Rockford Truck Accident Lawyer

Injured in a truck accident in Rockford? A semi-truck crash attorney can help you.

Trucks and other large commercial vehicles are an everyday sight on the roads in and around Rockford. Because national and regional brands like Chrysler and Mrs. Fisher’s operate in the area, semi-trucks and 18-wheelers rumble down our roads all year long.

While interstate commerce gives our economy a boost, the trucking industry can pose some serious dangers to Rockford motorists. When large trucks cause crashes, their effects can be devastating.

The attorneys at Mahoney & Mahoney, LLC are here to help victims like you pursue compensation from the party or parties responsible for your semi-truck crash. With the help of a Rockford truck accident lawyer, you can leave your truck crash in the past and look toward a brighter, much less stressful future.

Catastrophic Damage and Severe Injuries

Unfortunately, Rockford truck collisions can almost never be classified as fender-benders. These multi-ton vehicles tend to cause unimaginable damage when they crash.

If you’ve been on the receiving end of such an incident, you likely don’t need to be reminded of how serious truck accident injuries can be. Still, it’s important to list every injury you have suffered as you pursue compensation.

Truck accidents can cause all kinds of injuries. Below, we have listed some of the most common physical injuries reported after truck accidents in Rockford:

• Spine Damage and Other Back Injuries – Spinal damage can cause incredibly traumatic injuries, often leading to total or partial paralysis. Your injury could affect you for life, requiring the use of mobility devices like wheelchairs and the help of a caregiver. You deserve compensation for a serious spine injury.
• Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs) – A head injury is usually caused by blunt force trauma to the skull. These injuries are very serious. Some types of brain trauma can cause permanent brain damage or even death. Brain damage can result in memory loss, balance and coordination issues, and even personality changes.
• Fractured and Broken Bones – Many people don’t realize how serious a broken bone can be, but depending on the break, your life can be seriously altered. Some bone breaks, such as compound fractures, may never fully heal. Even if you do heal, you may never have the full range of motion you once had.
• Internal Organ Damage – Damage to vital organs can be life-threatening or could require permanent care. Depending on which organs have been damaged, you may never be able to work again, or you may never be able to enjoy activities you once enjoyed. You should be compensated for your truck crash injuries.
• Serious Burn Injuries – Burn injuries can also occur during a vehicle crash, and these injuries are painful and can cause serious damage to your body. Burns aren’t only on the surface—they can run deep, affecting nerves and muscle tissue. This could limit your ability to function and will forever change your life.
• Limb Loss – The amputation of a limb is a traumatic injury, both physically and psychologically. You may be unable to work or participate in certain activities, and you may be suffering from lingering pain. You deserve to be compensated for all the ways your truck wreck injuries have impacted you.

In part, your compensation will be determined by the severity and number of your injuries, so it’s important that you leave nothing out when discussing your injuries with your lawyer.

Who’s at Fault for Your Rockford Semi-Truck Crash?

Determining whose fault the accident was is an essential part of any successful personal injury claim. However, this task can quickly become difficult in cases involving truck accidents.

That’s because so many factors lead up to the moment of impact. The trucking company has to make the delivery schedule, a mechanic has to make sure the 18-wheeler is road-ready, a crew has to load the cargo into the truck, the trucker has to begin his journey, and the trucker and trucking company have to make sure everything is within regulation.

Depending on the unique circumstances of your Rockford truck accident, any of those parties could hold some or all of the blame for what happened to you. Fault on the part of the trucker is usually the clearest—distracted, drunk, and otherwise careless driving will implicate the truck driver.

However, what if the trucker fell asleep at the wheel because the trucking company forced him or her to be on the road for far too long? Then, you might be able to name the trucking company in your claim. What if the brakes malfunctioned? That might implicate the mechanic or manufacturer of the faulty part.

In cases involving lost cargo or trucks that tip over, you might be able to pursue compensation from the person or people who carelessly loaded the cargo onto the truck.

Your Rockford 18-wheeler accident attorney can help you identify all the responsible parties and hold them financially accountable for your suffering.

Dealing with Insurance Companies After a Big Rig Wreck in Rockford

To obtain compensation for all your serious injuries and losses, you will need to file your claim with all involved insurance companies. Depending on who was responsible for the truck collision, you could name multiple parties in your claim. Truck crashes are complex, and dealing with insurance companies can be incredibly challenging.

First, insurance companies don’t want to pay out on tractor-trailer wreck claims. The insurance companies know that crashes involving 18-wheelers tend to be very serious and lead to devastating injuries and losses. While you would think this would garner sympathy from the insurers, the opposite is actually true.

They know that your losses will cost them greatly, and they don’t like losing that kind of money. That’s why insurance companies will fight against your claim and do whatever they possibly can to minimize their losses. They aren’t trying to be cruel, exactly—they just happen to be in the business of making money.

Insurance companies have many different ways of getting out of paying on claims or at least minimizing the value of them. These tactics will be difficult for the average accident victim to identity and avoid, and that’s why so many victims will fall into the insurance company’s traps.

For example, insurers may try to take advantage of a semi-truck crash victim who doesn’t have a lawyer. They will call you and try to record your phone conversations, and then they’ll try to trick you into claiming some responsibility for the accident. They know that if you’re partially at fault for the accident, your claim’s value will be lower.

See below for a few of the methods insurers will use to decrease your Rockford big rig accident claim’s worth:

• Try to get you to admit to some fault
• Deny your claim and threaten to take you to court
• Offer you a quick, low settlement, hoping you’ll take the first offer that comes your way
• Claim that your injuries happened because of some factor other than the crash
• Accuse you of filing a fraudulent claim

Winning Compensation for Your Rockford 18-Wheeler Accident

Because medical bills can quickly pile up and time away from work can add even more financial stress, most Rockford truck accident victims are primarily concerned with the amount of compensation they stand to receive if their injury claim is successful.

That’s completely understandable. Although your attorney won’t be able to place an exact value on your claim until he or she has examined the evidence and your injuries, we can give you an idea of the types of damages for which you might be able to receive compensation.

There are two main types of damages you can receive compensation for.

The first is the economic damages you’ve endured. These damages are tied to the monetary expenses you’ve been forced to deal with. These expenses will vary greatly, depending on your injuries and what your life was like before the crash.

For instance, if you were working before the crash and you’re now missing out on work wages or will be permanently disabled due to this truck accident, you can be compensated for that.

The second type of damages? Non-economic. These damages deal primarily with how your life has been altered due to your Rockford commercial truck wreck. Hardships like fear and anxiety caused by your crash fall under this category.

Common truck accident damages include the following:

• All medical costs, including future treatment expenses
• Repairing your damaged vehicle or replacing it altogether
• Lost income during your recovery
• Reduced earning capacity because of your injuries
• Emotional trauma, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of consortium
• Wrongful death

Get in Touch with a Rockford Semi-Truck Accident Attorney

At Mahoney & Mahoney, LLC, we’re dedicated to helping the victims of semi-truck and 18-wheeler accidents win the compensation they’re owed. We consistently fight for and win comprehensive settlements and jury awards for those victims.

We bring you the benefit of our extensive knowledge and experience, as well as our desire for the justice you’re after. Teaming up with us will also allow you to focus on recovering from your injuries while we handle the difficult legal aspects of your recovery.

Contact a Rockford truck accident lawyer with our firm today to learn more about how we can help you. We offer a free initial consultation. You can schedule yours by calling us at 815-656-4600 or heading to the bottom of this page to fill out the online contact form.