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Why Hire a Truck Accident Lawyer in Indianapolis?

Truck accident cases are complex, and having an experienced lawyer on your side can make all the difference. Lee Christie, a seasoned truck accident attorney with a proven track record of securing millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for clients in Indiana, emphasizes the urgency of taking action after a semi-truck accident.

Insurance and trucking companies act quickly, deploying teams to the scene to interview witnesses, gather evidence, and sometimes even destroy or conceal critical information. To counter this, you need a truck accident lawyer with a dedicated team of accident reconstructionists and investigators who can respond immediately. At Christie Farrell Lee & Bell, we ensure critical evidence, such as the black box or electronic control module data from the truck, is preserved and analyzed to strengthen your case.

Why Choose Christie Farrell Lee & Bell?

Decades of Expertise: Attorney Lee Christie has specialized in trucking and semi-truck collisions for over 10 years.
Professional Affiliations: We are active members of the Association of Trucking Accident Attorneys and the American Association of Justice’s trucking litigation groups.
Proven Results: Our firm has successfully secured multiple multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements in truck accident cases.

Time Is Critical

Truck accident claims require swift action. At Christie Farrell Lee & Bell, we understand the importance of acting quickly to protect your rights and build a strong case. If you’ve been involved in a truck accident, contact us today. Our experienced legal team will immediately begin working on your case, ensuring you are fully protected and positioned to receive the compensation you deserve.

Discover some of our notable truck accident results below and see why Christie Farrell Lee & Bell is a trusted leader in personal injury law.

Statute of Limitations for Truck Accidents in Indiana

In Indiana, you have two years from the date of a truck accident to file a personal injury claim. This deadline, known as the statute of limitations, is outlined in Indiana Code § 34-11-2-4(1). If you don’t file your claim within this time, you may lose your chance to seek compensation for things like medical bills, lost wages, and other damages. To protect your rights, it’s important to act quickly and get legal help as soon as possible.

Meet Our Truck Accident Lawyers

Lee C. Christie

Katherine M. Marshall

Common Causes of Trucking Accidents

Major accidents in Indiana are often caused by the negligence of truck drivers who are not following protocols, rules, or in the right condition to operate the large vehicle, thus causing catastrophic accidents and personal injury to our citizens and drivers in the state of Indiana. Our Indianapolis truck accident lawyers at Christie Farrell Lee & Bell have assisted many semi-trucks, large trucks, 18-wheeler trucks, dump trucks, garbage trucks, fuel tankers, and concrete truck accident victims file lawsuits against these negligent drivers and companies in our decades of experience and here are some of the common types of reasons why these accidents happen:

Driver errors: Errors from the truck driver are probably the most common cause of trucking accidents in Indiana. This includes careless driving, speeding, distracted driving, improper merging, etc.
Equipment Issues: Issues with truck equipment causes many trucking accidents, which can include a tire blowout, steering issues, trailer attachment failure, suspension problems, poor breaks, and many others.
Improper cargo: The wrong amount or type of cargo can lead to a major accident because the truck can’t hold the weight or the distribution of weight isn’t correct. This can cause jackknife or rollover accidents.
Blind spot incidents: Large trucks have substantial blind spots, which can lead to accidents when other vehicles are not visible to the truck driver.

Our Indianapolis truck accident lawyers, which specializes in truck accident lawsuits, can help you properly determine who is at fault with a free legal consultation to ensure you and your family are well compensated for your injuries and pain and suffering.

Steps to Take After a Truck Accident

If you’re involved in a truck accident, the steps you take immediately afterward are crucial for your safety and your legal rights. At Christie Farrell Lee & Bell, we understand the shock and confusion that can follow such an incident and wrote a guide on how to proceed in a truck accident case. These are the key points to remember:

Call for emergency services: Your first and most crucial action is to call 911. This ensures that everyone involved receives the necessary medical attention and that the police document the incident officially.
Seek medical attention: Even if you feel unharmed, it’s important to undergo a medical evaluation as some injuries may not be immediately apparent.
Gather information: Collect details from the truck driver, any witnesses, and take photos of the scene. This information is vital for building a strong foundation for your case and proving fault.
Consult a personal injury lawyer: Before making any decisions or statements, seeking legal counsel is imperative. A specialized injury lawyer at Christie Farrell & Lee Bell can help you handle your insurance company and maximize compensation.
Report the accident: Notify your insurance company about the accident. Be factual but cautious with the details you share at this stage.

We’ll work tirelessly to ensure that all the information gathered is used effectively to build a strong foundation for your claim. Our team will also assist in managing communications with your insurance company, ensuring that your statements are precise and strategic.

