Philadelphia Tractor Trailer and Truck Accidents Lawyers

Tractor Trailer / Truck Accidents:

An accident with a Tractor Trailer or Truck can be devastating. The U.S. Department of Transportation recorded over 110,000 accidents involving large trucks, many of which resulted in fatalities or injuries. Because most trucks are transporting large amounts of cargo (usually 80,000 pounds or more), the types of accidents trucks are involved in tend to be extremely devastating.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation:

About Truck Crashes:

It's important to make sure that your injury is properly investigated to make sure you received everything you deserve. After an accident with a truck, there's usually quite a bit of damage and important evidence. Investigators look at skid marks, accident debris, impact marks, yaw marks and oil/gas/radiator/coolant fluids to try to reconstruct an accident. However, rain, snow, wind and even other drivers can erase these important pieces of evidence. When the evidence disappears, it's gone for good and this could weaken your case, that's why it's important to contact an attorney right away.

Between 1997 and 2007 the U.S. Department of Transportation recorded 3,998 fatalities in Pennsylvania. There are a variety of reasons for these fatalities, but the key question for a court of law is to figure out "what caused the accident." When you hire an attorney, their primary job is to help you sort through the evidence and create a timeline of the accident. This usually involves examining maintenance records of the trucks, inspection records, weighing the goods that are being hauled, and other pieces of important information. Each piece of evidence is regulated by a different law. For example under Federal law every motor carrier driver must prepare a daily, written report on the truck that he or she operated that day. Within the report, the driver must identify any defect or deficiency of the truck. However, these records only need to be kept for 3 months. After the 3 months these records are usually destroyed, again, hurting your chances of success against the truck, trucking company, and manufacturers.

With so many pieces of evidence to piece together under certain rules and regulations, it's important to have a seasoned attorney on your side. An attorney whose practiced in the area of tractor trailer and truck accidents knows both federal laws and state laws which can be very different. Additionally, an attorney can help guide you through different statutes that may apply to your case, like the statute of limitations which would bar you from suing after a certain amount of time. These are all issues an insurance company is unlikely to share with you. Hiring an attorney will provide you with both a counselor as well as give you the best chance to receive the compensation you deserve

If you or someone you know in the Philadelphia area or throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware or Florida needs the assistance of an experienced Philadelphia truck accident lawyer, please call Heiligman & Mogul, P.C. today at 267-820-9002, or complete the contact form provided on this site to schedule your free consultation.