Being involved in a crash with a delivery truck can be a traumatic and overwhelming experience. Knowing what actions to take after an accident is crucial for protecting your rights and maximizing the chances of a fair recovery. This guide from the Mississippi truck accident lawyers at Mama Justice Law Firm covers critical aspects of truck crashes to equip you with knowledge to maximize your settlement.
Our Mississippi personal injury lawyers help you navigate the complexities of your legal case. Call us today at (833)-626-2587.
Delivery Truck Accidents Are Devastating
Victims need not feel intimidated handling the daunting legal machine against major trucking insurance corporations. Delivery trucks such as UPS, FedEx, Amazon, and food delivery vehicles are common on Mississippi roads. While most drivers are safe, truck crashes do still occur.
According to federal data, over 5,000 large truck crashes happened in Mississippi between 2017 and 2021. When a collision involves a delivery truck, unique laws, and insurance considerations come into play. Taking prompt action and working with an experienced Mississippi truck accident lawyer is critical to obtaining maximum compensation.
Below are the four most vital steps after a Mississippi delivery truck crash:
Step 1: Seek Any Needed Medical Care.
Seeking prompt medical attention should always be the priority after any vehicle collision. Adrenaline and shock can mask severe injuries in the initial aftermath. Even if you feel fine, getting checked by a doctor as soon as possible is crucial. Specific injuries like traumatic brain injuries or internal bleeding may not have obvious symptoms. Getting prompt medical documentation is also essential for later supporting an injury claim.
Make sure to share details of the accident with treatment providers. Give a full account of the crash and your symptoms. Ask for copies of all examination records and medical bills. Obtain a copy of that report if an ambulance transports you to the hospital. All these documents will help demonstrate the cause, nature, and extent of injuries when seeking compensation from insurance companies.
Missing the window for medical treatment can severely hurt the viability of an injury claim. Speak with a Mississippi truck accident lawyer for guidance in obtaining appropriate medical care while avoiding gaps that insurers can exploit.
Step 2: Document the Crash Scene
Thoroughly documenting the accident scene provides critical evidence for determining fault and securing fair compensation. Take numerous photos capturing damage to all vehicles, skid marks, debris, road conditions, and visibility if possible. Get wide shots showing the whole scene and close-ups of damaged areas, truck markings, and identification info. Also, photograph any injuries you sustained. Metric measurements of scratch marks and skids can further strengthen the documentation.
In addition to photographs, write down precise details of how the crash happened while fresh in your mind. Note weather and traffic conditions at the time and any unusual behavior observed from the delivery truck driver before the collision. Get contact and insurance information from the truck driver and witnesses whenever feasible. All this data from the crash scene lays the groundwork for demonstrating what happened and who bears liability. Just be sure not to sign any documents presented by insurers promising a settlement on-site.
An experienced Mississippi personal injury attorney can send an investigator to capture additional evidence from the scene to handle your injury claim once retained. However, gathering as much initial documentation as possible remains critical.
Step 3: Report the Accident
You must report any vehicle crash involving a commercial motor vehicle, like a delivery truck, to the police per Mississippi state law (Section 11-7-15). The formal police report provides official documentation of the incident, which is forwarded to state transportation agencies. While verbal accounts are included, the report alone does not determine final liability. Still, it’s one more piece of evidence when negotiating your injury claim.
Reporting delivery truck crashes also helps identify potentially unsafe carriers and drivers responsible for multiple collisions. Federal data shows 16% of truck drivers have a reportable crash within two years. So, your incident could indicate broader public safety concerns. Notify police even for minor delivery truck crashes lacking apparent harm.
In addition to the legally mandated police report, you should promptly notify your auto insurance company about the collision after obtaining medical care. Reporting the incident quickly is essential for potential claims involving uninsured/underinsured (UM/UIM) motorist coverage on your policy. Write down the claim number and your insurer’s guidance for next steps. Also, contact the delivery company’s safety division directly about the crash and ask them to share their side of what happened. Having this communication on record aids negotiations later.
Step 4: Consult a Mississippi Truck Accident Attorney.
Trying to handle a truck collision claim yourself against massive logistics corporations almost always leads to disappointment. Delivery companies and specialized insurance carriers have dedicated resources explicitly to minimize payouts on claims. Leveling the playing field requires working with an attorney intimately familiar with the complex commercial vehicle regulations and insurance intricacies governing these incidents.
Mama Justice Law Firm’s experienced Mississippi truck accident attorneys guide injury victims and grieving families step-by-step through the claims process following delivery truck wrecks. Having handled hundreds of trucking cases over decades in the state, they know how to secure evidence demonstrating negligence and maximizing compensation under the unique insurance setup covering delivery fleets. This includes getting ostensibly minor impacts resulting in severe injuries accurately classified as preventable on the truck driver’s record during negotiations.
