Gallatin Truck Accident Lawyers
Seasoned tractor-trailer, semi, and commercial truck accident attorneys in Gallatin
Trucks are constantly bringing consumer goods, work equipment, and other products into and out of the Gallatin Tennessee region. The Vietnam Veterans Boulevard, Nashville Pike, US Highway 31E, and other roads are filled with truck traffic. Truck accidents are often much more serious and deadly than car accidents because of their weight, size, blind spots, and difficulty to control. At Rocky McElhaney Law Firm, our Gallatin truck accident lawyers handle off types of truck accidents from small box trucks to huge 18-wheelers. Our record speaks for itself. We’ve obtained numerous seven and six-figure results because of our experience and the network of experienced experts we work with.
Our recoveries in truck accident cases include:
- $1,500,000 for a young woman who was in a van traveling on I-40 West when a tractor-trailer struck the van in the rear causing numerous fractures.
- $1,250,000 on behalf of a female Tennessee Department of Transportation worker who was injured by an out-of-state tractor trailer who violated Tennessee’s “move over” law. Our client underwent multiple back fusion surgeries and was unable to return to work. The case settled, after three mediations, for the insurance policy limits and an additional $375,000 from the trucking company.
- $1,125,000 at a Dickson County mediation on behalf of a man who was struck by a construction truck that ran a red light. Our client suffered a traumatic brain injury. He was forced to stop working at his job that required using his Masters’ level education.
How can we help?
- What types of truck accident claims do you handle in Gallatin?
- What causes truck accidents in Gallatin?
- What injuries result from truck accidents in Gallatin?
- Who are the defendants in Gallatin truck accident claims?
- What damages can I claim in a Gallatin truck accident case?
- How much time do I have to file my Gallatin truck accident claim?
- How dangerous are Tennessee truck accidents?
What types of truck accident claims do you handle in Gallatin?
Our Gallatin truck accident lawyers represent people who are injured in any type of truck accident. We also represent families when a loved one dies in a Gallatin truck accident.
Some of the types of truck accidents that are fairly unique to trucks that we handle include:
- Jackknives
- Rollovers
- Accidents due to spilled cargo or cargo that is unsecured
- Truck underride accidents
- Wide-turn accidents
- Blind spot accidents
Other types of common truck accidents include:
- Collisions with cars
- Collisions with motorcycles
- Collisions with cyclists
- Collisions with pedestrians
- Head-on crashes
- Broadside accidents
- Rear-end accidents
- Intersection accidents
- Merging collisions
- Passing accidents
- Single-truck accidents
- Multiple-vehicle accidents
- Backing out accidents
- Building strike accidents
What causes truck accidents in Gallatin?
Most truck accidents are due to driver negligence and a lack of oversight by the truck companies that hire the truck driver. Many accidents happen because trucking companies push drivers to drive too fast, in violation of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Hours of Service Laws, and without properly securing the cargo, in violation of Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) laws.
Our Gallatin personal injury lawyers have handled a broad range of accident types. We work with investigators, law enforcement, and traffic reconstruction experts when necessary to show how and why your accident happened.
Common causes of truck accidents include:
- Driving while intoxicated or under the influence of drugs. Unlike car drivers who must comply with a .08 blood alcohol content (BAC) limit, commercial truck drivers must comply with a .04 BAC limit.
- Driving while tired. Too many truck drivers work long hours so they can make more deliveries. Tired drivers put everyone in their path at risk.
- Speeding. Big rigs, 18-wheelers, and large trucks need more time and distance to stop even when they’re going at the speed limit. Speeding just increases those dangers.
- Driving recklessly. Some truck drivers constantly shift lanes to go faster endangering other drivers.
- Driving while distracted. Truck drivers can cause Gallatin truck accidents if they text while driving, look at a GPS, eat, drink, or do anything that reduces their ability to respond to a traffic emergency.
- Improperly loaded cargo. Each type of inventory must be loaded with the proper rope, ties, and other methods to fully secure the cargo. All cargo must comply with state weight requirements.
- Defective truck parts. Truck accidents in Tennessee may happen if the manufacturer designs or makes defective brakes, hydraulic systems, fuel lines, tires, or other truck parts that fail to work just when the truck driver needs those parts the most.
