Truck Accident Attorneys in Wichita

Semi-Truck Wreck Lawsuits & Rewards

Semi-trucks and trailers weigh in excess of 10,000 pounds and can be extremely dangerous to other motorists. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR) impose many more “rules of the road” for these professionally trained drivers. Fortunately, this country has highly skilled and highly trained drivers that do their jobs well every day. Unfortunately, sometimes the drivers of these dangerous instruments are not trained well, are pushed to the extremes, and are overworked and fatigued. When the FMCSR rules of the road are violated, all motorists are in danger.

How Trucking Accidents Occur

We have all driven on highways alongside truckers. Unfortunately, some truckers have an attitude. The drivers know they are in a large heavy vehicle, and they expect the cars to get out of their way. When passing a trucker, we have all seen truckers change lanes without paying any regard to the vehicle approaching from behind. We have all seen truckers weaving in their lanes from what appears to be obvious fatigue. We have all seen semi-trucks and trailers overturned on the side of highways.

When these movements or other unsafe driving behaviors affect the cars or motorcycles on the roadway, the danger is extreme. Due to the size and weight of these vehicles, the forces involved in any collision with a truck are life-endangering.

Choose an Experienced Truck Wreck Attorney

Wrecks involving semi-trucks require attorneys with experience and understanding of the FMCSR rules of the road to not only prove the negligence of the semi truck driver, but also to prove the negligence of the truck company, which may not be enforcing the FMCSR regulations.

If a trucking company fails to properly train, supervise, monitor, and force compliance with ALL aspects of these very important federal laws, the company has independent negligence contributing to the cause of some collisions and the company needs to be held responsible—for the safety of the public and to avoid future collisions. A thorough investigation of the training and qualification of the driver is very important. A thorough investigation of the trucking company also can lead to crucial information which can make a huge difference to the value of the case.

If the trucking company has had prior violations of FMCSR regulations, and possibly even been reprimanded or sanctioned for prior violations, there is a potential for punitive damages against the trucking company. These damages are in addition to actual damages and can lead to the trucking company paying much more to deter them and other trucking companies from engaging in unsafe practices in the future.

Who Is Held Liable After a Semi Truck Accident?

Determining who is liable for a truck accident is not as straight forward as might be expected since the actual truck driver is not always the one found liable. The trucking company is held liable most often. There are several reasons for this including that they are often caught encouraging their drivers to break trucking regulations in order to help save their company time or money. If your accident was directly caused by the negligence of a trucker, however, they may be the one held liable for the accident. Negligence of this kind can include drunk driving or driving while distracted. Although it happens less often, there are other parties that can be found responsible, such as a truck manufacturer. Determining liability can be complicated process, Brian & Brian at Pistotnik Law is experienced in investigating truck accident claims and is ready to fight for you. Call us today for a free consultation!

Skilled Representation for Catastrophically Injured Victims

Unfortunately, victims of these types of collisions typically have life-altering injuries with major ongoing consequences. It is extremely important to investigate these collisions quickly after the collision. It is even more important not to talk to the insurance investigators. The insurance investigators involved in these collisions are the most highly trained investigators who work even harder to try to minimize the company’s claim exposure. They are not trying to help you!

Fortunately, these cases typically have better protections for the injured person, and the FMCSR requires much higher insurance than a typical car wreck case. If damages exceed the higher insurance coverage, the trucking company also may be a “deep pocket” and have to pay for damages beyond insurance coverage from the company’s own funds. You need the help of Brian and Brian at Pistotnik Law to protect your case and to know your rights.

Contact Us Today

When involved in these types of collisions, call us first to get valuable information on what steps need to be taken to protect yourself and to maximize your case! We know how to help you and we will stand by you to help prove the wrongdoing of the negligent trucker and trucking company and to prove your damages. Do not let some inexperienced or self-interested Kansas truck accident attorney treat your case less seriously than it should be.

Contact our firm now to schedule your free initial consultation with one of our Wichita truck accident lawyers. There is no obligation and you owe us nothing unless we recover for you.