Impact of Speeding on Commercial Vehicles in Indiana

According to the Indiana University Public Policy Institute’s 2022 Traffic Safety Fact Book, the data in the table below shows a concerning trend in speeding-related injuries involving commercial vehicles in Indiana from 2020 to 2022. Large trucks, buses, and school buses all experienced increases in injuries tied to speeding, highlighting the growing risks associated with these vehicles on the road. This data emphasizes the need for accountability and safety measures to reduce speeding-related collisions. If you’ve been injured in a truck accident, our experienced team is here to help you seek justice and fair compensation.

Year	Large Trucks	Buses	School Buses
2020	3.2%	1.4%	0.5%
2021	3.4%	0.5%	0.3%
2022	4.4%	1.4%	0.9%

Determining Legal Responsibility in an Indianapolis Truck Accident

Determining liability in a truck accident is a complex process that often involves multiple parties. Our team of expertise will meticulously analyze each case to identify all potentially liable parties, including:

Truck driver: The driver may be liable if the accident was due to their negligence.
Trucking company: The company might be responsible for improper maintenance, inadequate training, or other oversights.
Vehicle manufacturer: If a vehicle defect contributed to the accident, the manufacturer might bear responsibility.
Cargo loading company: If improper cargo loading or securing contributed to the accident, the cargo loading company could be held liable.
Maintenance company: If the accident was caused by improper vehicle maintenance, the maintenance company may be responsible.

According to the trucking laws in Indiana, these aspects play a significant role in determining the outcome of a truck accident case and are our main concern.

Compensation You Might Be Entitled in a Truck Accident Claim

We are committed to ensuring that our clients receive the full spectrum of compensation they deserve, reflecting the true extent of their losses. This includes covering medical expenses for both immediate and future treatments related to the accident, ensuring lost wages are recovered for the time unable to work, and acknowledging the physical and emotional trauma through pain and suffering compensation. Additionally, we seek reimbursement for any property damage and compensation for any long-term impacts on your lifestyle and capabilities.

As seen in our case results, we have successfully secured millions for truck accident victims and families who now have a chance for restitution. If you are unfortunately going through a similar situation, don’t hesitate to contact us to discuss possible case result amounts.

The Differences Between Truck Accidents and Car Accidents?

Any accident on the road can be a scary and life-changing experience. However, accidents involving trucks are especially dangerous and difficult for a variety of reasons. Trucking accidents are often much more violent, are caused by different conditions, and are handled differently in court due to federal regulations. Those operating the trucks can be negligent in different ways than a passenger driver. No one knows this better than an Indianapolis truck accident attorney at Christie Farrell Lee & Bell with over 120 years of combined experience. Let’s take a look at three big differences between a car accident and a trucking accident in Indiana.

Trucking Accidents Cause Greater Damages

Obviously, every accident is unique. However, across the board, trucking accidents have the ability to cause a much greater level of damage and permanent disability than those involving regular-sized automobiles. In early 2020, a truck driver on I-65 looked away to put down his coffee cup. He did not see the backed-up traffic in front of him and crashed into the stopped line of cars, killing three people, and injuring 14. This driver’s negligence may have been the same as in other accidents, but the impact was far more deadly and damaging due to the size of the truck.

Trucks are much heavier than cars, and the impact of a 3,700-pound sedan versus an 80,000-pound semi-truck barreling into another vehicle can be far more severe. In 2018, 4,136 people died as the result of large truck crashes, a 31 percent increase from the lowest count of deaths in 2009. Even beyond the damage to other vehicles, the injuries received from trucking accidents can be much more severe.

Though any injury is possible during an accident, some common forms of trucking accident injuries are:

Trucking Accidents Have Different Causes

Operating a semi or other large truck is different from driving a car. Although many accidents are due to negligence on one party’s side, the fact is that the reasons for trucking accidents are often unique.

Some of these may include:

Careless driving
Improper cargo loading
Difficulty breaking in close situations
Speeding in order to make a delivery on time
Improper training or certification of the operator
Distracted driving or driver fatigue due to long hours on the road

Though some smaller commercial trucks like a box truck or a heavy-duty pickup can be driven by anyone with a valid driver’s license, trucks carrying a gross weight of over 26,000 pounds need to be operated by someone with a CDL license. If these trucks are being operated by someone without the proper qualifications, a truck accident attorney in Indiana can use this to establish negligence in the event of an accident.

Trucking Accident Cases Have Different Regulations

Accidents involving commercial trucking are handled differently by trucking accident attorneys because of the laws and regulations surrounding them. Establishing liability in a trucking case starts with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulation Act (FMCSA), which sets specific rules for routine background checks, strict regulation for hours driven in a single day, company evaluations of existing drivers, and drug and alcohol testing. If any of these are broken, an Indianapolis truck accident lawyer can use this to establish negligence. Additionally, these trucks are covered by different types of insurance policies by insurance carriers. The bottom line is that handling trucking accidents are more complex than a fender bender involving an individual driving their own car.

