Types of Trucking Accidents

We Represent Victims and Families After All Types of Trucking Accidents in New Orleans and across the country

Big truck accidents can have devastating consequences. While truck driver negligence and truck-related issues are most often to blame, it is innocent drivers, passengers and their families who end up suffering in most cases. Fortunately, Louisiana law holds negligent truck drivers and companies accountable, and victims and their families can recover just compensation with an experienced attorney on their side.

We handle all types of truck accident cases in New Orleans and across the country. Whether you were injured in a collision in North Louisiana or you have tragically lost a loved one in an accident on I-10 or one of the area’s other major highways, we want to help you recover the financial compensation you deserve. We will use our experience to your advantage, and you can trust that we will do everything possible to help you secure maximum financial compensation.

Experienced Legal Representation for All Serious and Fatal Trucking Accidents

While commercial trucks play an important role in Louisiana’s economy, they also present significant risks on our roads. Distracted and fatigued truck drivers, poorly maintained trucks, truck defects, and a variety of other issues can all put members of the motoring public in harm’s way. At the Shlosman Law Firm, we help trucking accident victims and their families recover maximum compensation for truck accidents resulting from all causes and involving all types of commercial trucks. This includes (but is not limited to):

18-Wheeler and Tractor-Trailer Accidents

18-wheeler and tractor-trailer accidents are alarmingly common. Operating these large trucks safely requires skill, experience and careful attention to the task at hand. Proper maintenance is critical as well, as even minor issues can lead to major accidents if left unaddressed. We handle cases involving all types of 18-wheeler and tractor-trailer accidents, including jackknifes, rollovers and collisions at intersections, among others.

Box Truck and Moving Truck Accidents

Whether driven by a paid driver or someone who has rented a truck for their move, box trucks and moving trucks also present a variety of risks when not carefully driven and properly maintained. Accidents involving these trucks are common as well, and they frequently result from simple mistakes that could—and should—have been avoided.

Concrete Truck Accidents

Along with fully-loaded tractor trailers, concrete trucks are some of the heaviest trucks on the road. This means that they are also among the most difficult to operate and stop safely. Limited visibility is an issue with many concrete trucks as well, and, in many cases, it is a combination of factors that leads to collisions involving concrete trucks and other vehicles.

Construction and Landscaping Truck Accidents

While construction and landscaping trucks might not have the size and weight of tractor trailers, box trucks and concrete trucks, negligent operation and maintenance of these commercial trucks can be just as dangerous. Whether driving to a construction site or job site, going to the store to pick up materials, or heading home after a long day at work, drivers of construction and landscaping trucks frequently prioritize speed over safety. As a result, accidents involving these trucks are often common, and many accident victims and families will find themselves needing to sue a construction or landscaping company to recover just compensation.

Delivery Truck Accidents

Like all drivers, delivery truck drivers have a legal duty to observe the rules of the road. Among other things, this means obeying the speed limit, stopping at all red lights and stop signs, and yielding the right of way to motorists and pedestrians. Unfortunately, whether due to carelessness, distraction or pressure to make their deliveries on time, delivery truck drivers regularly make mistakes that put others in harm’s way.

Dump Truck Accidents

Dump trucks present a variety of risks on New Orleans’ roads. Not only are driver negligence, inadequate maintenance and truck defects concerns with dump trucks, but so is the risk of material or debris flying out of the truck and into the path of another vehicle. We handle all types of dump truck accident cases throughout this area and across the country, and we fight to recover maximum compensation on behalf of injured drivers, passengers and their families.

Flatbed, Car Carrier and Tow Truck Accidents

Flatbeds, car carriers and tow trucks present several risks as well. Cargo strap failures and failure to properly secure cargo can lead to accidents—in addition to the various other factors we have discussed above. Whether truck driver negligence or an issue with the truck is to blame, the companies that own and operate these trucks can be held accountable for accident victims’ and families’ losses in most cases.

