Commercial trucks come in all shapes and sizes, but they have one thing in common. All have the capacity for causing severe injuries if a wreck occurs. If you suffered injuries in a truck accident, you need a legal team to dig deep to find out what happened and why.
At Mama Justice – MW Law Firm, our experienced truck accident lawyers conduct detailed investigations of commercial motor vehicle crashes every day. Our team can consult with industry-leading experts to evaluate the types of truck accidents in Mississippi and the ways they influence both the severity of injuries and potential recovery for accident victims.
As the fastest-growing, female-owned law firm in the United States, our lawyers don’t just treat you like another name on a case file. True to our motto to “fight like a mother” for our clients, we bring compassionate yet assertive legal service to every case we take. Our case results reflect our commitment, with numerous six- and seven-figure awards to truck accident victims.
If you or a loved one suffered serious injuries in a truck crash, contact a Mississippi truck accident lawyer at Mama Justice today for a free consultation.
Types of Truck Accidents in Mississippi
The most common kinds of truck wrecks we see at Mama Justice include:
- Rear-end collisions – These wrecks frequently occur due to distracted or fatigued driving, which slows the driver’s reaction time. Other causes include brake failures and poor weather or road conditions.
- Jackknife accidents – These crashes occur when a truck’s trailer swings out beside the cab. The sudden movement can lead the truck to collide with multiple vehicles in adjacent lanes, potentially trapping passengers inside their cars. Jackknife accidents also carry a higher risk of truck rollovers.
- Rollover accidents – These accidents occur when a truck tips over. Reasons for a rollover might include turning at high speed, shifting cargo, unbalanced freight, or even high winds.
- Underride accidents – A truck underride accident occurs when a smaller car slides under the rear or side of an 18-wheeler, often in a rear-end collision or T-bone accident.
- Override truck accidents – An override wreck occurs when a semi-truck runs on top of a passenger vehicle, typically in a rear-end collision where the trucker is tailgating and the leading car suddenly brakes.
- Blind spot (No Zone) accidents – Commercial trucks have much larger blind spots than passenger vehicles, which can lead to accidents when a truck merges, enters a highway, or reverses without checking their mirrors.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents
Many of the common causes of truck accidents in Mississippi are related to driver error. These causes include:
- Distracted driving – Drivers who text, eat, or engage in other distracting activities while driving reduce their ability to see, notice, and react to hazards on the roadway, including slowed or stopped vehicles ahead.
- Driver fatigue – Drowsy driving can slow reaction times and increase the chances of falling asleep behind the wheel. To combat driver fatigue, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulates the number of hours commercial drivers can be on duty.
- Bad weather conditions – Poor weather conditions, such as heavy rain, can lead to poor visibility and slippery road conditions. However, it’s a truck driver’s responsibility to adjust their driving to accommodate bad weather or pull over to wait it out when necessary.
- Inadequate training – Drivers who lack the proper training may make simple mistakes with catastrophic consequences.
- Failure to maintain a safe distance – Due to their massive weight and height, tractor-trailers need more time to stop than smaller vehicles. When a truck driver follows too closely, it can lead to a rear-end collision or an override accident.
It’s important to note that not all truck accidents are the driver’s fault. Depending on the facts of the case, the trucking company, cargo loaders, maintenance providers, a state or local government, or even another driver may be at fault. Maximizing compensation depends on identifying all liable parties. A Mississippi truck accident attorney can help you do that.
Common Truck Accident Injuries
Truck accidents in Mississippi can leave individuals with long-term impairment and potentially permanent disabilities. Frequent injuries include:
- Traumatic brain injuries – TBIs can cause physical, motor, and cognitive impairments due to a strike or jolt to the head during a truck wreck.
- Spinal cord injuries – Damage to the spinal cord may result in partial or complete paralysis below the point of injury.
- Broken bones – Truck accidents can cause many types of fractures, some so severe that they prevent a person from continuing in their profession
- Internal organ damage – Internal organ injuries, such as collapsed lungs and abdominal bleeding, can be fatal if not immediately treated.
- Burns and lacerations – Victims may live with permanent scarring and disfigurement due to burns and lacerations sustained in a truck accident.
- Soft-tissue injuries – Muscles, ligaments, and tendons that get strained or injured in the collision may require surgery and physical therapy to heal.
- Crushing and amputation injuries – When a limb becomes trapped in a truck crash, it can suffer severe crush injuries that may be irreparable and require amputation.
Options After a Truck Accident in Mississippi
After being involved in a Mississippi truck accident, your first step is to determine who is liable for the wreck. Then, you file a personal injury claim against the at-fault party’s insurance company. However, commercial truck accident claims tend to work differently from traditional car accident cases. Here’s why:
Multiple liable parties
In many instances, more than one party can be sued for a truck accident. For example, if a truck company employed a driver who struck a vehicle that was tailgating, the trucking company could also be liable for the driver’s actions, especially if they engaged in negligent hiring practices.
State and federal trucking laws
The trucking industry is heavily regulated to protect the safety of other drivers. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration sets safety standards that drivers, for-hire carriers, private carriers, owner-operators, maintenance providers, and automakers must follow. Violations that lead to accidents expose all potentially liable parties to personal injury lawsuits.
Several accident victims
Some commercial trucking accidents involve multiple injured parties splitting insurance policy payouts. That’s why it’s crucial to consult an experienced truck accident lawyer in Mississippi. Your attorney can identify other potential sources of compensation for you.
Beyond insurance claims, you may be able to file truck accident claims against other parties that contributed to the wreck. For example, vehicle manufacturers could be responsible if a flaw in the production process led to catastrophic truck brake failure. If dangerous roads caused the wreck, the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) or another government entity could be liable. Once your lawyer identifies all possible defendants, they can begin work pursuing maximum compensation in your truck accident case.
Why Choose Mama Justice?
Mama Justice is a full-service personal injury law firm that places a premium on comprehensive client care. We’re not just your lawyers. Our law firm is staffed by sympathetic support staff that includes a medical management team. Their job is to connect you with doctors and other providers in the community who can help you get the treatment you need. While you heal, we’ll handle the legal work and seek full and fair compensation for you.
Mama Justice has 700+ five-star reviews from satisfied clients, including Javodkis T., who writes, “I was hurt in an accident so I called Mama Justice. A close friend of mine referred me to Miranda and she was just what I needed, along with her assistant Ginger. I can definitely rate them a 5 star!!” – Javodkis T.
Let us show you what our compassionate guidance, tailored solutions, and holistic representation can do for you. Call or contact us now for a free consultation.