Portland Truck Accident Lawyer

There were 208 truck accidents in Sumner County in 2023, and another 35 in the first two months of 2024 [1]. Truck crashes are devastating due to their frequently severe consequences, including severe injuries and death.

If you were in a truck accident or lost a family member due to one, you need an experienced Portland truck accident attorney to help you win against insurance providers and, oftentimes, trucking companies.

Our team has over 40 years of experience and has earned a BBB A+ Rating due to our dedication to providing compassionate, world-class service. As we work on a contingency fee basis, you only pay us if we win your case.

How Can a Portland Truck Accident Lawyer Help You

A trucking accident can leave drivers of the average passenger car with life-threatening injuries due to the weight and speed of a commercial vehicle. Those who have been injured by irresponsible truck drivers or companies deserve justice, which is why so many turn to Mitch Grissim & Associates, the most well-regarded Portland truck accident lawyer. 

Our Portland truck accident attorneys have decades of experience in recovering fair compensation for victims of a semi-truck accident. Give us a call at 615-255-9999 or submit the details of your truck accident to schedule a free consultation about your legal options. 

Types of Truck Accident Cases Our Personal Injury Law Firm Handles

A semi-truck accident case is often more complicated than a car accident due to the numerous parties involved, the federal and state laws binding trucking companies, and the more severe injuries. Some of the types of truck accident cases we handle include these categories.

• Rollovers – One of the most devastating types of truck crashes, this occurs because commercial vehicles have a high center of gravity, making them more prone to rolling over when they must swerve or turn a sharp corner. A rollover may lead to catastrophic injuries for passenger vehicle drivers if the cargo trailer lands on top of them.
• Head-on collisions – Another particularly dangerous type of truck crash, this often occurs on two-lane highways when the semi-truck crosses the dividing line and enters traffic going in the opposite direction. Due to the weight and inertia of commercial trucks, these accidents can be fatal.
• Read-end collisions – Semi-trucks, being so heavy, have a much larger stopping distance than passenger vehicles. As such, if they are tailgating or distracted, they may slam into the back of a car, killing or severely injuring other drivers.
• Jackknife accidents – The cab of a commercial truck is attached to the trailer by articulated joints, which allow it to make turns. In these types of semi-truck accidents, the trailer fishtails due to improper braking or maneuvering, leading it to swing out and hit other vehicles.
• Wide turn crashes – Turning a semi-truck is a delicate maneuver, particularly for right-hand turns, which are tighter than a left-hand turn. If the truck driver fails to properly judge the distance or swings too far, they may hit other vehicles or even cause them to get trapped under the trailer.
• Sideswipe – This is one of the most common accident types our Portland truck accident lawyers see. A commercial truck may swerve into another lane to avoid an obstacle, merge unsafely, or be caught by the wind, scraping it against a passenger vehicle. While this may seem minor, the inertia of a truck can lead the car to lose control, potentially leading to a pileup.
• T-Bone accidents – A commercial truck accident may happen at an intersection, where the truck fails to stop for a turning vehicle and slams right into it. These truck crashes generally happen at a slower speed than others, but they can still cause serious injury to passengers or drivers on the impact side.
• Underride accidents – Arguably one of the most deadly kinds of motor vehicle accidents, an underride occurs when a smaller vehicle slides underneath the trailer of the truck, leading to serious injuries or even death for the occupants. While semi-trucks are required to have a Mansfield bar on the back of the trailer, the trucking industry has refused to impose additional safety measures, like bars on the sides of the carriage, which puts drivers in danger during a traffic accident.
• Equipment failure – Sometimes, commercial truck drivers do everything right, and someone else is responsible for the accident; namely, the trucking company who failed to keep rigs in good repair or parts manufacturers who made inferior products. This type of truck accident lawsuit is a subset of personal injury law called product liability, and it encompasses things like tire blowouts and faulty breaks.
• Road hazards – Slick roads, potholes, and ice patches can all lead to a truck accident. While Portland is much flatter than other areas of Tennessee, there are still some curvy roads that may lead to a truck accident.

What Are the Most Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Portland, TN?

Truck accidents happen due to a variety of reasons. Some are environmental, but many are due to negligence on the part of the truck driver or their truck company. Common causes include the following.