Trucking accidents are complex and unique, and in order to properly handle these cases, contact the experience and knowledge of a truck accident attorney. If you or a loved one has been the victim of a trucking accident, contact Christie Farrell Lee & Bell today at 317-488-5500.

Errors That Contribute to Truck Accidents

Delivery Scheduling and Carrier Oversight

After an accident with a tractor-trailer, there are many parties involved that could be responsible for the causes of the accident. Entities like a trucking company or the broker that helped the shipper hire the trucking company might also have been negligent. Even the shipper of the goods can be held liable if they knowingly hire a company that doesn’t follow truck driving laws and safety practices. This includes evaluating the driving record and past performance of the truck driver. Amazon Independent Contractors and other third-party drivers must also be evaluated to these standards. If companies knowingly hire negligent drivers, they can be considered negligent. They must also ensure drivers go through training as needed and continue to monitor their records.

Commercial Truck Driver Inattention and Error

Distracted driving and driver inattention is growing rapidly on our roadways and is the cause of more and more accidents each year. Other times, collisions on Indiana interstates are caused by a lapse in judgment or a bad decision. In a national survey of 141,000 truck accidents across 17 states, the Federal Motor Carrier Administration identified that 55% of the time, the large truck involved was the cause of the crash.

They also identified four critical reasons that showed up when the truck driver was the cause of the accident:

Decision (38%–30,000 trucks): For example, the driver was driving too fast for the conditions, misjudged the speed of other vehicles, or followed other vehicles too closely.
Recognition (28%–20,000 trucks): The driver was inattentive, distracted by something inside or outside the vehicle, or failed to observe the situation adequately for some other reason.
Non-Performance (12%–9,000 trucks): The driver fell asleep, was disabled by a heart attack or seizure, or was physically impaired for another reason.
Performance (9%–7,000 trucks): For example, the driver panicked, overcompensated, or exercised poor directional control.

While these mistakes by a truck driver may not always be caused by negligence or malice, there are lots of accidents where it is suspected the truck driver or their employer was not meeting their responsibilities.

Failure to Maintain or Repair a Semi

You might be surprised to learn there isn’t one central licensing or accrediting organization for mechanics in Indiana. This includes diesel and commercial mechanics. But these professionals are still under an obligation to be honest about their abilities and perform their work with care. When semi mechanics don’t maintain or repair a vehicle to industry standards, they are being negligent in their duties.

Equipment failure causing a semi-accident may also be caused by the part or equipment itself. If brake pads, hitches, tires, or other parts are not manufactured to the right standards, that may be a cause of responsibility for an injury or wrongful death. We are experienced semi-truck accident attorneys who have helped many clients after fatal truck accidents or severe injuries.

Other Types of Commercial Vehicle Accidents We Handle

Outside of the large trucks and tractor-trailers we call “semis,” there are other commercial vehicles with a duty to care about the rules of the road in Indiana. Christie Farrell Lee & Bell represents clients injured in the following types of accidents:

Bus Accidents

There were 1,949 bus accidents in Indiana in 2017, resulting in 7 fatalities and 217 injuries. In a collision with a bus, an experienced bus accident attorney would evaluate factors like the bus driver’s training and experience, the condition and layout of the roadway, and other elements and evidence to determine if negligence or malicious behavior played a role in the bus collision.

School Bus Accidents

School bus accidents are a unique class of tragedy. In 2019 Indianapolis has already experienced two such incidents when school buses collided with tow trucks and garbage trucks. With these just being in the state capital we know Indiana school bus collision victims may need legal representation any time, though we hope they never do.

Large Pickup Truck Accidents

Pickup trucks over 10,000 pounds are also often classified as commercial vehicles. This includes vehicles like tow trucks or wreckers. These drivers should hold a commercial driver’s license and follow all Indiana roadway laws.

Hazmat Vehicle Accident Victims

Around 400 Indiana commercial vehicles with hazmat placards were involved in collisions in 2017. Of that number, less than 50 vehicles released hazardous material during collisions. Sometimes hazmat release may occur even from a commercial vehicle that is not marked. In all cases, those injured by a hazmat vehicle collision in Indiana deserve an advocate in their corner.

Indianapolis Truck Accident FAQ

Get Answers From Our Indianapolis Indianapolis Truck Accident Attorneys

Q: Does your law firm handle cases involving 18-wheeler accidents?

