Aurora Truck Accident Lawyer
Despite our reliance on the goods and services brought to communities by large commercial trucks, sharing the roadways with immense, fully loaded semi-tractor-trailer trucks presents a significant risk to motorists. About 70% of truck accident deaths occur to the occupants of other vehicles.
Few traffic accident scenes are as traumatic and terrifying as a truck accident. Injuries in accidents with commercial trucks are often catastrophic. Even less serious injuries can quickly cause financial hardship. If you or your close family member suffered injuries in a commercial truck accident in Aurora or the surrounding area, an Aurora injury attorney with years of experience representing clients in this type of complex claim can help. Call Daniels & Scriven Injury and Accident Lawyers today for a free evaluation of your case.
Why You Should Choose the Truck Accident Lawyers at Daniels & Scriven, P.C.
Truck accident claims present unique challenges in determining and proving liability. It takes years of experience and sharp investigatory skills to achieve the best possible outcome against large trucking companies and their powerful insurers. The Colorado truck accident lawyers at Daniels & Scriven offer the following advantages for your compensation claim:
- Free consultations and contingency-based payment so you pay nothing until we recover your compensation
- Decades of combined history with a track record of success from founding attorneys and native Colorado residents, Nicole C. Daniels and Brad Scriven
- A legal team devoted to advocating for injured clients against profit-protecting insurance companies
- A results-oriented approach with personalized strategies for every unique case
We are the truck accident attorneys in Aurora who achieve prompt action and results through large settlements or court awards. We’ve secured millions of dollars in recovered compensation for our injured clients, including against careless truck drivers and negligent trucking companies.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Aurora
Various parties in the trucking industry can contribute to serious crashes, making it difficult to ascertain how the accident happened. This is one reason why it’s essential to work with an experienced truck accident attorney who can meticulously investigate your case to determine every factor that contributed to your crash.
Our experienced truck accident lawyers often see truck accidents that are caused by:
Driver Inexperience
There’s a significant shortage of qualified truck drivers in the United States, leading some trucking companies to hire drivers with little or no experience. Some companies may not ensure that the drivers have the necessary commercial driver’s license or permits. Drivers with limited experience may not handle the truck properly, skip necessary inspections, or know how to respond in emergency situations. Inexperienced truck drivers and truck companies that use negligent hiring practices can be held responsible for resulting accidents.
Driver Fatigue
Truck driver fatigue contributes to many accidents. Truck drivers must work long hours, which can lead to impairments similar to those associated with drunk driving. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has tried to curtail fatigued driving by establishing hours-of-service rules, but some truck drivers violate these rules or trucking companies might encourage the drivers to violate them. Even when drivers comply with these laws, truck drivers can work up to 14 hours a day, which can still lead to truck accidents.
Our experienced legal team can demand electronic logging device data to see if truck drivers violated hours-of-service regulations or were likely to have been driving while fatigued.
Distracted Driving
Distracted driving is a factor involved in many commercial truck accidents. Truck drivers may be distracted by:
- Cell phones
- CB radios
- Onboard cameras
- Communication devices
- GPS units
- Infotainment systems
- Eating or drinking
- Passengers
- Maps
- Grooming
- Factors outside the truck
Even looking away from the road for a few seconds can result in catastrophic collisions.
Unsafe Loading
Federal rules also dictate how cargo must be loaded onto commercial trucks, including the type and number of tie-downs or other devices that must be used. Truck drivers are also required to inspect the load before starting a trip and periodically throughout the trip.
Inadequate Maintenance
Trucks have thousands of components. If any of them are not in proper working order, an accident could occur. Truck drivers can lose control of the large commercial vehicle if a tire blows. Faulty brakes can fail to stop the truck in time to avoid a collision after the truck driver notices a hazard. Suspension problems can lead to unintended maneuvers that cause crashes with motorists in adjoining lanes. Trucking companies sometimes cut costs by skipping necessary maintenance, placing other motorists in danger.
What Are the Most Common Aurora Truck Accident Injuries?
While car accidents can also cause injuries, truck accidents tend to result in more severe or fatal injuries. This is because commercial trucks weigh much more than passenger cars. The huge disparity in the size and weight of these vehicles often means that the occupants in the smaller vehicle that weighs 1/20 of what a semi-truck can weigh suffer serious injuries, such as:
Traumatic Brain Injuries
The sudden impact of a truck accident can cause traumatic brain injuries, including concussions. Mild to severe traumatic brain injuries can happen when the vehicle occupant hits their head on a hard surface, or the force causes the victim’s brain to collide with the interior of the skull. Traumatic brain injuries can result in symptoms such as:
- Cognitive impairment
- Difficulty sleeping or waking from sleep
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Memory loss
- Irritability
Spinal Cord Injuries
Due to the extensive impact involved in truck accidents, victims may suffer serious spinal cord injury. The back takes much of the brunt of a traffic collision, which can cause spinal cord injuries including partial or complete paralysis. Herniated discs, bulging discs, slipped discs, and spinal cord damage are unfortunately common in these crashes.