• Driver fatigue – Long hours on the road without adequate breaks can lead truck drivers to make bad decisions or even fall asleep at the wheel. Companies are supposed to allow their drivers adequate rest breaks, but many push their truckers to ignore these requirements.
• Distracted driving – Just like other drivers, a truck driver may try to answer a quick text or even play games on their phone while piloting a commercial vehicle. The difference is that a semi-truck is much heavier than a typical car and can do much more damage.
• Speeding – A truck driver is beholden to a lower speed limit than other drivers because their vehicle is so much larger, but many may break these rules in order to deliver their load faster. 
• Reckless driving – Tailgating and road rage are dangerous for any driver, but they can become tragic quite quickly when it comes to large commercial trucks. 
• Improper cargo loading – There are strict rules about how cargo can be secured in order to ensure it is balanced. However, many truck accidents involve cargo that wasn’t properly loaded or secured, potentially hitting other vehicles or leading to a rollover.
• Inadequate repair – Trucking companies are responsible for ensuring that their entire fleet is safe to take on the highways for long distances, which means regular inspections and maintenance. If the trucking company fails to inspect their vehicles, they could be held primarily liable for a truck accident claim. 
• Faulty parts – Sometimes, it is the vehicle manufacturer who is held responsible for truck accidents because they put out subpar products that endanger the safety of others. 

What Are the Common Injuries Resulting From a Truck Accident?

Semi-truck accidents often result in catastrophic injuries because a truck is so heavy. In Sumner County alone, three crashes resulted in serious injuries in 2023, and one in death [2]. Some common truck accident injuries include the following:

• Traumatic brain injuries – A TBI can leave a victim unable to care for themselves, needing lengthy rehabilitation and round-the-clock care.
• Spinal cord injuries – Whether it is loss of sensation, partial paralysis, or total paralysis, this is one of the most dreaded personal injuries due to its severe impact on everyday life.
• Amputations – Your arm or leg may have been pinned under the wreckage during the car accident, leading to an amputation and painful rehabilitation.
• Burns – Truck accidents often result in fire due to an overheated engine and fuel spillage, whether that is from the vehicles themselves or from flammable cargo. These burns can be very severe, restricting movement and leading to permanent disfigurement.
• Broken bones – In car accidents, women are more likely to break their legs, while men are more likely to break their arms.
• Scrapes and contusions – Severe bruising and cuts can be painful, requiring stitches or anti-inflammatories to be bearable.
• Internal injuries – The extreme force during a truck accident can rupture organs and cause immense pain. 

Liability in a Truck Accident in Portland, Tennessee

A truck accident lawyer works to investigate all factors of the accident in order to ascertain liability. There are four factors that determine liability in truck accidents:

• Duty of care
• Breach of duty
• Cause
• Damages

Duty of care means that the liable party has an obligation to act safely. For example, this could mean that the trucking company has a duty of care to not pressure their employees to drive longer than they should according to federal transit law.

Breach of duty refers to the failure of the liable individual to fulfill this duty of care. In a truck accident case, this may be the trucker ignoring posted speed limit signs for trucks or checking his phone while he’s driving.

For cause, it must be proven by your personal injury lawyers that it was the semi-truck accident, and nothing else, that caused your injuries. Many times, insurance companies will try to say you had a pre-existing condition that resulted in your injuries, like a back problem. Your truck accident attorneys will work to counter this with solid evidence.

Finally, damages refer to the fact that you suffered material harm because of the accident, such as lost wages or medical expenses. Your Portland truck accident lawyer from Mitch Grissim & Associates will work hard to demonstrate these facts to the insurance companies or court. 

What Damages Can Truck Accident Victims Recover From Their Injuries?

Damages for a trucking accident are separated into two main groups: economic and non-economic.

Economic damages are those that could be tabulated and assigned a number. For example, medical bills or time off work have quantifiable sums to them. This can also include things like property damage repair.

On the other hand, non-economic damages are more difficult to quantify because they refer to the social, physical, and emotional impact of the accident. Pain and suffering, emotional damage, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of future earning potential, and loss of companionship are all non-economic damages. 

Our law firm will develop a compelling argument for how much you deserve based on both economic and non-economic factors, leveraging our decades of experience for your benefit. 

Essential Things to Do Right After a Portland, Tennessee Truck Accident

Any motor vehicle accident is jarring, but a truck accident is especially terrifying due to the serious damage they case. However, it’s important to keep a level head and follow these steps in order to ensure you have the best possible chance of receiving compensation.

