Truck Accident Attorney Murfreesboro
Around one in four Tennessee accidents involves a large truck, and the most severe truck accidents tend to cause life-changing injuries [1]. Having the right legal assistance on your side can help cover the medical expenses and losses commonly incurred in a commercial truck accident.
Learn what steps you should take following a truck accident in Rutherford County, and what compensation types may be available through a personal injury case.
Why Should You Hire a Murfreesboro Truck Accident Lawyer?
A Murfreesboro truck accident attorney will be invaluable to your case. With a strong track record of helping injured victims in Murfreesboro and the surrounding area recover compensation for their injuries, Mitch Grissim & Associates is the team you need.
We thoroughly investigate, establish liability, gather evidence, and build a strong case that gets you the compensation you need to manage your injuries.
Whether negotiating with the insurance company or representing you in court, our legal team fights for your rights. We aim to get you the funds you need in a timely manner so you can move on from the crash.
Murfreesboro, TN Trucking Laws
Tennessee has strict trucking laws that determine the rules truck drivers must follow when operating a large vehicle. All trucks weighing over 10,001 pounds involved in interstate transportation must undergo an annual inspection. Additionally, any trucks carrying hazardous materials must have clear placarding, regardless of weight [2].
Tennessee also requires all drivers of larger or complex trucks to have a Commercial Driver License (CDL). Class A, B, or C licenses determine the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) a driver is able to transport legally. A hazardous materials endorsement is also required in Tennessee, which requires a fingerprint-based background check [3].
Truck Accident Statistics in Murfreesboro
Truck accidents frequently occur in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and the surrounding area. Truck accident statistics reveal that these crashes are on the rise in Tennessee, in general.
There’s been a year-over-year increase in traffic fatalities involving a large truck or bus [4]. Of the over 12,000 motor vehicle crashes per year in Tennessee, one in 14 of those motor vehicle crashes involved a large truck [5].
Common Causes of Tennessee Truck Accidents
A truck accident can occur from a number of causes, with some of the most common including the following:
- Driver fatigue: Semi-truck drivers spend long hours on the road, which can lead to fatigue.
- Overloaded truck: Overloading a commercial vehicle can make braking or changing lanes more difficult.
- Distracted driving: Distracted driving reduces reaction time and can lead to the truck driver’s causing an accident.
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs: Drunk driving can lead to semi-truck accidents.
- Improper vehicle maintenance or repairs: If the truck driver or trucking company fails to keep up with maintenance and repairs, it can lead to a higher crash risk.
- Inclement weather: Murfreesboro is subject to inclement weather, and slippery roads can cause a tractor-trailer or other commercial vehicle to lose control.
- Aggressive driving: Aggressive or reckless driving can cause large trucks to lose control.
- Equipment or tire failure: When trucking equipment or tires fail, it can lead to a crash.
- Inadequate driver training: Improper driver training may increase accident risk.
Injuries in Truck Accidents
An accident involving a truck often leads to serious injuries, which may include the following:
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI): The forceful impact common in a truck accident can lead to a TBI.
- Back and neck injury: Back and neck injuries are common from the jarring motions of a truck accident.
- Spinal cord injury: A spinal cord injury can lead to inhibited motion or temporary or permanent disability.
- Lacerations: Deep lacerations may occur from an accident.
- Permanent disfigurement: Some injured truck accident victims may be subjected to permanent disfigurement.
- Chemical burns: High heat or chemical spills can lead to excessive burning.
- Broken bones or dislocations: Broken or dislocated bones can occur in an accident.
- Concussion: Many truck accident victims may suffer a concussion from the impact.
- Wrongful death: Severe injuries are common in truck accidents, and even death may occur.
What to Do Right After a Truck Accident
Commercial truck accidents require an immediate response. A few necessary steps to take following a truck accident include the following:
Call 911 and Report the Accident
Call 911 and report the accident as quickly as possible. Doing so dispatches an ambulance, allowing anyone injured to receive necessary medical care.
Seek Medical Care
Immediate medical care is always a good idea, especially after truck wrecks or car accidents. Some medical conditions may worsen over time. Additionally, you may need proof of injury if you later decide to seek compensation from the insurance company or through a personal injury case.
