18-Wheeler Accidents

New Orleans Truck Accident Lawyer

Dedicated Accident and Injury Attorneys Serving Victims throughout Louisiana

If you have been hurt in a truck accident it is important that you get in touch with a trusted and caring New Orleans personal injury lawyer who you can rely on to get you through this difficult experience. My name is Tom Shlosman and I am an experienced and tenacious personal injury attorney. My commitment to my clients is unsurpassed. You can lean on me during this tough time: I’m prepared to help you face this situation and pursue the just outcome to which you are entitled.

Common Types of Truck Accidents

Commercial truck accidents are a regular occurrence in and around New Orleans. The Port of New Orleans is one of the busiest commercial ports in the United States, and this means that the city sees an extremely high volume of truck traffic on a daily basis. Unfortunately, this means that accidents involving commercial trucks are common as well, and these accidents often leave drivers, passengers and pedestrians severely injured and facing a long (and expensive) road to recovery.

New Orleans truck accident lawyer Tom Shlosman helps victims and their families recover the financial compensation they deserve after serious collisions. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in an accident involving an 18-wheeler or other commercial truck, we encourage you to contact our firm right away. We handle all types of serious truck accidents in the New Orleans area, including (but not limited to):

18-Wheeler Rollovers

When an 18-wheeler rolls over on the highway, this puts everyone in the vicinity in danger. Not only can the truck’s cab and trailer land on top of other vehicles, but they can slide into other vehicles and push other vehicles off of the road as well. Oftentimes, drivers who are behind the truck will have nowhere to go to avoid a collision, and drivers who slam on their brakes or swerve risk causing secondary collisions as well. 18-wheeler rollover accident cases are often extremely complicated, and while victims and their families can recover the compensation they deserve, doing so requires the representation of an experienced New Orleans truck accident attorney.

Intersection Accidents (Including T-Bone Collisions)

Intersection accidents involving commercial trucks can also be extremely dangerous. Far too often, truck drivers blow through intersections without the right of way. They assume that other drivers will wait for them to pass, not realizing that many drivers won’t see them coming until it is too late. T-bone collisions involving commercial trucks at intersections usually result in life-altering injuries, and, tragically, they are often fatal.

Jackknife Accidents

Jackknife accidents can happen for a variety of different reasons, nearly all of which will entitle victims and their families to just compensation. Speeding and late braking are two common factors, and cargo-related issues can cause truck drivers to lose control of their trailers as well. Similar to rollovers, these accidents often cause widespread harm, and victims and their families must rely on an experienced New Orleans truck accident lawyer to help them recover.

Multi-Vehicle Pileups

Whether due to a rollover, jackknife or other issues, commercial truck accidents often result in multi-vehicle pileups. This is especially true when truck drivers lose control during storms, in heavy traffic or at high speed. While truck drivers and trucking companies will be fully liable for victims’ losses in many cases, there are other possibilities as well, and identifying all liable parties is one of the first steps toward successfully pursuing a full financial recovery. If you or a member of your family has been seriously or fatally injured in a multi-vehicle pileup involving an 18-wheeler, tractor-trailer or other commercial truck, you should speak with a New Orleans truck accident attorney right away.

Rear-End Collisions

Rear-end collisions involving commercial trucks are also common, and they can result from a wide range of factors. But, most of these factors are either related to the truck driver’s actions behind the wheel or issues with the truck itself. Truck driver negligence, brake failures, tire failures and overloading are just some of the issues that can entitle victims of rear-end collisions to just compensation.

Right-Hand Turn Accidents

Commercial truck accidents also frequently occur when truck drivers make mistakes while making right-hand turns. This includes failing to look before turning, failing to make a wide enough turn and other errors that leave unexpecting drivers with no way to avoid a collision. These accidents can (and do) occur at all types of intersections in and around New Orleans, and they can (and do) have consequences ranging from vehicle damage and relatively minor injuries to life-altering and life-threatening physical trauma.

Sideswipe Accidents

Sideswipe accidents involving commercial trucks usually happen because the truck driver either isn’t paying attention or doesn’t look before merging or changing lanes. Too often, truck drivers simply assume that other drivers will get out of their way. But, this isn’t always possible, and negligent truck drivers frequently leave other motorists with no safe place to go. Additionally, when truck drivers change lanes or merge unexpectedly, other drivers simply won’t have time to get out of the way and avoid a collision.

CAUSES OF TRUCK ACCIDENTS IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA

Many truck accidents are caused by negligent or reckless driving behaviors, such as:

• Driving while distracted by texting, eating, or a phone conversation
• Driving over the speed limit or too fast for weather conditions
• Disregarding the Hours of Service regulations for truck drivers, resulting
  in fatigued driving or falling asleep behind the wheel
• Overloaded or improperly loaded vehicles
• Aggressive driving including unsafe lane changes and tailgating
• Driving while under the influence of drugs and / or alcohol

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations require companies and drivers involved in commercial trucking to exercise safe practices that protect others on the road. When these stipulations aren’t met, the results can be deadly.

Drivers of smaller vehicles — which usually weigh around 3,000 pounds — are put in grave danger by big rigs, which often weigh 80,000 pounds, when truck drivers are unprofessional or reckless.

