Louisville Truck Accident Lawyer

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If you’ve been hurt in a truck accident, don’t trust an insurance company to get what you deserve. Instead, call an experienced Louisville truck accident lawyer to get you back on your feet. At The Schafer Law Office, our dedicated semi-truck attorneys know how to get what you deserve. Whether you were hurt along Spaghetti Junction or near Dixie Highway, we don’t leave money on the table.

Louisville Truck Accident Lawyers

Free Consultation & No Fee Guarantee

You don’t pay unless we are successful with your Kentucky truck accident case! Call now: (502) 584-9511

About Us

With Mike Schafer on your side, you’ll be in good hands. The Schafer Law Office has been helping Kentucky truck accident victims get compensated for more than 25 years. Unlike big law firms that have other people work on your case, Mike or Bryan is personally involved in every case.

The firm’s founder, Mike Schafer, is ‘The Lawyer Who Wrote The Book’ on accident cases, and if you’ve been in a truck accident, you may have some questions. We have the answers!

The Schafer Law Office focuses on helping Louisville truck accident victims, offering experienced personal injury representation. Mike Schafer previously worked for insurance companies, which means he has unique insight into their strategies. Our firm handles all aspects of trucking cases, including document preparation and negotiations, providing our clients with personalized attention.

The Schafer Law Office knows the challenges and pitfalls of truck accident injury cases (especially in Kentucky), all the tactics of the “other” side, and how to effectively present the facts. They can handle the brutal tactics of the insurance companies. In fact, before Mike opened The Schafer Law Office in truck accident law, Mike worked for an insurance defense firm. They really know all the tactics the insurance companies have up their sleeves.

Guiding You Through the Personal Injury Maze

After Your Louisville, KY, Truck Accident

If you’re not sure how to start your truck accident case, or you have questions, contact an attorney. The Schafer Law Office can answer your questions and help you with those critical details. For example, one of the most important pieces in your case is the evidence. Unfortunately, trucks are often just passing through on their way to their destinations, and evidence can quickly disappear. That’s why you and your attorney need to act quickly.

Here’s a truck accident checklist of things you could do at the accident scene. Only do these if you are able, and it does not put you in danger:

  • Call 9-1-1 and report the accident.
  • Get medical help immediately!
  • Take pictures of the accident scene. Get pictures of the damaged vehicles and truck, people involved, license plate numbers of vehicles involved, and the overall accident scene.
  • Gather the other party’s name, contact information, insurance information, and license number.

If you’ve been injured in a truck accident, you need to get legal advice as soon as possible. You’ll want to make sure any evidence that will help your case can still be gathered, and you’ll want to make sure that the evidence is not destroyed. A truck accident attorney can help you understand your case and Kentucky law. You want an attorney who cares about you. You’ll find all that and much more in Mike Schafer and The Schafer Law Office.

Get Help With Your Case Now!

Call (502) 584-9511 to speak with a trusted attorney today!

FMCSA Regulations

It may be helpful to know that truck accidents are governed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations, which often serve as the basis for truck collision claims. Violating these strict federal rules can transform a standard accident into a high-value liability case. Truck accidents often involve:

  • Hours of service issues and fatigue prevention. Intended to prevent driver exhaustion, these rules limit how long a trucker can be behind the wheel.
  • Vehicle maintenance and inspection concerns. Trucking companies must confirm their vehicles are in safe operating condition through mandatory checks. Your attorney may work with an experienced expert to address whether daily inspections and annual checks were performed and whether records were appropriately retained.
  • Driver qualifications and training. Drivers across Kentucky must be fit for duty. An attorney familiar with FMCSA standards can address what rules of the road the driver involved in your collision may have violated.
  • Mandatory drug and alcohol testing. Drivers may not drive under the influence, and testing is mandatory after an accident under certain conditions.

Also, trucking companies can be held liable for their drivers’ actions, even if the driver is classified as an independent contractor. Your attorney’s role includes determining all potentially liable parties. Reach out to a qualified lawyer for reliable legal support.

I-65/I-64 Accident Hotspots & Trucking Statistics

Across Louisville, accidents happen frequently along I-65 and I-64, which are called accident hotspots. Due to their size and weight, truck accidents are typically catastrophic, and they, unfortunately, often result in motor vehicle fatalities. Across this country, trucking accidents are a growing national crisis.

Data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reveals that over 4,000 lives were lost in truck crashes in a single year, with a staggering 67% of those fatalities being occupants of smaller passenger vehicles.

