It’s a terrifying moment for other drivers when an unsecured load comes loose from a semi-truck and spills onto the road. There are few situations more dangerous than a lost-load truck accident. A piece of spilled cargo can come through your windshield, block the road in front of you, or leave you no choice but to veer suddenly without knowing what you may run into in the other lane.
The lost-load truck accident attorneys at Parker Trial Law serve clients in Dothan, Alabama and surrounding areas. If you’ve been injured in a lost-load truck accident in Dothan, we can help you seek the full and fair compensation you deserve. Our primary focus is on representing the victims of serious injuries. Contact Parker Trial Law today.
What Is a Lost Load Truck Accident?
A lost-load truck accident happens when cargo falls out the back of a large truck or commercial vehicle and onto the road. Lost loads can slam into oncoming traffic, cause a crash by blocking the roadway, or force drivers to swerve at the last moment and strike another vehicle.
A lost load can be a single loose item or many items falling out simultaneously. Lost loads can cause dangerous commercial truck accidents. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) lists cargo shifts, which include lost loads, as the riskiest cause of semi truck accidents.
How a Dothan Lost Load Truck Accident Lawyer Can Help
A lost-load truck accident lawyer can help with your personal injury claim in several ways, including:
- Investigating the truck crash and determining exactly what happened
- Interviewing eyewitnesses
- Gathering evidence at the accident scene and from the trucking company
- Examining medical records and getting expert advice on your injuries
- Assessing who is liable for the accident
- Negotiating for a settlement with the insurance adjuster assigned to your case
- Representing you in court if the insurance company will not offer full compensation
An insurance company is a for-profit company, and the company will not profit if they pay excessive amounts in claims. The insurance company is strongly motivated to deny your claim, shift blame for the accident, minimize the severity of your injuries, or offer you the smallest settlement they think they can get away with.
An experienced truck accident lawyer from our law firm can handle all the stress of dealing with the insurance company, so you don’t have to. We can gather the evidence needed to convince them that they have no choice but to offer full compensation for your injuries. When you hire an experienced truck accident attorney to represent you, the insurance company cannot simply push you around.
Common Causes of Lost Load Truck Accidents in Dothan
Lost load truck accidents occur when cargo handlers fail to load the truck properly and when drivers fail to find and correct cargo loading errors. Common causes of lost-load truck accidents include:
- Improperly secured cargo
- Overloaded or unbalanced loads
- Equipment failure, such as malfunctioning straps or tie-downs
- Driver negligence
- Failure to follow state and federal regulations
A Dothan truck accident attorney can investigate the truck crash that injured you and determine how it happened.
Who Is Liable for Lost Load Truck Accidents?
If you’ve been hurt in a lost load accident, you might be wondering who is at fault for what happened and who you can hold liable in your truck accident claim. Your Dothan truck accident lawyer can determine who is liable in your case.
Liable parties can include the following:
- The semi-truck driver
- The trucking company
- Cargo loaders and third-party shippers
- Manufacturers of defective straps, locks, and other equipment
Liability for a lost load truck accident depends on the circumstances of the accident. For example, manufacturers could be liable if they sold defective straps or other equipment that failed while the truck was on the road, resulting in a lost load accident. Cargo loaders can be liable if they pack the truck negligently. Improper loading truck accidents include both lost load and other cargo shift accidents.
Types of improper load securement include:
- Overloading the truck, which increases the risk of a cargo shift
- Stacking cargo improperly
- Unbalanced load distribution
- Not using enough tie-downs
- Not using straps or chains properly
- Not covering cargo with tarps when needed
The trucking company can be liable if it requires drivers to carry excessive loads, doesn’t give them enough time to perform the required cargo checks, or gives them inadequate training.
Finally, commercial truck drivers can be liable if they fail to check the cargo for stability or ignore warning signs, such as unexplained sounds that indicate cargo is shifting or coming loose.
Even if the cargo handlers loaded the truck improperly, the truck driver can be liable if they fail to check and secure the load.
Financial Compensation Available for Truck Accident Victims
Lost load truck accident injuries can be severe and may include the following:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Broken bones
- Spinal cord damage
- Internal organ injuries
- Crushing injuries
- Soft tissue damage
Financial compensation for truck accident victims can include:
- Medical expenses, including hospital bills, surgery, physical therapy, and ongoing nursing care
- Lost income, including wages and reductions in your future earning capacity
- Loss of consortium, which refers to the effect of your injuries on your relationship with your spouse and other family members
- Disfigurement
- Pain and suffering
Our truck accident attorneys can work tirelessly to fight for a fair settlement.
Contact Parker Trial Law for a Free Consultation Regarding Your Lost Load Truck Accident Case
If you were hurt in a lost-load truck accident in Dothan, Alabama, you need the help of Parker Trial Law. Since our law firm was founded in 2016, we have been dedicated to zealously representing our clients in jury trials across Alabama, Georgia, and nationally.
Some personal injury law firms are only focused on negotiating a settlement, not on taking the case to trial. We believe that preparing every case for trial is the best way to put our clients in a strong position during settlement negotiations. That’s why we focus on taking cases to trial. We have extensive experience handling high-stakes serious injury cases in Alabama and federal courts.
You will get true personal care when you hire us to represent you in your personal injury claim. We believe in treating all our clients like they are members of the family, and we make a point of maintaining relationships with our clients well after their cases have been resolved. Contact Parker Trial Law for a free consultation about your case today.
