Ohio Truck Accident Attorney

You Deserve to Have an Ohio Truck Accident Attorney On Your Side

Truck accident cases can be complex. They often involve severe injuries and significant expenses, including multiple liable parties. You may find yourself facing off against commercial trucking companies with deep pockets and a team of lawyers, all while working to regain your health. 

The Goldwater Law Firm can ensure you do not have to do this alone. We are one of the nation’s most widely recognized legal practices, with strategic partnerships with large and successful law firms across the United States. We can match you with an Ohio personal injury lawyer who can stand up for you. 

From investigating the accident to proving fault to negotiating a settlement, our co-counsel can manage every detail of your insurance claim or lawsuit, freeing you to focus on healing or caring for your injured loved one. In addition, these services will cost you nothing upfront or out of pocket. You do not pay attorney fees until an 18-wheeler accident lawyer secures your settlement or verdict. 

Our Law Firm Partners Can Fight for Full and Fair Compensation

We know that every client has a family and community relying on them, making the need for results paramount. We refuse to stand by and watch while big corporations and insurance companies profit by getting out of paying victims harmed by negligence. 

An Ohio commercial truck accident lawyer can aggressively pursue the maximum compensation possible, which may include the following damages:

• Doctor and hospital bills
• Ongoing medical treatment and follow-up care
• Rehabilitation and physical therapy
• Nursing and attendant care services
• Lost income
• Lost earning capacity
• Vehicle repair or replacement costs
• Household services
• Pain, suffering, and inconvenience
• Wrongful death of a loved one

How an Ohio Truck Accident Lawyer Can Build Your Claim

An Ohio 18-wheeler truck accident lawyer can build a solid case proving you qualify for financial awards. To do this, they must demonstrate the following four elements of negligence:

1. Duty of care – The law requires all individuals to exercise reasonable care and avoid harming others. When driving, all motorists have a duty of care to obey traffic laws, drive safely, and prevent accidents.
2. Breach of duty – To prove a driver breached the duty of care, a lawyer must show that their actions were outside what others in their circumstances would find reasonable or necessary. A breach can be an action or a failure to act when needed. It can also include any violation of the law. 
3. Causation – A lawyer proves causation by showing that a liable party’s actions led to a victim’s injuries. For example, a truck accident attorney may present evidence that a driver was intoxicated, causing them to drift into the wrong lane and strike another vehicle head-on, resulting in the occupant’s spinal cord injury. 
4. Damages establish that a victim’s injury caused monetary expenses, pain, and suffering. 

An Attorney Can Gather Evidence

You must support your claim with evidence, but obtaining proof can require much time and legwork. An injury lawyer can do the job for you. Our co-counsel can collect and analyze:

• Physical evidence from the accident scene
• Photographs and video of the crash site
• Available traffic camera, dashcam, cell phone, or surveillance footage of the collision
• Police reports
• Eyewitness statements
• Evidence held by the trucking company, including driver logs, driver alcohol and drug test results, vehicle service records, and the truck’s “black box” data recorder
• Medical records
• Proof of your losses, including receipts, invoices, bills, pay stubs, and estimates of your future expenses

The Goldwater Law Firm also has an extensive network of specialists and industry experts, including doctors, crash reconstructionists, and life care planners, that we can call on to provide reports, estimates, and testimony on your behalf. 

You Have a Limited Time to Take Action for Your Ohio Truck Accident Case

Do not wait too long to start on your truck accident case. According to Ohio Revised Code § 2305.10, the statute of limitations for filing a personal injury lawsuit is two years. Ohio Revised Code § 2125.02 allows two years to file a wrongful death lawsuit. 

If time runs out, the court will likely bar your suit. In addition, if you cannot take legal action, you lose your leverage over the insurance company. You may be unable to recover compensation.

Causes of Truck Accidents in Ohio

Many factors can cause or contribute to the likelihood and severity of a truck accident. Some common causes of large truck accidents include:

• Driver inexperience – Truck drivers must have a commercial driver’s license (CDL), which holds operators to a higher standard of knowledge, skill, and physical ability than non-commercial motorists. When drivers do not have the proper licensing or enough driving experience, they can make mistakes. In addition, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reports drivers in their 20s and younger have a higher rate of involvement in fatal and nonfatal crashes than older drivers. 
• Fatigue and Hours of Service violations —IIHS research shows that truck drivers who have been behind the wheel for more than eight hours are twice as likely to be involved in a collision. To avoid driver fatigue, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has established Hours of Service Regulations that limit drive times and mandate breaks. Violation of these guidelines can constitute negligent behavior in a commercial truck accident case. 
• Defective equipment – According to IIHS studies, vehicle defects are associated with a 200 percent increase in crash risk. Braking, lighting, and systems violations are the most commonly cited.  
• Lack of safety features – Underride accidents are a particularly injurious and deadly type of truck crash. In these accidents, a smaller vehicle becomes partially or entirely stuck beneath a truck’s trailer. Underride guards can minimize these types of collisions. 

Liability for a Commercial Truck Accident 

In addition to the causes already mentioned, many other issues can lead to a truck crash, including other errors truck drivers make. Liability for the collision will depend on its cause but may rest with one or more of the following parties:

• The truck driver – A truck driver may be liable if the crash resulted from their negligent behavior. Negligent driving includes speeding, driving drunk, driving distracted, texting and driving, and failing to obey traffic signs and signals.
• The trucking company – The trucking company is responsible for training and vetting drivers and maintaining vehicles it owns. If it failed to meet these obligations, it may be liable. Companies are also typically responsible for drivers’ negligent behavior under a legal principle known as vicarious liability. 
• The company responsible for the vehicle’s cargo – Truck drivers can lose control when tractor-trailers shift or roll due to overloaded, improperly loaded, or unsecured cargo. Cargo can also fall from the truck and injure motorists. The entity that loaded the truck or owns the cargo may be liable for accidents of this type. 
• Entities connected with the truck’s parts and maintenance – Liability for crashes involving vehicle defects may rest with a vehicle or auto parts manufacturer, negligent mechanic, or the truck’s owner, which may be a different party than the trucking company. 
• A property owner – Sometimes, negligent road maintenance or bad road design can lead to collisions. In these instances, a property owner may be financially responsible. 

An Ohio truck accident attorney can determine liability for your damages and pursue claims against multiple parties when necessary. To learn more about how a commercial truck accident lawyer can assist with your case, contact the Goldwater Law Firm online or call today for a free consultation. 

Truck Crash Injuries Can Be Significant and Life Changing

The size and weight of an 18-wheeler truck or large commercial vehicle can cause catastrophic and fatal injuries in a crash. Those most vulnerable in a truck accident are the occupants of smaller passenger vehicles. 

If you suffered a severe, permanent, or disabling injury, it is vital you account for all of your ongoing medical treatment and future life expenses before accepting a compensation offer. An Ohio truck accident lawyer can help you pursue a settlement or verdict that will ensure you do not end up paying out-of-pocket down the line. 

Our law firm partners handle serious injury claims, including those involving:

• Brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Multiple broken bones
• Amputation
• Loss of a body part of bodily function
• Paralysis or loss of mobility