If you were hurt in a collision with a large commercial vehicle, a Lake Charles, LA 18-wheeler truck accident lawyer from our team may be able to help. We represent victims of these crashes and seek justice on their behalf. This may include recovering compensation for their injuries, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.
We provide free consultations in Calcasieu Parish and other nearby areas. We want to ensure that you understand your legal rights and help you take legal action against those who are legally liable for your truck accident.
We Usually Settle with the Insurance Company in Truck Collision Cases
Most traffic collision cases, including 18-wheeler truck accidents, do not go to trial. We generally file an insurance claim for our clients and then demand a fair settlement based on their damages. This usually leads to negotiations, where we work diligently to reach a fair agreement.
The settlement we recover for our clients helps to compensate them for their accident-related costs and losses, including:
- Medical treatment and all related expenses
- Future medical needs and home care
- Lost wages and benefits
- Future lost income due to reduced ability to work
- Vehicle repair or replacement
- Pain and suffering
- Other economic or non-economic losses
We value each client’s case before we file a claim, so we know exactly what a fair offer would be. If the insurer does not provide a fair offer, we will not hesitate to sue the liable party (or parties) to secure a better offer or let the judge and jury decide the value of the case.
Our team also handles wrongful death claims after catastrophic 18-wheeler crashes. If your spouse, parent, or child died from their collision injuries, La. Civ. Code Art. 2315.2 guides the legal process that allows you to hold the at-fault parties accountable. In a wrongful death claim, we can demand damages such as:
- Medical bills
- Funeral and burial costs
- Loss of income and benefits
- Loss of services
- Other intangible losses experienced by surviving family members
For a free legal consultation with a 18-Wheeler Accident lawyer serving Lake Charles, call (337) 377-0514
Morris Bart Helps Lake Charles Collision Victims Recover from Their Injuries
At the Morris Bart law firm, we handle every aspect of a client’s claim so they can focus on what matters most – healing from their injuries. We also work on a contingency basis, never charging a retainer or any other upfront fees. This ensures that every truck accident victim can afford to have an attorney on their side.
Our Lake Charles location is one of 15 locations serving clients across Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Arkansas. You can find us at:
3307 Ryan Street
Lake Charles, LA 70601
Our personal injury team has the experience, knowledge, and resources necessary to hold truck drivers and trucking companies responsible for their negligence. In 2019, we recovered settlements or awards for over 6,500 clients, including:
- $490,000 for a truck accident victim living with neck and back injuries
- $337,500 for a client who suffered a concussion, broken neck, and fractured vertebrae in an 18-wheeler crash
We help with every step of your truck accident claim
Our legal team takes the necessary steps to develop a solid case, pursue the at-fault parties, and secure a fair settlement. These steps include:
- Protecting our client’s legal rights and pursuing an outcome that supports their best interests
- Serving as a spokesman and representative when negotiating with insurers
- Investigating the truck accident and gathering evidence
- Identifying all potentially liable parties
- Calculating the case value and a fair settlement range
- Preparing and filing the claim
- Negotiating with the insurance company or companies
- Suing the responsible parties and going to trial if needed
Who Is Legally Liable for My Lake Charles Truck Collision?
Like other types of traffic accidents, fault plays a critical role in determining who is responsible for paying for damages after a truck collision. To recover compensation for our client, we must prove:
- Another party caused the crash
- That party’s negligence led to our client’s injuries and financial damages
Negligence is the legal term used to describe the bad behavior of a driver when they cause an accident that leads to injuries and damages. There are four necessary elements for negligence to occur:
- The driver must do or not do something, such as a traffic law, industry regulation, or another rule.
- The driver violated this rule, not doing what they were obligated to do.
- This violation led directly to the collision.
- Our client suffered harm as a result, including physical, emotional, or financial harm.
Additional liability in truck accident cases
In addition to negligence, there is another element that we must consider in truck accident cases. In most passenger car crashes, negligence automatically means liability. However, when a commercial vehicle is involved, this is not always the case.
In an 18-wheeler accident case, there may be additional liable parties involved. Usually, the primary defendant in a truck accident lawsuit is the driver’s employer. We may also file our claim based on their corporate insurance policy.
Louisiana law holds employers legally responsible
This additional liability is possible because of Louisiana Civil Code Article 2320, the statute that puts a legal doctrine known as respondeat superior in place. This doctrine holds an employer responsible for their workers’ actions under certain circumstances. A truck accident case almost always meets the criteria, including:
- The driver was working for the employer when the incident occurred
- The driver acted within the scope of their job description when acting negligently
There may be some instances when the trucking company is directly liable as well – for example, when the driver has a history of bad behavior or reckless driving. Their employer might be found negligent for hiring them or retaining them on staff.
The truck accident lawyers at Morris Bart know how to determine what parties are liable and build a strong case for compensation. If the insurer refuses to offer a fair settlement or we run out of time – we likely have only one year under La. Civ. Code Art. 3492 – we will sue the trucking company and other liable parties and take your case to trial.
Click to contact our Lake Charles Truck Accident Lawyers today
Call the Morris Bart Truck Accident Team in Lake Charles Today
At the Morris Bart law office in Lake Charles, our attorneys provide free consultations for truck accident victims. We can help you understand your legal options and fight for the compensation you deserve. Call (337) 377-0514 today to learn more.
Questions?Call (337) 377-0514
to find a Morris Bart office near you.