- Driving too fast for weather conditions. Heavy trucks are especially hard to control and stop when the rain whips, the wind blows, the sun glares, or hail pellets strike. Truck drivers need to make sure they can see and can stop properly – otherwise, they need to get off the road until the weather improves.
Other causes of truck accidents in Gallatin include taking curves too fast, failing to steer out of a potential jackknife, backing out without a spotter, not anticipating blind spots, road rage, and violating any of Tennessee’s truck traffic laws.
What injuries result from truck accidents in Gallatin?
Even small trucks can cause serious injuries. Collisions with large 18-wheelers and semis are absolutely frightening. Our Gallatin truck accident lawyers represent clients with all types of serious injuries including permanent injuries and life-changing catastrophic injuries. We work with your physicians and our network of healthcare professionals to understand the full severity, possible complications, and life changes of the following types of injuries:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Traumatic amputation/loss of limb
- Spinal cord injuries, including paralysis
- Burn injuries
- Crush injuries, including internal organ damage and bleeding
- Fractures/broken bones
- Nerve, ligament, and muscle damage
- Neck, shoulder, and back injuries
- Heart attacks and strokes
- Hearing and vision injuries
Truck accident injuries require immediate medical care. Many victims require surgeries. Most victims require long-term rehabilitative care. Many truck accident victims never fully recover. We work with your treating physicians to show how every facet of your life from sleeping and eating to enjoying life’s pleasures are affected by your injuries.
Who are the defendants in Gallatin truck accident claims?
At Rocky McElhaney Law Firm, our truck accident lawyers file claims against every person and every trucking business responsible for your accident. The defendants may include the following:
- The truck driver
- The truck owner
- The truck driver’s employer
- The truck companies involved in the shipment such as the trucking companies that requested the shipment and the companies that arranged the shipment
- Maintenance and repair companies
- Defective truck part manufacturers
- Sellers of alcohol to any driver who was visibly intoxicated or a minor when served
The Tennessee Department of Transportation and other governmental entities responsible for the design or repair of the road where the accident happened.
What damages can I claim in a Gallatin truck accident case?
At Rocky McElhaney Law Firm, we seek to make you whole – which means demanding compensation that would place you in the same position as if the accident had not occurred. We demand compensation for your current and future damages including all your:
- Medical bills, including long-term medical care
- Lost income and work benefits including permanent disability compensation
- Physical pain and emotional suffering
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Loss of life’s pleasures
- Inability to use a body part
- Loss of consortium (marital enjoyment)
- Property damages
If your loved one tragically died, our Gallatin truck accident lawyers file a wrongful death claim on your behalf.
How much time do I have to file my Gallatin truck accident claim?
Don’t wait. Contact us now. Tennessee has a short time limit for filing a claim – just one year from the date of the accident. That time limit may even be shorter if a governmental entity is a defendant.
By contacting us promptly, we can investigate the accident while everyone’s memories are fresh, monitor your medical care, and begin the claims process.
How dangerous are Tennessee truck accidents?
Commercial trucks provide minimal protection for their drivers in a crash, and even less to the other vehicles involved. The size, weight, and mass of a commercial truck are no match for passenger cars, SUVs, smaller trucks, and motorcycles.
Numerous trucks of all sizes, including large commercial semis and 18-wheelers, travel through Gallatin. Cars, motorcycles, and even small trucks are no match for the weight and size of large trucks. When a commercial truck strikes a car, the occupants of the car are often lucky to survive.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), in 2021, there were nearly one-half million reported truck accidents nationwide. Of these, 5,149 crashes were fatal and about 110,000 caused injuries. About 62 percent of deadly large truck accidents involved two vehicles.
In Tennessee in 2022, 167 people died in truck accidents.
Speak with our Gallatin truck accident lawyers as soon as possible
The bigger the truck, the more likely you are to have very serious injuries. Tragically, many of our clients are families because their loved ones died in a truck crash. Our Gallatin truck accident lawyers are respected by former clients, insurance companies, and the legal community for our preparation, our working relationships with physicians who handle all types of injuries, our negotiating skills, and our advocacy skills. Call Rocky McElhaney Law Firm or fill out our contact form today to schedule a free consultation. We represent truck accident victims and families throughout Tennessee including Gallatin, Hendersonville, Nashville East Nashville, and Clarksville.