Getting into a collision with a semi tractor trailer, truck or commercial vehicle is anything but a run-of-the-mill car accident.
For starters, semi tractor trailers and commercial vehicles have big legal teams and insurance companies behind them. So should you.
“It is not an area of law an attorney should handle if they are not familiar with these types of collisions,” said Simon Law Attorney Erica Slater. “Experience and reputation matter in trucking cases if you are going to get full value for your case.”
Accidents involving trucks have a much more complex litigation landscape than typical car accidents. The defense firms and defense attorneys handling trucking collisions are well-versed in Federal regulations. Insurance companies who back trucking companies are used to high-stakes litigation. That is why the firm you hire to represent you and your family must be well-known to those defense firms and insurance companies, have substantial resources to handle your case, and have a national reputation for handling high-stakes litigation like Simon Law.
Litigation involving heavy trucks and commercial vehicles is also different than car accidents because much more work is involved in order to find out the root cause of the collision.
“This work is too complex and it is way too difficult to go through this tough time in a family’s life with them if there isn’t a greater good to be had by bringing a lawsuit,” Slater said. “That is what I focus on with every case I handle: where can we make things safer so another family doesn’t have to go through a tragedy like this again.”
By digging into the trucking company’s background, training, safety record, and operations, we can find out what went wrong and what that company and that driver need to do differently so another person is not hurt on the road in the same way again.
Trucking litigation is also highly specialized because cases are often litigated at the Federal court level and involve complex Federal regulations that control professional drivers. Attorneys at Simon Law are used to regularly handling cases in Federal court. Understanding how the Federal regulatory framework comes into play in trucking cases is key, and why Attorney Slater says it’s also important to turn to an attorney with that experience and knowledge.
“The trucking industry is one that has, on paper, worked toward safety for decades. However, lobbying efforts from the trucking industry have also worked hard to keep regulations broad or at bay,” Slater said. “Still, even with the existing safety regulations on the books, too many operations and companies fall short.
“The result of those shortfalls ruin families’ lives. By rooting out systemic errors and arming juries with proof of how companies failed to implement or follow simple safety measures, lessons can be learned after the fact of tragedy that make everyone safer.”
Experienced attorneys at Simon Law, like Erica Slater, know Federal trucking regulations and Federal court rules inside and out. Slater is committed to seeking justice for families affected by the careless conduct of trucking companies and their drivers when catastrophic injuries result.
“My commitment to this type of litigation is a big part of my practice because we come in after something terrible has happened,” Slater explained. “The law allows us to get compensation for our families.
“Yet time and time again, I hear the same thing from our clients, which is, ‘I just don’t want this to happen to someone else.’ Through this litigation, we can dig into the root cause of what went wrong in these companies that allowed this accident to happen and work to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
Here are the top three things Slater recommends someone should do after being in a trucking collision:
- Unfortunately, accidents involving trucks often involve serious injuries, so you must naturally seek medical care first.
- Save all documents, records, and bills and eventually get them to us. We will take care of sorting through what is what. Your main priority should be taking care of yourself first.
- Do not speak with anyone other than law enforcement and medical professionals about the accident and call a trucking lawyer immediately, like Erica Slater at the Simon Law Firm. The other side should not be able to interview you before you have contacted and consulted with an attorney.
Contact The Simon Law Firm at 314-241-2929
