Hawaii Truck Accident Attorney

Naming the Responsible Party in Your Hawaii Truck Accident Case

One of the first things your Hawaii personal injury lawyer will do is identify the negligent act that led to the truck accident. The other party had a duty of care to keep you safe on the road, but they breached it and caused an accident. Now, you’re dealing with the physical, financial, and emotional consequences. 

Some examples of negligence that cause truck accidents include:

• Speeding
• Overloaded cargo
• Vehicle defects
• Driver fatigue
• Driving too fast for weather or road conditions
• Distracted driving
• Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• Poor hiring procedures
• Improper left turns
• Unsafe merging or lane-changing
• Poor driver training

You’ll see here that truck drivers are oftentimes at fault for the accident. In those scenarios, you’d usually pursue their employer for compensation since they take the blame on their employee’s behalf. However, others may be responsible for what happened. For example, the cargo company might not have properly loaded and secured the items onto the truck trailer.

Alternatively, the trucking company could have failed to carry out comprehensive background checks and hired a driver unfit for the job. It’s also its job to ensure the truck is in good condition and up to date on maintenance. If it didn’t keep up with it, they could be liable. Whatever the case, a commercial truck accident lawyer can determine all the parties that contributed to the crash and hold them accountable.

How a Hawaii Truck Accident Lawyer Can Assist You

The Goldwater Law Firm has been helping the injured for more than 20 years. We’ve found that corporate greed and irresponsibility were left unchecked for decades. Our team refuses to let injured people lose money while the responsible parties are let off the hook and get away scot-free.

Our co-counsel feels the same way. They want to ensure you get justice after you’ve suffered from another person’s wrongdoing. While you’re in treatment and taking care of yourself, they will be working on your case, taking on the following tasks:

• Obtaining the truck accident report from the local police station
• Accessing the involved truck’s records, like driver logs, black box data, maintenance history
• Collecting various types of evidence to prove negligence and your injuries
• Identifying the liable parties
• Handling all correspondence and communication related to your claim
• Partaking in settlement negotiations with the insurance company
• Going to trial if the insurance company won’t offer a sufficient settlement amount during negotiations.

On top of managing the legalities of your case, your 18-wheeler truck accident lawyers will provide you with quality client service. They will quickly get back to you if you have any reservations or questions regarding your case. They’ll also ensure you’re always up to date on its progress. You’ll never have to wait and wonder when you have them on your side.

The Price of Hiring an Attorney for Your Truck Accident Case

Some attorneys bill their clients based on the number of hours they work on their cases. Others might charge a retainer fee upfront. However, our law firm partners take cases for a contingency fee. That means the personal injury lawyers are paid at the end of the legal process once they secure a financial award for you.

A free consultation is often the first step in working under this payment arrangement. Reach out to The Goldwater Law Firm today to find out more information.

Potential Damages a Hawaii Truck Accident Lawyer Can Help You Recover

The Goldwater Law Firm is one of the country’s most widely recognized law firms. We serve the injured in all 50 states and have partnerships with many of the nation’s biggest and most successful law firms. Our team doesn’t just work with lawyers; we also have a large network of experts and specialists, such as drug experts, physicians, accident reconstructionists, and other professionals.

All can play a role in determining the damages you may seek in an insurance claim or lawsuit. With that, the nature and amount of compensation you receive will depend on the facts of the case, such as the seriousness of your injuries, your medical care, your capacity to work, and how the aftermath of the crash has affected your family. From there, your attorneys may conclude that you qualify for these damages:

• Loss of income: While you were at home or in treatment for your injuries, it’s possible that you missed out on earning your regular benefits, pay, bonuses, tips, commissions, and vacation or sick leave.
• Future loss of earning capacity: If you can’t return to work, must work fewer hours, or take less pay due to the limitations your injuries have brought on, you may request an award to make up the pay you would have earned.
• Medical bills: Your settlement or court award may account for past and future care, including surgeries, medication, X-rays and CT scans, assistive equipment, emergency transportation, ongoing doctor’s appointments, and physical therapy.
• Pain and suffering: The injuries you suffer in a truck accident could inflict discomfort, inconvenience, and severe pain on you.
• Property damage: You may request coverage for the costs to repair or replace your vehicle if it was damaged or totaled.
• Mental anguish: The trauma of a truck accident can have long-lasting effects on your mental and emotional health.
• Reduction in quality of life: Dealing with your injuries, being in and out of the doctor’s office, and learning to cope with your new lifestyle could keep you from enjoying your life the way you did before the crash.

According to the National Safety Council (NSC), large trucks made up six percent of all vehicles in deadly accidents in 2023. A Hawaii wrongful death attorney can take legal action if your family member passes away from their truck accident injuries. Funeral and medical costs, loss of companionship, society, care, consortium, and lost wages may be recoverable. They’ll give you a better understanding of what you can seek after they review your case.

How Long You Have to Pursue Compensation After a Truck Accident in Hawaii

Hawaii limits the time you have to pursue legal action against the liable party in a truck accident case. For personal injury, your two-year filing window generally begins on the day the crash occurred, per Haw. Rev. Stat. § 657-7.

Haw Rev. Stat. § 663-3 also typically gives claimants two years to file a wrongful death lawsuit. The only difference between this type of case and personal injury is that you must sue the other party by the second anniversary of the decedent’s passing.

Hawaii 18-wheeler truck accident attorneys can help you identify which timeline applies to you and help you meet it. Just make sure that you reach out sooner rather than later. If you don’t meet the deadline, you could miss the opportunity to see damages.

What to Do Following a Truck Accident

Protecting yourself is the most important thing you can do after being involved in such a dangerous incident. Ensuring your health and safety will also help secure your right to compensation.

If you can, follow these steps:

• Pull over to the side of the road to get yourself out of oncoming traffic.
• Call law enforcement and 911.
• Obtain prompt medical care.
• Take photos of the scene.
• Get the truck driver’s name and their contact, insurance, and employment information.
• Ask witnesses of the crash for their names and contact details.

Once your injuries are stable, consider retaining a Hawaii commercial truck accident lawyer to take things from there. They will handle all aspects of your case while you recuperate.