• Move the vehicle to a safe space – Always try to get out of the way of the flow of traffic in order to keep from causing a multi-vehicle pileup.
• Call the police – Officers will secure the scene, speak to everyone present, and direct traffic so that everyone is safe.
• Get the details of those present – Ask for the trucker’s contact information, company information, and insurance information. You should also talk to eyewitnesses, first responders, and any other motorists who were there, as this information will be helpful for your lawyers.
• Get pictures of the scene – Take photos from every angle, including the truck and your own car. Get interior and exterior shots, then take photos of your own injuries and those of your passengers.
• Go to the hospital – You should always seek medical treatment after any accident, especially one involving a truck. This will both document your injuries and ensure that you do not have any serious injuries that were not immediately available.
• Call a lawyer – Get in touch with a truck accident attorney as soon as possible. We will explain what next steps you should take, help you file a claim, and gather evidence so that you can focus on healing.
• Don’t speak to the insurance company – In the days after the accident, you will likely get numerous calls from the trucking company’s insurance agent, trying to make sure that you don’t pursue compensation. You should let your truck accident lawyer handle all of these communications on your behalf to ensure that you don’t imperil your potential for compensation. 

Why Should You Choose Mitch Grissim & Associates for Your Truck Accident Claim?

Mitch Grissim & Associates are the most trusted personal injury lawyers in Portland, TN, and beyond. Over our 40 years of business, we have collected numerous accolades, including the Super Lawyers designation and the AV Preeminent Rating. 

Our team is widely recognized as some of the best trial lawyers in the nation due to our meticulous research, strong negotiation skills, and single-minded focus on supporting our clients throughout the entire process. We understand that your healing is the most important element of the personal injury process, so we do everything we can to reduce your stress at this critical time.

Hold the trucker or their trucking company accountable for accidents involving semi-trucks by calling us at 615-255-9999. You can also submit details of your accident on our online contact form, and we will be in touch to schedule your free consultation.

Portland Truck Accident FAQs

How much does it cost to hire a truck accident lawyer?

We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning that you do not pay anything out of pocket when you work with a Portland truck accident attorney. We will instead deduct our legal fees as a percentage of your settlement. 

Should I move my vehicle after crashing with a truck?

When an accident occurs, do not simply drive off, but don’t put yourself in harm’s way just to protect the accident scene evidence, either. 

If possible, you should maneuver your car out of the path of ongoing traffic, then park, put your hazards on, and call the police. Law enforcement officers will then secure the scene and begin to gather information from all parties.

What details should I acquire from the driver at fault?

After trucking accidents, you should get the name of the truck driver, the details of their trucking company, their insurance company details, and their commercial license number if at all possible. 

Having this information in hand will make it easier for your Portland truck accident lawyer to track them down and begin to investigate the case in conjunction with the police. 

Should I accept a settlement offer after a truck accident?

No. The trucking company and its insurance company will do everything possible to reduce their liability for your lost wages and medical bills, including offering you a less-than-fair settlement that they will pressure you to accept. These companies are aware that injured victims likely do not have much experience with a personal injury case and will not be able to estimate how much their injuries are worth.

When you hire experienced legal representation, your lawyers will know how much financial compensation is typical for trucking accidents like yours and will not accept less than what you deserve. Allow personal injury lawyers to handle all negotiations on your behalf to ensure you’re not tempted to undermine your personal injury claim by accepting less than what you deserve. 

When should I hire a truck accident attorney?

You should hire a personal injury attorney as soon as possible after a trucking crash in order to ensure you have the best possible chance of receiving compensation. Unless the liable driver has been criminally charged in the semi-truck accident, you only have one year to file a lawsuit.

Given that your Portland truck accident attorney will spend much of this time in negotiation with insurance companies and other liable parties, getting the process started as soon as possible ensures that should negotiations fail, you will still be able to get justice. 

How are lawsuits for commercial truck accidents different from car accident claims?

A trucking accident case is much more complicated than an automobile accident with only passenger cars. The personal injuries suffered by the injured party are often much more severe, which means truck accident lawyers will have to carefully tabulate all medical expenses to be considered in the settlement package.

The mechanics of semi-truck accidents are more complicated because there are more moving parts. Thankfully, there is also more data available related to truck accidents. Not only do commercial vehicles have the same black box as a typical car, but they also have logging information, repair logs, and certification records that can show who may be to blame for the accident. 

There are also far more involved parties. The truck driver, trucking company, repair team, truck manufacturers, and the municipality in which the accident took place may all be held partially responsible. As Tennessee is a modified comparative negligence state, the role of everyone involved must be identified, and a percentage of the blame must be assigned based on police reports, expert witnesses, and eyewitness testimony.

Resources: [1] Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security; [2] Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security

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