Truck Accident Attorneys in Fredericksburg

The busy I-95 corridor brings a heavy amount of truck traffic through Fredericksburg. To avoid congestion along I-95, many truck drivers take alternative routes such as U.S. Highway 1, U.S. Highway 17 and State Route 3. As a result, your chance of sharing the road with large truck in Fredericksburg and surrounding areas in the Spotsylvania County region is high. If you have been involved in a truck accident, contact our Fredericksburg truck accident lawyer today.

Unfortunately, your risk of getting into a collision with one of these massive vehicles due to the negligence of the driver and/or others is fairly high as well. The Virginia Highway Safety Office reports that 6,876 crashes occurred in 2017 in Virginia that involved large trucks (tractor-trailers, or semis) and other commercial motor vehicles, including 139 fatal crashes and nearly 2,700 injury crashes. In most of these truck crashes, the people killed or injured were occupants of the other cars involved in the crash, motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians.

As one of the oldest and most trusted personal injury law firms in Virginia, Marks & Harrison is committed to helping those who have suffered life-changing injuries due to negligent truck drivers and trucking companies. Our truck accident attorneys have offices conveniently located throughout the state, including Fredericksburg, as well as a large team of lawyers, paralegals, legal assistants, and investigators. If you or a family member recently suffered injuries in a trucking accident in Fredericksburg, we can help you today. Call or reach us online for an immediate, free consultation for your truck accident.

How Can A Fredericksburg Truck Accident Lawyer help?

Fredericksburg trucking accidents are often more severe than can accidents. When you have been involved in a collision with a heavy truck, you want to experience legal representation right away. No one can change what has happened, but an experienced truck accident lawyer can take steps to help you move forward and pursue compensation for your injuries. At Marks & Harrison, we will:

• Give you sound advice from day one. Many law firms will shift clients from one person to another before ever they actually talk to an attorney. Not at Marks & Harrison. You will receive an initial consultation with an attorney, where you can immediately begin asking questions and discussing your injuries with a person who is trained and experienced in handling truck accident cases. The best part is, your initial case consultation is completely free.
• Move fast to investigate your truck crash. Trucking companies typically begin to investigate a crash within minutes, dispatching risk management and investigative personnel to the scene, interviewing witnesses and making repairs to vehicles. They want to protect their interests. Our lawyers do not rely on insurance companies and truck carriers to investigate the crash. We have a highly skilled team of investigators, including a former claims adjuster and several former law enforcement officers. They will rush to preserve as much evidence as possible and protect your right to compensation.
• Consult with knowledgeable experts. Marks & Harrison regularly consults with industry experts such as engineers and crash reconstruction experts in order to establish how a trucking accident happened. Victims often suffer severe injuries. So, we often consult with medical experts as well in order to determine the nature and extent of our client’s injuries and the type of medical treatment they will need as they move forward.
• Aggressively pursue a settlement. Our attorneys will fight for maximum compensation for you through a settlement, which can avoid extended litigation. We prepare solid cases, which makes a major difference when we sit across the negotiation table from insurance company and trucking company representatives.
• Pursue smart litigation strategies. While we will work hard to settle your case and advise you of any settlement offers that you receive, we will also get ready to present your case in the courtroom. We are highly experienced and talented litigators who know what it takes to win trials.
• Communicate one-on-one with you. At Marks & Harrison, you are more than just a client. You are the reason for our firm’s existence. We make it a point to keep our clients updated on their case progress and to always be available to answer their questions and respond to their concerns.

No truck accident lawyer can promise that you will recover compensation in a truck accident lawsuit. However, our firm has a record of helping people who suffered serious injuries or lost a loved one in a tractor-trailer crash. Our experience includes:

• $12 million settlement for a man who was rendered quadriplegic after a collision with a trash truck.
• $5 million settlement for a college student whose car was hit by a semi-truck making a turn in foggy conditions.
• $5.1 million award for an elderly man who suffered multiple fractures in a tractor-trailer collision.

If our truck accident attorneys are unable to recover compensation for you, then you will owe us nothing. You truly have no risk. So, contact us today to get started.

Why Do Tractor-Trailer Crashes Happen in Fredericksburg?

