• Get Help Now

    We are here for you. You are not alone

Louisville Truck Accident Lawyers

Free Consultation & No Fee Guarantee

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

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!

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 SchaferBryan Meader, and The Schafer Law Office.

border left

Get Help With Your Case Now!

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

border right

With Mike Schafer and Bryan Meader 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 will have other people work on your case, Mike or Bryan is personally involved in every case.

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 best 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.

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 to recover.

How can a Louisville truck accident lawyer help my case?

When you’re filing a truck accident lawsuit, 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 will-

  • 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
  • Fight for 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. Attorney Mike Schafer has written several books and guides on the subject of motor vehicle accidents, and he and his team will fight for your compensation 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 lawsuit 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 will listen to your story and help 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’s 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 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 actually 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 loss wages. It is always safest to file within two years from the date of the accident.

 
 
border left

Get Help With Your Case Now!

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

border right

 

 

Were You the Victim of an Accident?

Don't Delay in Getting Compensation!

Call us today for a FREE Consultation

866-664-0470

Miek Schafer wrote the book on Accident Compensation!