A:Yes, our law firm specializes in handling cases involving 18-wheelers and other large commercial vehicles. Accidents with 18-wheelers, also known as semi-trucks or tractor-trailers, can be incredibly complex due to the size and weight of these vehicles and the unique regulations that govern the trucking industry. Our experienced Indianapolis 18-wheeler accident lawyers understand the challenges these cases present, from investigating potential violations of federal trucking regulations to identifying all liable parties, including trucking companies, drivers, and maintenance providers. If you’ve been injured in an 18-wheeler accident, we’re here to guide you through the legal process, protect your rights, and fight for the compensation you deserve. Contact us today for a free consultation to discuss your case.

Q: What might be covered by my truck accident compensation claim?

A:The reasons for pursuing a lawsuit after an eighteen-wheeler accident are usually related to injury or wrongful death of someone in the accident. A life-altering injury, the loss of a career, or the absence of a family member will be carried with you the rest of your life. But damages for lost wages, medical bills, and funeral expenses are just some of the costs that can be recovered by a trucking accident lawsuit to help you move forward. While commercial vehicles are required to carry a minimum of $750,000 in liability insurance, and many carry more, the actual value of a case will be determined by the unique combination of factors and circumstances.

Q: What evidence will be needed for my case?

A:Asking about the evidence that will be needed in your truck injury case is one way to understand not only your attorney’s experience but also the strength of your insurance claim. Evidence like logbooks, maintenance records, dash cam video, or police reports may take time to obtain and explore. The attorney will also discuss other evidence that needs to be collected like eyewitness statements, social media posts, or photographs of the scene and vehicles involved. Then the attorney may hire experts to explain what the evidence means, like an accident reconstruction expert or human factors expert.

Q: What if I am partially at fault in an Indiana truck collision?

A:Indiana is a comparative fault state, meaning you can still seek damages from insurance providers via a personal injury lawyer even when partially responsible for an accident. Somewhat contributing to the cause of the collision doesn’t necessarily prevent you from seeking damages to cover resulting medical bills and other expenses. The legal standard in Indiana is if you are 50% at fault or less, you still get to recover in proportion to your own percentage of negligence. This is because the truck driver negligence was greater than yours.

Q: Why do I need a truck accident attorney?

A:Indianapolis trucking accident injury lawyers need to have legal experience in the trucking industry and equipment involved than an attorney only handling Indiana car accident injuries. It’s important to feel confident, after the emotional distress, that your attorney knows what next steps and approaches will advance your best interest in order to get you the maximum compensation. You can develop this confidence by asking about their experience against trucking companies and other parties like shippers and brokers. Only attorneys that truly specialize in handling truck wreck cases have the savvy and insight to stand up to the company’s legal teams. This experience will show in their answers and the outcomes of their cases.

Q: Will I need to go to court for my truck accident case?

A:It depends. The vast majority of personal injury cases, including those involving truck accidents, end up being resolved in the form of an out-of-court settlement before a lawsuit is ever filed. Generally speaking, your case will only need to go to court if the responsible party's insurance company fails to offer you an amount that fully compensates you for your injuries, or if there is a substantial dispute about who is liable for the fatal crash. While a trial is not always necessary, our attorneys prepare every case as if it were going to trial to give our clients the best possible leverage during the settlement negotiation process.

Q: What is the truck accident case process like?

A:It’s important to understand what goes into a civil case, especially a truck accident claim, before getting too far along in the process. Flashy advertising doesn’t always give an accurate picture of the process of resolving these cases. Each case is unique and will be affected by elements like insurance policy limits or accident recreation. Your Indianapolis truck accident lawyer should explain these details and other strategies in terms it is easy to understand. Part of understanding the process should also include understanding what the attorney will do to earn their fee, and what that fee will be. Communication will be key to the success of the case, so make sure you feel comfortable asking all your questions as the process is explained, and that you get answers that make you feel respected.

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Professional, very knowledgeable, and realistic.

“From my first telephone conference with Mr. Christie to the settlement of my case, I found Lee and his office staff to be professional, courteous, and extremely helpful. Mr. Christie is professional, very knowledgeable, thorough, and realistic.”

Debi W.-

Simply the best.

“Tina Bell is the best. She continued to pursue the case resulting in an agreeable settlement.”

J. Humphreys-

Truly kind and had best interest at heart.

“Lee Christie represented my parents after an auto accident and he was wonderful! He always answered any questions or concerns we had and I would recommend him to anyone!”

Susanne S.-

Very compassionate & caring in a stressful situation.

“Lee Christie and Jill DuVall were very compassionate and caring in a stressful situation. They always answered our questions promptly, sometimes very late in the evening.”

Cheryl W.-

I felt a huge weight lifted from my shoulder.

“They were professional, yet very personally involved in our case. After hiring them, I felt a huge weight lifted from my shoulder so I concentrate on taking care of my husband.”

Former Client-

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