Indiana Distracted Driver Truck Accident Attorneys
According to the CDC, around 400,000 people are injured every year in car accidents involving at least one distracted driver. Approximately 3,000 people died after distracted driver accidents in 2018. If you’ve suffered injuries after an accident involving a truck driver that was driving while distracted, the Indiana truck accident attorneys of Custy Law Firm | Accident & Injury Lawyers can help you get compensation for your injuries. Call us at (219) 286-7361 today for a free consultation and see how we can help you get back to doing what’s important to you and your family.
What is a Distracted Driver Truck Accident?
A distracted driver truck accident occurs when a truck driver is inattentive to the road or their surroundings, and an accident results. There are three types of distracted driving. Visual distractions take a driver’s eyes off the road. Physical distractions take the driver’s hands off the wheel. Cognitive distractions take the driver’s mind off the task of driving. All three types are dangerous, especially to anyone sharing the road with the negligent driver.
Some distracted driving behaviors are:
- Eating
- Talking on a cell phone
- Texting
- Checking email
- Talking to a passenger
- Reaching for an object elsewhere in the vehicle
Though distracted driving can be just as common in passenger vehicles as in 18-wheelers, the practice can be much more dangerous in a truck because of the added risk associated with operating such a large vehicle on public roads.
Trucks are enormous. A typical 18-wheel over-the-road truck can be over 70 feet long and weigh upwards of 80,000 pounds. Given that the average passenger car weighs around 5,000 pounds, a truck can be a rolling road hazard to smaller vehicles. This is why truck drivers are required to have special licensing and training to operate a big rig.
Truck drivers are also required by law to limit the number of hours they spend driving. If they go over this limit, they can become fatigued and more easily distracted.
The dangers of sharing a road with a large truck only increase when the truck driver loses focus on the road and shifts their attention to something else, like their lunch, their cell phone, or how tired they are.
Do I Need an Attorney for My Distracted Driver Truck Accident?
Though the law certainly allows you to submit a personal injury claim on your own for an accident involving a truck, it’s usually best to engage an attorney to make sure you don’t omit anything important. An attorney with experience in truck accidents can help you file a complete and substantial claim backed by solid evidence, increasing the chances that it will be approved quickly. They can also help you avoid legal loopholes and novice mistakes, as well as deal with insurance adjusters whose sole job is bullying you into accepting a monetary settlement far below what your claim is actually worth.
Why Hire Custy Law Firm | Accident & Injury Lawyers?
Custy Law Firm | Accident & Injury Lawyers spends all our time focusing on our clients’ personal injury needs. Where other firms might focus on getting a settlement offer as soon as possible, Custy Law Firm | Accident & Injury Lawyers believes that the best way to get a positive result for our clients is to prepare for a trial by jury from the outset. When the insurance company knows we’re not afraid to go to trial, they’re more likely to come up with an appropriate settlement offer to avoid that additional expense.
Not only that, but the founder of our firm, Brian Custy, has been recently recognized as one of Indiana’s Top Ten Truck Accident Lawyers and is a member of the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys. When you use Custy Law Firm | Accident & Injury Lawyers for your distracted driver truck accident representation, you’re going with the best in the business.
How Much Does a Truck Accident Attorney in Indiana Cost?
No one expects to be in a truck accident involving a distracted driver, and Custy Law Firm | Accident & Injury Lawyers understands this. That’s why we work on a contingency-fee basis. A contingency-fee arrangement means that our clients pay nothing upfront. Instead, when we win a settlement or award for you, we get paid. If we can’t get you some form of compensation for your truck accident, you don’t pay us a dime.
What Damages Are Available for Distracted Driver Truck Accidents?
The amount and type of compensation you can receive for your accident depends on the circumstances surrounding the accident and the liable party’s insurance. If it can be proven that the truck driver was not paying attention to the road and their negligence directly caused the accident and resulting injuries, your personal injury claim will be much stronger than one from an accident where the driver’s fault was questionable.
Compensation for an accident can cover the following losses:
- Medical bills: Any costs associated with treating injuries, medication, rehabilitation, emergency transport, surgery, or other treatment.
- Property damage: Any costs associated with repairing your vehicle, including mechanical or cosmetic damage, replacing your vehicle if it’s been totaled by your insurance company, or replacing any damaged items from inside your vehicle, such as a laptop or cell phone.
- Pain and suffering: any costs associated with mental health treatment, anxiety, or family strain suffered due to your accident or injuries, as well as an amount not directly related to payment of expenses to compensate you for your distress about the accident.
- Lost wages: any costs associated with loss of present or future income due to your accident or injuries.
Aside from these losses, it is sometimes possible to seek punitive damages for a case where the truck driver was egregiously negligent and caused significant harm or injuries. Punitive damages are different from compensatory damages in that they are not designed to cover losses due to an accident. They are designed specifically to punish the offender and deter them from offending again. Indiana law has specific statutes regarding punitive damages, so speak to your attorney to see if they might be available in your case.
Call Custy Law Firm | Accident & Injury Lawyers Today for a Free Consultation
Custy Law Firm | Accident & Injury Lawyers is standing by to take your call 24 hours a day. Call us at (219) 286-7361 for a free consultation and let us help you get justice for your accident.