Retaining legal counsel immediately avoids issues like signing away your rights or allowing evidence to disappear. Mama Justice Law Firm’s Mississippi truck accident attorney can promptly send investigators to preserve data and consult leading experts at no upfront cost to clients. And there’s never any fee unless they obtain recovery.
Why Truck Crash Claims Differ from Typical Auto Cases
Several unique facets set commercial trucking cases apart from standard auto insurance matters. Firstly, specialized federal regulations govern virtually every aspect of professional truck transport to prioritize public safety. Areas regulated include operator qualifications/licensing, truck maintenance, load securement rules, driving hour limits to prevent fatigue, and mandatory drug/alcohol testing policies. Violating these specific safety regulations constitutes negligence per se in crashes, meaning hearings establishing fault often proceed favorably for victims.
Over 85,000 pounds gross vehicle weight non-passenger trucks also require substantially higher minimum liability insurance coverage starting at $750,000 under FMCSA regulations. Additional insurance assets well beyond the minimums maintained by prudent transport outfits and parent shipping companies can unlock further resources for crash victims\’ recovery following rigorous legal work scrutinizing the policies.
Furthermore, pinpointing all potential defendants across contracting and leasing entities tied to the delivery truck operation remains imperative yet highly complex. The truck driver behind the wheel likely doesn’t own the cab or trailer. At the same time, a distant transportation agency manages hiring and safety oversight per a negotiated operating agreement with the branded delivery fleet. Only attorneys extensively focused on truck litigation know how to deconstruct these vaguely defined business arrangements to access additional insurance resources, delivering maximum claim results.
Connect with a Dedicated Mississippi truck accident lawyer Today.
Sustaining injuries or losing a loved one in an avoidable crash with a commercial delivery vehicle often spirals into long-term suffering and financial hardship without adequate compensation. Far too many Mississippi families struggle with mounting medical expenses, lost wages, and emotional distress after truck collisions while insurer payouts fail to make victims whole again.
Refrain from letting delivery companies and insurance corporations take advantage of you. The compassionate and dedicated Mississippi personal injury attorneys at Mama Justice Law Firm level the playing field against even the most callous defendants denying responsibility for truck crashes. Their truck accident lawyer assists injury victims and grieving families across Mississippi to demand maximum compensation through relentless legal representation.
Truck Crash Reporting Requirements in Mississippi
Commercial motor vehicles like delivery trucks and 18-wheelers involve unique reporting rules under Mississippi statutes and federal regulations. As highlighted in step 3, immediately notifying police and cooperating with their formal documentation proves essential for supporting insurance claims and identifying public hazards from negligent operators.
Seek Medical Care Before Giving Any Recorded Statements
Insurers often press crash victims to provide recorded statements about accidents immediately on the scene or shortly after. However, experiencing injuries may cloud judgment or prevent conveying full recollection this early. Wait until obtaining a medical assessment and consult qualified legal counsel before providing any formal recorded statements to insurance adjusters investigating delivery truck crashes.
Truck Drivers Face Extensive Licensing and Training Mandates
Far more rigorous licensing and training standards apply to commercial truck drivers than everyday motorists. Tractor-trailer operators must obtain a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL), which requires both knowledge testing and demonstrative road exams. Trucking companies must then put drivers through additional on-the-job instruction, including supervised trips before solo operation. Violating these mandates leads courts to assign greater negligence to commercial motor vehicle operators in crashes.
Take Photos of All Damage from Multiple Angles
Don’t just snap a quick pic of vehicle damage on your phone. Document the full extent of collision harm from various angles under step 2. Wider shots establish the scene alongside tight close-ups of dents, scrapes, and part indentations. Measure the length of scratches and scraped marks on the road. Photograph-related injuries have occurred over time, too. This diligent evidence-gathering strengthens injury claims dramatically.
Regular Truck Inspections and Maintenance Are Mandatory
Unlike personal vehicles, commercial trucks, and trailers require systematic inspection and recordkeeping of maintenance work under federal regulations. Failing to address known mechanical defects or skipping mandated service intervals on logs can deemed negligence, factoring into settlements. Victims may also pursue truck brokers or dealerships that sold dangerously inadequate equipment that contributed to crashes.
Delivery Fleets Must Maintain Higher Insurance Minimums.
Increased liability insurance minimums at $750,000 apply for commercial trucks hauling goods intrastate across Mississippi roads. Interstate transport mandates even higher minimums of up to $5 million based on cargo type under FMCSA rules. However, merely meeting the minimum often proves inadequate in fully compensating crash victims. Discuss additional coverage and umbrella policies with counsel.
