Wilmington Jackknife Truck Accident Attorney

Wilmington Jackknife Truck Accident Lawyer

Any kind of commercial truck accident can be devastating to those involved, but jackknife accidents are particularly dangerous due to the fact that they often harm multiple victims very quickly. If you or a family member recently experienced this type of accident, a Wilmington jackknife truck accident attorney can help prove liability and secure compensation for your damages.

Helping Jackknife Truck Accident Victims Recover in Wilmington, NC

The Law Offices of Wade E. Byrd P.A. have successfully represented many truck accident claims in Wilmington, including those filed in response to jackknife accidents. We know how damaging these accidents can be and that you are likely to have many important legal questions you cannot answer on your own. Whether you know exactly how your accident happened or you have no recollection of the incident due to your injuries, you can count on our team to assist you.

When you have an experienced Wilmington jackknife truck accident attorney representing you, you can approach every step of your recovery process with confidence and peace of mind. Our team can help prove fault for the accident, identifying all parties responsible for causing your damages. We can assist you with filing an auto insurance claim for some initial compensation and then build a personal injury suit for you if necessary.

Ultimately, you are more likely to succeed with this type of case and more likely to maximize your final compensation if you have experienced legal counsel representing you. Your Wilmington jackknife truck accident attorney can help you understand your options for legal recourse more clearly, uncover channels of compensation you may have overlooked on your own, and help you recover your losses more quickly than you might expect.

Proving Liability for a Jackknife Truck Accident in Wilmington

The first legal challenge you must overcome before you can recover compensation for your damages is proving the exact cause of those damages. In a jackknife accident, the commercial truck’s trailer swings out to one side as the vehicle continues forward, making it very difficult for the driver to brake. The vehicle moves forward in a “V” shape, endangering everyone around the vehicle.

Jackknife accidents can happen in many ways, and it is possible for more than one party to share fault for your damages. Vicarious liability comes into play in any civil suit in which one party bears fault for the actions of another party. In most cases, it will involve an employer bearing fault for the actions of their employee.

Liability for your recent jackknife accident could fall solely on a truck driver, on their employer as well, or on another party, such as whoever was responsible for packing the truck correctly. It’s also possible for another driver to have caused the accident.

Filing Your Auto Insurance Claim for a Jackknife Accident

Once you have established liability for the jackknife accident you experienced, the next step of your recovery process will be to file a claim against the at-fault driver’s insurance policy. Every driver in the state must have appropriate auto insurance coverage, and this requirement extends to commercial truck drivers. However, there is no guarantee that dealing with an insurance company will be easy or your settlement will fully cover your damages.

Your Wilmington jackknife truck accident attorney can help file your auto insurance claim and secure a fair settlement from the at-fault driver’s insurance company. If you encounter any unexpected complications with your claim, your attorney will know how to resolve these issues for you. After you receive your settlement offer, any remaining damages must be recovered with a personal injury claim.

Claimable Damages in a Wilmington Personal Injury Case

Under North Carolina’s personal injury laws, once you have proven that another party is directly responsible for causing your claimed damages, you have the right to seek full repayment of those damages with a personal injury claim. This type of case may be more challenging to resolve than you initially expected, and it is vital to have legal representation you can trust if you want to maximize your final case award.

The personal injury statutes of North Carolina enable a plaintiff to seek compensation for both economic and non-economic damages a defendant inflicted with their negligence or illegal misconduct. The plaintiff in a personal injury claim has the right to seek compensation for:

• Medical expenses. Most truck accidents result in severe injuries, some of which may require extensive ongoing treatment. The defendant who injured you is liable for any medical treatment costs you incur from the accident they caused, including anticipated future medical expenses resulting from the incident.
• Lost income. When you are unable to work because of your injuries, the defendant is liable for the wages you are unable to earn during your recovery. This applies to future income as well if the accident left you permanently disabled and you cannot return to work in the future. Your attorney can calculate the future income you are no longer able to earn and add this to your claim as economic damages.
• Property damage. Your auto insurance claim may cover some vehicle repair costs, but any property damage that insurance can’t cover can be included in your personal injury claim as economic damages.
• Pain and suffering. Along with your economic damages, you also have the right to seek compensation for physical pain, psychological trauma, and emotional distress resulting from your injury. There is no limit on this aspect of your recovery, and your attorney can help determine a suitable amount to include in your claim.

You may be entitled to claim much more compensation than you initially expected. While you may be able to account for your immediate economic damages on your own, accurate assessment of future economic damages and determining suitable pain and suffering compensation can be very difficult without an attorney representing you.

When you choose the Law Offices of Wade E. Byrd P.A. to represent you in your jackknife truck accident case, you can expect responsive and compassionate communication with our team throughout your recovery efforts. Our goal is to help our client recover the maximum amount of compensation possible in the shortest possible timeframe. The sooner you connect with our team, the more time we have to build a compelling case for you.

FAQs

Q: How Does a Jackknife Truck Accident Happen?

A: The most common causes of jackknife truck accidents are speeding, improper turning, and improperly balanced cargo. Whenever a tractor-trailer is not properly balanced, it becomes highly susceptible to jackknifing. This type of accident is very dangerous as it will often affect multiple lanes of traffic in a very short time, and it is extremely difficult for a truck driver to recover once their vehicle begins jackknifing.

Q: What Are the Most Common Injuries From Truck Accidents in Wilmington?

A: The most commonly reported injuries from commercial truck accidents include traumatic brain injuries, broken bones, spinal cord injuries, and internal organ damage. It’s common for victims of these incidents to sustain multiple serious injuries all at once, many of which cause long-term or permanent medical complications. It’s also possible for these accidents to cause severe soft tissue injuries such as whiplash, which affects the neck, shoulders, and upper back.

Q: How Do You Prove Liability for a Jackknife Truck Accident?

A: You are likely to require multiple types of evidence to firmly establish fault for your recent accident in Wilmington, NC. Your jackknife truck accident attorney can help obtain traffic camera footage from around the scene of the accident, physical evidence, and digital evidence like the at-fault driver’s cell phone records. Eyewitness testimony can also be valuable to your case if any witnesses saw the accident happen.

Q: What Is the Contributory Negligence Rule?

A: The contributory negligence rule comes into play if a plaintiff is found partially liable for causing their damages. If they hold any share of fault, they may not claim compensation for their damages from any other liable party. Even if their percentage of fault is very slight, any measure of plaintiff fault invokes the contributory negligence rule, and they will be personally responsible for their own damages.

Q: What Will It Cost to Hire a Wilmington Jackknife Truck Accident Attorney?

A: The Law Offices of Wade E. Byrd P.A. offer contingency fee billing for our personal injury clients in Wilmington. This billing policy ensures that you will not pay more for legal counsel than you win in compensation because our fee will be a percentage of the total compensation we secure for you. If we are unable to obtain a case award, you pay nothing, so there is no economic risk in choosing our team to represent your case.

Get Legal Help from an Experienced Jackknife Truck Accident Attorney in Wilmington

An experienced Wilmington jackknife truck accident attorney is an invaluable asset to have on your side as you seek accountability and compensation for the damages you suffered in your recent commercial truck accident. You have a short time in which to pursue your recovery, so it’s imperative to connect with legal counsel you can trust as soon as possible. Contact the Law Offices of Wade E. Byrd P.A. today to schedule a free consultation with our team.