Collect Time-Sensitive Evidence
If possible, try to collect any important information from the scene of the accident. While a Murfreesboro truck accident attorney can help build your case later, some evidence, such as photographs, videos, or witness statements, is time-sensitive.
Contact a Murfreesboro Truck Accident Lawyer
Hiring a lawyer can make building a case against the negligent party easier while you focus on your recovery.
Your legal team will manage all communications with the insurance company, truck company, and any third-party lawyers, ensuring your case stays within the state’s time limits. We’ll also help you pursue your legal action options and choose the best path forward that allows you to recover damages.
Compensation Available in Murfreesboro Truck Accident Claims
A truck crash can put you in a difficult financial position, and a personal injury case helps recover some of your lost funds. Truck accident cases typically include the following damages:
- Lost wages
- Medical bills
- Property damages
- Pain and suffering
In some cases, truck accident victims may be subject to punitive damages. Punitive damages are often a part of personal injury cases in which the responsible party was negligent. These damages are in addition to tangible costs or economic damages and are meant to punish the responsible party rather than make the victim whole again.
How Much Is My Murfreesboro Truck Accident Case Worth?
No two truck accident cases are the same, and that means there is no set amount an injured victim can expect through a personal injury case. Instead, how much you receive in a truck accident case depends on the following factors:
- Severity of injuries
- Incurred costs
- Expected future medical costs
- Who was responsible for the accident
- Current income and ability to work
Liability in Murfreesboro, TN Truck Accidents
Establishing liability is one of the most important elements in filing a personal injury case in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. A number of people can be responsible when commercial trucks are involved in an accident, including the following:
- Truck drivers: Truck drivers who speed, drive under the influence, or who are distracted may be negligent when an accident occurs.
- Trucking companies: Trucking companies can be at fault when they fail to hire or train drivers properly.
- City maintenance crew: City maintenance crews may be held liable if they fail to keep up with state-mandated maintenance schedules or repairs.
- Passenger vehicles: Even passenger vehicle drivers could be held liable if they ignore traffic laws.
- Product manufacturers: Manufacturers of tractor trailers, tires, or other trucking parts can be to blame if defective products cause an accident.
Proving Negligence
Proving negligence is another important part of a Tennessee personal injury case involving commercial trucks. Negligence means that someone fails to uphold a legal duty of care for the other drivers and passengers on the road.
Your truck accident attorney will work with you to establish a legal duty of care and prove the responsible party’s negligence breached that duty of care. Negligence may include speeding, distracted driving, driving while impaired, or even improper or inadequate training.
Tennessee law also requires your truck accident attorney to establish causation, which is a direct link between the truck driver’s negligence and your injuries. Finally, we must show that there is actual damage. Actual damages in a truck accident case may include your lost wages or medical expenses.
Statute of Limitations on Truck Accident Claims in Tennessee
Tennessee law places a time limit on how long injured victims can file a lawsuit in a truck accident case to just one year from the date of the accident. The personal injury statute of limitations in Tennessee comes quickly, meaning you need an experienced attorney on your side.
Catastrophic injuries that lead to a loss of life also have a one-year time limit. Tennessee law limits wrongful death claims to one year from the date of the injury that caused the loss of life.
How Can I Afford a Truck Accident Lawyer in Murfreesboro, Tennessee?
A truck accident can be expensive, and many injured victims wonder how they’ll pay for an accident attorney to guide them through the legal process. At Mitch Grissim & Associates, our Murfreesboro truck accident attorneys work on a contingency fee, which means you don’t pay anything unless we win your case.
Contact Murfreesboro Truck Accident Lawyers at Mitch Grissim & Associates
Mitch Grissim & Associates is the team of Murfreesboro truck accident attorneys you need on your side when navigating a personal injury claim.
Whether you or a loved one were injured by a semi-truck, tractor-trailer, or any other truck type, our personal injury lawyers will help you explore your legal options and recover the compensation you need to move on from this difficult situation.
Call our truck accident lawyers today at 615-255-9999 for a free consultation to discuss your truck accident case. You can also fill out our online form for a free case evaluation. We’ll walk you through your legal options and the entire process you can expect, all while fighting for your legal rights as an injured victim.
Resources: [1] Tennessee Highway Patrol, [2] Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation, [3] Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security, [4] Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security, [5] Tennessee Highway Patrol