Truck Drivers Must Adhere to Strict Hours of Service Rules
To prevent fatigued driving, truckers may not operate vehicles for over 11 cumulative hours daily or 60 hours within seven days, absent off-duty breaks between shifts. Driving past 14 hours since the last mandatory 10-hour break also violates regulations. If logbooks show violations, it strengthens the case for victims.
Drug and Alcohol Testing Policies Apply After Crashes
Truck drivers must submit to drug and alcohol testing immediately after crashes. Failure or refusal to comply permits courts to infer impairment. Over 15% of truck operators test positive for drug use in post-accident screenings, according to DOT data. Driving under the influence constitutes severe negligence.
Differences Between Truck and Car Crash Claims
Key differences set commercial delivery truck collisions apart from standard auto incidents, including strict federal safety rules for large trucks, enhanced policy minimums, complex corporate structures and specialized insurers experienced in aggressive claim denial tactics. An accomplished truck accident legal team levels the playing field.
Truck Accident Lawyers Significantly Boost Claim Payouts
Truck Drivers Must Maintain Accident Reporting Records
All CDL operators must maintain detailed logs of reporting any prior collisions over their careers. These Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports (DVIR) get scrutinized to identify repeat, negligence-prone drivers posing public risks. Past crashes help determine liability even if previous incidents did not lead to chargeable citations.
Apportioning Liability Between Multiple Parties
Rather than one sole entity bearing fault, liability often splits between multiple defendants in truck crashes. This includes the truck driver/motor carrier alongside vehicle makers, shippers, brokers, and maintenance shops. Savvy attorneys consider all avenues for recovery.
Traumatic Brain Injuries Remain Devastatingly Common in Truck Crashes
Due to their enormous weight, heightened speeds, and lack of passenger restraints, tractor-trailers often cause particularly catastrophic harm in collisions with smaller vehicles. Traumatic brain injuries prove frighteningly widespread injury in truck crashes, leading to permanent impairment. Victims require dedicated legal guidance to secure care funds from recalcitrant insurers.
Free Consultations Offered to Truck Crash Victims
Leading Mississippi truck accident law firms offer free, no-obligation case evaluations to review the details of your delivery truck crash and estimate potential claim value. They assess the merits of legal action based on fault, damages, and available insurance coverage. Attorney fees only apply to settlement funds.
Using Accident Reconstruction Experts
Reconstructing how truck collisions unfolded requires technical specialty analysis. Expert accident reconstructionists apply biomechanics, physics, and computer modeling to pinpoint decisive factors causing the wreck. Their testimony often proves vital in contested liability disputes impacting claim resolution.
Frequently Asked Questions About Delivery Truck Crashes
Who May Be Liable In My Delivery Truck Crash?
The delivery truck driver would bear primary liability if their actions caused the collision through negligence like speeding, distraction or violations of trucking regs. However, the motor carrier, shipping company, and contractors overseeing maintenance or driver oversight may share responsibility too if faulty equipment, inadequate training, or lax safety policies contribute. An experienced attorney can help identify all potentially negligent parties.
What Damages Am I Eligible For After A Delivery Truck Accident?
Compensation categories after delivery truck crashes include medical bills, lost income and long-term impairment, vehicle repair/replacement costs, pain and suffering alongside emotional distress. Families who lose a member may receive compensation for loss of support, companionship, services, and inheritance. Punitive damages are also pursuable from particularly reckless defendants.
How Much Is My Delivery Truck Accident Claim Worth?
Every truck collision claim involves unique personal, vehicular, and regulatory factors shaping case value. An attorney weighs medical prognosis, attribution of fault, future impairment, available insurance coverage, and more when estimating potential claim worth. In major truck crashes, total settlements often reach well into seven figures, with precise values set on a case-by-case basis.
How Much Does Hiring A Truck Accident Attorney Cost Upfront?
Quality personal injury law firms work on contingency, meaning no upfront fees for clients. Attorney costs are covered by the settlement payment if won. Attorneys are incentivized to maximize claim payouts under this model. Reputable truck crash lawyers also front case investigation/litigation expenses rather than burdening clients.
Can I Still Recover Damages If I Were Partially At Fault?
Under Mississippi’s comparative negligence laws, injury victims may still recover damages in proportion to their assigned level of fault so long as it remains below 51% responsibility. An experienced attorney negotiates to minimize any client contribution argued by insurers based on circumstances supporting the greatest share of negligence assigned to other motorists. Due to extensive training and safety responsibilities, truck drivers and motor carriers often bear the lion’s share of fault in collisions.
Work With a Mississippi Truck Accident Attorney
Injured by a trucker’s carelessness in Mississippi? Mama Justice Law Firm offers a free consultation to discuss your legal options for fair financial recovery. Call us today at (833)-626-2587!