Neck and Back Injuries
Whiplash, back, and neck injuries can also occur in truck crashes. These injuries can require extensive rehabilitation and physical therapy.
Internal Organ Damage
The crushing force of a truck crash can cause internal injuries and damage organs such as the liver, spleen, lungs, or kidneys. If the victim doesn’t receive immediate medical attention, these injuries can prove fatal or result in long-term complications.
Bone Fractures
The vulnerable human body is no match for the tremendous force of a truck collision. Accident victims can suffer broken bones to the:
- Arms
- Hands
- Legs
- Feet
- Wrists
- Ankles
- Pelvis
- Ribs
Severe Burns
Some truck accidents involve fires or explosions caused by the tremendous force of the crash, defective vehicle parts, or flammable materials the truck driver is transporting. Chemical exposure, fires, and explosions can cause severe burns, respiratory issues, and other serious consequences. These injuries may require skin grafting, reconstructive surgery, and extensive rehabilitation. Even with medical treatment, accident victims may suffer permanent scarring and excruciating pain.
Psychological Injuries
Much of the harm caused by truck accidents extends well beyond physical injuries. Truck accident victims may relive the traumatic experience through flashbacks or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Fatalities
Unfortunately, many truck crashes cause fatal injuries. When someone’s negligence causes a death, the family may be able to pursue justice and accountability by filing a wrongful death claim.
Determining Liability in Colorado Truck Accidents
Under Colorado’s fault-based insurance system, the injury victim has the burden of proving the at-fault party’s liability to recover compensation. Proving liability requires demonstrating the elements of negligence by showing that the at-fault party had a duty of care toward others on the road, they breached this duty, and the breach directly caused an injury with economic and non-economic damages to the victim. Determining the correct liable party is challenging in a truck accident claim. Potentially liable parties include the following:
- The truck driver if they were an independent contractor and behaved negligently
- The trucking company
- A negligent freight-loading company
- A negligent truck maintenance or repair company
- The manufacturer of a defective truck or trailer part
- A third-party driver
- A negligent road maintenance agency
It takes a skilled investigator with on-call access to the best expert witnesses and accident reconstruction experts to make a compelling case against the liable party. The auto injury attorneys at Daniels & Scriven, P.C. have an outstanding reputation with their Colorado legal peers and an array of resources for truck accident cases in Aurora.
What Compensation Can I Recover From a Truck Accident Claim in Aurora, Colorado?
Injuries are costly—physically and emotionally as well as economically. Serious injuries ranging from traumatic brain injuries to broken bones are common in truck accidents. A successful truck accident claim can recover compensation for some or all of the following damages, depending on the circumstances of the accident and your injuries:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Past and future income loss
- Diminished earning capacity due to disability
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life, loss of consortium, disfigurement, emotional trauma, or other non-economic damages that apply in your case
Your attorney from Daniels & Scriven Injury and Accident Lawyers will carefully calculate your damages to maximize the compensation available to you in your truck accident claim. Truck accidents can be even deadlier if they collide with a bicyclist or motorcyclist due to their smaller size, so make sure to contact an Aurora bicycle accident lawyer today to get the justice you deserve.
Colorado Truck Accident Statute of Limitations
Colorado’s general statute of limitations gives accident victims two years following a personal injury to file a lawsuit against the negligent party. However, the statute of limitations is three years for motor vehicle accidents. Therefore, if another person or entity is responsible for your injuries, you have until the third anniversary of your accident to file a lawsuit.
However, if your case is against the government, the statute of limitations is much shorter. Under Colorado law, you only have 182 days following the date of the injury to file a lawsuit against the government.
If you miss the applicable deadline, you can forfeit your right to recover compensation for your injuries. Protect your legal rights by working with an experienced truck accident lawyer who can take timely legal action.
Call the Truck Accident Lawyers at Daniels & Scriven, PC
No one should take on the exacting legal process required for the best outcome in a truck accident case without skilled representation. Contact our Aurora truck accident law firm today so we can begin action and defend your rights and best interests throughout your recovery process.