With all types of commercial truck accidents, determining the cause of the accident is critical for asserting victims’ and their families’ legal rights. Numerous factors can lead to truck accidents, and determining the specific factor (or factors) involved in an accident is a key early step on the road to financial recovery. When you choose our firm to represent you, New Orleans truck accident attorney Tom Shlosman will oversee an investigation focused on identifying all of the factors involved in your (or your loved one’s) collision. This will include assessing the potential involvement of factors such as:

• Cargo-related problems (including overloading, shifting cargo and unbalanced cargo loads)
• Distracted driving (including talking on the phone, texting, using social media and watching videos behind the wheel)
• Failure to check blind spots
• Impaired driving (including driving under the influence of alcohol, marijuana and other drugs)
• Ignoring traffic signs and signals
• Negligent maintenance and truck defects
• Speeding
• Tailgating
• Truck driver fatigue
• Truck safety violations

These are all common factors in commercial truck accidents, and they are factors that truck drivers and trucking companies generally can (and should) prevent. When truck accidents happen unnecessarily, the at-fault parties deserve to be held fully accountable, and victims and their families deserve to recover maximum compensation for their medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and other losses.

Proving Fault and Liability After a Truck Accident in New Orleans

Once you engage our firm to represent you in your truck accident case, we will immediately begin the process of determining who (or what company) is responsible for the collision. To do this, we will quickly collect as much evidence as possible, and then we will examine the evidence to identify the factors that caused (or contributed to causing) the collision.

Evidence of Fault in a Commercial Truck Accident

In a typical case, there will be several forms of evidence that can be used to determine why a truck accident happened. This includes not only forensic evidence from the crash site but documents, eyewitness testimony and other forms of evidence as well. Depending on the circumstances at hand, the types of evidence New Orleans truck accident lawyer Tom Shlosman may be able to use to prove your legal rights include:

• Skid marks and debris at the crash site
• Damage to guardrails, sign posts, light poles and other items on the side of the road
• Damage to your (or your loved one’s) vehicle and the commercial truck
• Testimony, photos and videos from individuals who witnessed the crash
• The truck’s data recorder (or “black box”)
• The truck’s shipping manifest and cargo records
• The truck’s maintenance records
• The truck driver’s phone records and driving log
• Evidence of the traffic pattern at the crash site
• Evidence of the road and weather conditions at the time of the crash

Collecting as much evidence as possible requires a prompt investigation, so it is important that you seek legal help right away. If you took photos or videos at the crash site, you should be sure to share these with your New Orleans truck accident attorney as well.

Liable Parties in a Commercial Truck Accident

Based on these forms of evidence (among others), New Orleans truck accident lawyer Tom Shlosman will be able to determine what party or parties are liable for the accident. While a single party (i.e., the truck driver or trucking company) will be liable in some cases, it is not unusual for multiple factors to combine to result in a collision. With this in mind, the parties that may hold sole responsibility or share liability for a commercial truck accident include:

• The truck driver (or the truck driver’s insurance company)
• The trucking company
• The shipping company
• Another company that is responsible for the truck (i.e., a major retailer or grocery store chain that operates its own fleet of trucks)
• A truck or vehicle component manufacturer
• Another driver involved in the accident (or the driver’s insurance company)
• The government agency or contractor responsible for designing, constructing or maintaining the road

Depending on the circumstances involved, it may be possible to recover full compensation from one party, or it may be necessary to file multiple claims in order to fully recover an accident victim’s or family’s losses. Regardless of the circumstances, we will do everything it takes to help maximize your financial recovery.

How New Orleans Truck Accident Lawyer Tom Shlosman Can Help

With more than a decade of experience, New Orleans truck accident lawyer Tom Shlosman can help you recover after a serious or fatal collision. When you choose our firm to represent you, Tom will:

1. Investigate the Truck Accident Immediately

As soon as possible, Tom will send an investigator to the scene of the crash in order to preserve the available forensic evidence before it disappears. He will also have the truck and your vehicle fully examined to prove the point and severity of impact. If a vehicle defect played a role in the accident, this examination will also determine which vehicle’s manufacturer is responsible.

2. Guide You Forward Step-By-Step

When dealing with the aftermath of a serious or fatal truck accident, there are several important steps you need to take in order to protect your legal rights. Tom will guide you forward step-by-step, and he will be available to answer any questions you may have about what to do (or what not to do) while your truck accident case is pending.

3. Determine What Company (or Companies) Deserve to Be Held Accountable

After collecting all of the necessary evidence, Tom will analyze the facts to determine what company (or companies) deserve to be held accountable. He will also determine if a government agency shares financial responsibility due to an issue with the road. Based on this assessment, Tom will then move forward with pursuing all available claims on your (or your family’s) behalf.

4. Determine the Present and Future Costs of the Accident

In addition to determining liability, another key aspect of a commercial truck accident claim is determining how much you deserve to recover. Under Louisiana law, truck accident victims can recover just compensation not only for their present costs but for their future costs as well. Tom will work closely with you, your doctors and other trusted experts to prove how much you are entitled to receive for your long-term out-of-pocket costs and non-financial losses.

5. Negotiate for a Favorable Settlement While Preparing for the Possibility of a Trial

Most successful truck accident cases settle, and New Orleans truck accident lawyer Tom Shlosman has a long track record of securing favorable settlements for his clients. Tom will work to settle your case quickly and for maximu compensation. While doing so, he will also prepare your (or your family’s) case for trial. This will show the insurance companies that you are serious about recovering your losses, and it will ensure that you are prepared to go to court if this is what it takes to protect your legal rights.

CALL A TRUSTED NEW ORLEANS TRUCK ACCIDENT ATTORNEY

If you or a loved one suffered injuries caused by the negligence or lawless behavior of a truck driver, I encourage you to get in touch with my office as soon as possible. Contact the Shlosman Law Firm as soon as possible.

Schedule a complimentary case evaluation and learn more about how I am prepared to help you win your case. Due to the challenges involved with protecting your legal rights after a serious or fatal truck accident, it is important that you contact a New Orleans truck accident attorney. When you choose our firm to represent you, we will arrange for you to speak with Tom in confidence as soon as possible. This initial consultation is completely free and confidential, and you will pay nothing at all unless we help you obtain a settlement or verdict.