Sadly, the danger is only increasing, as the National Safety Council reports that recently, injury-causing collisions involving large trucks rose to 120,000. Most alarming is the long-term trend, with fatal truck accidents surging by 49 percent over the last decade. This data shows that large truck crashes are common and catastrophic. If you are involved in an accident or lose a family member to a trucking crash, hire a truck accident lawyer to protect your rights.

Trucking Company Liability

Across the Bluegrass State, trucking company liability can be established through two primary legal avenues, which include:

  • Vicarious liability for driver actions, since trucking companies are responsible for their drivers’ negligence if the accident occurred while the driver was performing job-related duties
  • Direct negligence for company-wide failures, which may include negligence hiring and retention claims, negligent training and supervision claims, and/or improper maintenance claims

A truck company may have shared liability with a third party, which can ultimately increase the overall value of your claim. A single truck accident can involve multiple defendants, each with their own insurance policy. It may include:

  • Cargo loaders
  • Maintenance providers
  • Parts manufacturers

When you hire an attorney, they can include all involved parties.

What are the common causes of truck accidents in Louisville?

According to crash information held by the Kentucky State Police, between January and April 2021, there were 67 accidents involving semi-trucks in and around Louisville. Fourteen of these collisions caused injuries, and one was fatal.

Although truck accidents can occur for a lot of the same reasons as other vehicle collisions, the most common causes include:

  • Driver error (includes speeding and failing to check a blind spot)
  • Driver fatigue due to long hours and demanding schedules
  • Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
  • Wide turns
  • Distracted driving
  • Insufficient training
  • Lack of vehicle maintenance

Truck accidents usually result in more serious injuries than car accidents due to their sheer size and weight. If you are injured in a collision involving a truck, an experienced Louisville personal injury attorney can help you recover the compensation you need.

How can a Louisville truck accident lawyer help my case?

When you’re filing a truck accident claim, there are a lot of laws and legal concepts that are hard to understand, such as those involving fault and negligence. A Louisville truck accident lawyer at The Schafer Law Office can:

  • Explain these complex issues to you so that you know where you stand
  • Collect all necessary police records, medical files, and other documentation needed to build your case
  • Formulate the right legal strategy for your circumstances
  • Pursue compensation for all your medical bills, lost wages, pain, and suffering, etc.

Although every case is different, our extensive experience with the laws covering the trucking industry has achieved a positive outcome for past clients.

When you’re looking for a Louisville truck accident lawyer, you want to hire someone who:

  • Cares about you and doesn’t see you as ‘just a case number’
  • Thoroughly understands the laws and regulations that apply to Kentucky truck accidents
  • Has a proven track record of successful results for their clients

At The Schafer Law Office, our Louisville truck accident lawyers have years of experience obtaining justice for victims of accidents involving commercial trucks, tractor-trailers, and RVs. Mike Schafer has written several books and guides on the subject of motor vehicle accidents, and he and his team are dedicated to securing compensation for you during negotiations and at trial if necessary.

My loved one was killed in a trucking accident. What can I do?

In Kentucky, the personal representative for your loved one’s estate can file a wrongful death claim for the estate. Damages you may be entitled to include the following, depending on the losses you suffered as a result of the person’s death:

  • Funeral costs
  • Medical bills accumulated before death
  • Pain and suffering that your loved one experienced before death
  • The lost earning ability of the deceased
  • Loss of consortium (applies to a spouse or minor child)

If the trucking accident results from gross negligence or intentional malice, you can also receive punitive damages designed to punish the party whose conduct resulted in the death. A Louisville wrongful death attorney at The Schafer Law Office listens to your story and helps you hold the at-fault party financially responsible for your loss.

Factors That Can Cause a Truck Accident in Louisville

The reason semi-trucks are on the road in the first place can make them dangerous. Many trucks transport perishable goods or hazardous materials. Most of these transported goods come with tight deadlines. This adds pressure to the driver to push themselves to get to their destination on time. This may cause them to drive through the night without rest. This lack of rest, combined with deadlines, increases the likelihood of trucking accidents.

If a driver keeps pushing themselves, they are increasing their chances of having an accident. In trucker terms, this is called “white line fever.” The lines on the road blur, and the driver may begin to nod off. In a worst-case scenario, the truck driver falls asleep. There are laws and regulations designed to prevent exhausted truckers from getting back on the road, but they’re not always enforced.

Another factor that causes truck accidents is driver inattention. This can be from drowsiness or from looking down at an electronic device. These are dangerous for any driver, but especially for a vehicle that could easily weigh 20 tons. Along with their weight, trucks take longer to stop. When they aren’t paying attention to the road and traffic suddenly comes to a stop, the truck will likely jackknife or hit the vehicles in front of them, causing an accident.