Garbage Truck Accidents

Garbage truck accidents are common on highways, city streets and roads in residential neighborhoods. This includes rear-end and head-on collisions caused by distracted driving and other forms of driver negligence, as well as accidents that occur at intersections when garbage truck drivers pass through or turn without the right of way. Reversing accidents involving garbage trucks are common on city and neighborhood streets as well. Garbage trucks often do not have rear view cameras that increase the likelihood for these type of accidents.

Refrigerated Truck Accidents

While refrigerated trucks are a special type of box truck that is used for a special purpose, they present the same risks as all other commercial vehicles. Negligent driving, negligent maintenance and truck defects are all issues that have the potential to lead to serious or fatal accidents involving refrigerated trucks.

Tanker Truck and Septic Truck Accidents

A type of risk that is unique to tanker trucks and septic trucks is the risk of inadequate pressurization. When a truck is carrying liquid cargo, pressurizing the tank prevents the truck’s cargo from sloshing during transportation. Similar to shifting cargo in a container, sloshing liquid cargo can cause a sudden and unexpected loss of control, and this can lead to serious accidents when there are other vehicles on the road.

We Handle Trucking Accident Cases Involving All Causes

Regardless of the specific type of truck involved, accident victims and their families have clear legal rights when these accidents lead to catastrophic or fatal injuries. Determining the cause (or causes) of the accident is an essential step on the road to recovery, and this makes it important to conduct a thorough investigation as soon as possible.

When we investigate trucking accidents for individuals and families in New Orleans, and throughout the country, we look for evidence of all possible causes. The following are all common causes of trucking accidents for which we are able to seek maximum compensation:

Truck Driver Negligence

Truck driver negligence is a leading cause of all types of truck accidents. This includes common forms of negligence such as:

• Assuming other drivers will get out of the truck driver’s way
• Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• Driving while fatigued (or falling asleep behind the wheel)
• Merging or turning without looking
• Reading text messages, scrolling social media and other forms of distracted driving
• Running red lights and stop signs
• Speeding, tailgating and other forms of aggressive driving

Truck Maintenance Issues

Inadequate truck maintenance can lead to accidents even when truck drivers are following the law. When truck drivers aren’t following the law, the combination of driver negligence and maintenance issues can create extremely dangerous situations on the road. Trucking companies and other truck owners can be held liable when they fail to perform necessary maintenance, and repair shops and dealerships can be held liable when they perform negligent work on their customers’ vehicles.

Truck Defects

A commercial truck is considered “defective” if it is unsafe when it leaves the factory. Virtually all components on a commercial truck can be defective, and most types of defects can cause (or at least contribute to causing) an accident on the road. When a truck defect plays a role in a serious or fatal accident, the truck’s manufacturer is one of several companies that can potentially be held accountable.

Road Maintenance Issues and Defects

Along with truck maintenance issues and defects, road maintenance issues and defects can lead to accidents as well. This includes everything from constructing dangerous intersections and offramps to failing to fix potholes and clear roadway debris. Regardless of the specific issue involved, when an issue with the road contributes to causing a collision, the government agency or contractor that is responsible for the road’s construction or maintenance can be held duly accountable.

Other Drivers’ Negligence

Finally, along with truck driver negligence, other drivers’ negligence also frequently plays a role in commercial truck accidents. If a driver dangerously cuts off a truck or swerves to avoid an accident, this can set off a chain of events that results in multiple collisions and injuries. In these scenarios, recovering maximum compensation may involve filing a claim under the negligent driver’s insurance policy in addition to pursuing other claims for maximum compensation.

Contact Us 24/7 for a Free Consultation About Your Trucking Accident Case

Do you need to know more about your legal rights after a trucking accident in New Orleans or anywhere in the country? If so, we encourage you to contact us today!. For a free, no-obligation consultation, call 504-826-9427 or tell us what happened online now.