Truck accidents happen for many reasons. Far too many occur due to negligence. Here are some ways truck drivers cause crashes:

Speeding – Many truck drivers break the speed limit or go too fast for traffic, weather, and road conditions because they face a long trip and/or a tight delivery deadline. As a result, speeding is the leading driver-related cause of trucking accidents in our country, according to the most recent statistics from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

• Distracted driving – FMCSA regulations prohibit drivers from using hand-held devices when they operate commercial motor vehicles. Still, many do. FMCSA’s large truck statistics indicate that “distraction/inattention” contributes to roughly 6 percent of fatal truck crashes in the U.S. every year.
• Impaired driving – Virginia, like most states, considers commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders to be too impaired to drive when they have a 0.04 blood alcohol concentration (BAC). For other drivers, the legal limit is 0.08. The law reflects the heightened danger that truck drivers present when they try to operate their large vehicles while under the influence of alcohol. Additionally, many truck drivers use controlled substances or even prescribed medication that can impair their ability to drive safely.
• Drowsy driving – Overly fatigued drivers can be as dangerous as drunk drivers. This is why the FMCSA has established “hours of service” rules that limit the number of hours that drivers can spend on the road.
• Failure to inspect the vehicle – Drivers and their employers also must conduct a pre-trip and post-trip inspection and maintenance of their tractor-trailer combinations. If they fail to detect problems such as bad brakes, hydraulic system problems, or bad couplings, it can lead to severe crashes.
• Failure to secure cargo – Many trucking accidents happen because drivers or warehouse workers fail to properly secure cargo. Their negligence can lead to cargo shifts that cause a truck to jackknife or roll over, or it can lead to cargo spills that create chaos on the highway.

Truck accidents can also occur if a driver makes an improper lane change, changes lanes without checking blind spots, fails to yield, follows another car too closely (“tailgates”), makes improper turns, or engages in any number of other types of negligent acts. You can count on the truck accident lawyers Marks & Harrison to thoroughly investigate your case to determine the cause of your crash and to always work tirelessly to protect your interests.

Who Is Responsible for 18-Wheeler Accidents in Fredericksburg?

Unlike car accident cases, the blame for tractor-trailer accidents often goes beyond the negligent driver. A victim of a truck crash may sue multiple defendants. Here are a few of the parties who may be responsible:

• The driver who caused the crash
• The trucking company (in its role as the driver’s employer or for its negligent hiring, training, and supervision of the driver; its negligent inspection and maintenance; and the company’s failure to enforce regulations and its own policies)
• Mechanics for failing to perform proper inspections and repairs18 wheeler white truck passing under the bridge.
• The truck or trailer owner (a company that leases the vehicle)
• Shipping brokers
• Warehouse owners
• Truck or truck part manufacturers.

The Fredericksburg truck accident attorneys at Marks & Harrison have worked endlessly to track down all defendants in our truck accident cases. Our attorneys want to pursue all potential sources of compensation.

What Damages Can You Recover in a Truck Accident Claim?

Truck accidents can result in terrible injuries, from fractures and brain injuries to spinal cord injuries and permanent loss of limbs. If you have suffered a serious injury or lost a loved one due to a truck accident, you may be eligible to recover compensation that includes:

• Past and future medical expenses
• Lost past earnings and diminishment of your future earning ability
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Loss of consortium
• Punitive damages (in exceptional cases)
• Wrongful death damages (if your loved one dies in a crash, including compensation for the costs of putting your loved one to rest as well as for the loss of his or her financial support).

How Long Do You Have to Bring a Trucking Accident Lawsuit in Virginia?

Virginia law puts strict deadlines on filing lawsuits for your injuries. In the majority of truck accident cases, the law gives you just two years from the date of the accident to bring a lawsuit against those who are responsible. If your loved one dies due to his or her injuries in a truck wreck, you have only two years from the date of death to bring a lawsuit. So, don’t delay and take chances with your case. Get legal help as soon as possible.

Get Help from Our Fredericksburg Truck Accident Law Firm Today

If you need help after a serious truck crash in Fredericksburg, you need to act fast to protect your rights. Call Marks & Harrison today to speak with an experienced tractor-trailer accident lawyer near you. We can start work on your case right away. Contact us now to schedule a free consultation. Click here for directions.