Why Are Kentucky Truck Accidents So Devastating?

The reason a truck accident is so devastating to the other vehicle is because of the truck’s massive size and weight. The size and weight of a truck make it harder to maneuver and stop. They are also very long, which gives them many blind spots.

While auto accidents in Louisville sometimes allow those involved to walk away with minor injuries, this rarely happens with truck accidents. Unfortunately, those involved in truck accidents often receive life-threatening or fatal injuries.

What Do the Trucking Companies Do at the Accident Scene?

If the accident is serious, the truck driver will contact their parent company to inform them of the accident. The trucking company will immediately send an accident investigation team and a reconstructionist out to the crash site. It’s not uncommon for them to arrive while the police are still on the scene.

This gives the trucking company a head start on gathering evidence for this case. The trucking company also has the benefit of an expert being at the accident scene. The accident victim may not have this option because semi-truck accident injuries are often severe.

This doesn’t mean you’re out of luck. The police who were on the scene will file an accident report. From their report, you will be able to get most of the information you will need for your case. There are also many devices on semi-trucks that record what the truck and the driver were doing before the accident.

One such device is a truck’s black box. When an accident occurs, the truck’s black box must be examined. These boxes record things like deceleration, the speed at impact, etc. This information could be valuable evidence in your case.

Why Is Time So Critical in a Truck Accident?

Commercial vehicles have an entire set of rules and regulations that cover their travels on the highway. If you have been injured by a semi-truck, you need to take immediate action. This is because the company that owns the truck is taking immediate action.

How Long Do I Have to File a Truck Accident Case in Court?

In Kentucky, the statute of limitations for a truck accident is two years from the date of the accident or two years from the date of the last no-fault payment, not to exceed a total of four years. The last no-fault payment is the last payment your insurance company (if you had insurance) made for either your medical bills or your lost wages. It is always safest to file within two years of the date of the accident.

Michael Schafer

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FAQs

Q: What Kinds of Economic Damages Can I Recover if I’m Hit by a Truck Driver?

A: If you are hit by a truck driver and have a successful damage claim, you may recover a variety of economic damages. These may include recovering for your emergency room bills, ambulance costs, surgeries, hospitalization expenses, and prescriptions.

You may be reimbursed for the costs of your assistive devices, physical therapy, rehabilitation, future medical care, and life-care planning if you sustain a catastrophic injury. You may receive compensation for out-of-pocket costs incurred, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, and property damage.

Q: Who Pays for Car Damage in a No-Fault State Like Kentucky After a Truck Accident?

A: In a truck accident, property damage claims follow a traditional at-fault system, and the party responsible for causing the accident typically pays for the damage to a car. If a truck driver or trucking company is found liable, their insurance would usually pay for the vehicle repairs or replacement. Connect with a knowledgeable attorney who can discuss your own incident.

Q: Whose Insurance Do I File a Claim With if I Didn’t Cause an Accident?

A: If you’re involved in a truck accident that you didn’t cause, you can file with your insurance company for your injuries. Then, you can discuss your additional legal options with an attorney. A lawyer can help you recover from the at-fault truck driver for your pain and suffering and your medical bills once you meet a threshold amount. Call an experienced attorney about your specific accident and injuries.

Q: How Much Are Most Truck Accident Settlements?

A: It can be challenging to give accurate information about truck accident settlements due to the unique nature of individual cases. That being said, settlements usually depend on the severity of sustained injuries, the skill level of negotiating attorneys, and the impact of an accident on your overall life.

More serious accidents that significantly impact your overall life tend to result in larger truck accident settlements. Hiring an experienced attorney can boost your truck accident payout as well.

Hire a Truck Accident Lawyer – Call The Schafer Law Office Today

If you or a family member needs to hire a truck accident lawyer, connect with the preeminent Louisville team at The Schafer Law Office. You need an attorney from our firm with extensive knowledge of state and federal truck accident law. Take the first step toward recovery. Call us today for a free consultation, and let’s discuss your path forward.

Get Help With Your Case Now!

Call (502) 584-9511 to speak with a trusted attorney today!

Resources

The Lawyer Who Wrote the Book

Here are some helpful articles, research studies, statistics, and Kentucky accident resources to assist you in finding the right information you need. There are plenty of articles on a variety of subjects, such as recalls, auto accident updates, forms, studies, and press releases from The Schafer Law Office.

View Free Books

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Common Questions

Do I Need to See a Doctor After an Accident?

Who Pays My Medical Bills After a Car Accident in Kentucky?

What If I Can’t Work After My Accident in Kentucky?

How Long Do I Have to Make a Claim After My Accident?

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Louisville, KY 40203

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