I Was Involved In A Panel Truck Accident. Now What?
It’s common to see commercial trucks on highways and other major roads in Missouri. If these drivers fail to use appropriate care behind the wheel, they can cause a wide variety of injuries or fatalities. This danger increases for vehicles that have reduced visibility like panel trucks, which are essentially windowless cargo vehicles that are constructed on large truck chassis.
If you or someone in your family was harmed as a result of a panel truck accident, you may be entitled to compensation under Missouri law. When pursuing legal action, it’s important to investigate why the accident occurred so that you can gather evidence to establish your right to compensation.
Fight For Justice After a Truck Accident
Panel truck accidents often lead to extensive physical injuries and property damage. If you are injured in a truck accident, you can file a personal injury claim against the driver and the company that employed the driver. Missouri law recognizes vicarious liability, which holds an employer liable for the acts that its employees commit while working. For example, if a truck driver causes an accident while making deliveries, the company that employs the driver can be required to compensate you for your injuries.
To recover compensation, you must show that the driver failed to use due care while operating his or her truck. In general, Missouri drivers are expected to use the same skill that a careful motorist would use when faced with similar circumstances. This includes paying attention to the road, refraining from distracted driving activities and adjusting driving depending on the weather or traffic conditions. There are also certain rules and regulations that apply to trucking operations at the state and federal levels, and these inform the standard of care that truck drivers must meet.
Once you have proven that the other driver did not drive carefully, your next task is to show that this lack of due care was the cause of your injuries. If the defendant can show that some other factor was the primary cause of your injuries, your right to compensation may be compromised. The jury is allowed to consider evidence of your negligence and assign a “percentage of fault” to you. Any award in your favor is then reduced by this percentage.
Building a strategy for responding to allegations regarding your own negligence can be critical for your claim’s success. If you establish the causal link between the driver’s conduct and your injuries, the matter will then turn to determining the amount of compensation that you should receive. Missouri law allows accident victims to receive reimbursement for past and future medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. If you suffer serious injuries, you may be entitled to receive compensation for your ongoing medical care needs and any lost earning capacity. This can be critically important for panel truck accident victims who suffer life-altering harm.
Discuss Your Potential Claim with a Missouri Lawyer
Trying to understand your legal rights after a truck accident can be difficult and confusing, but the compassionate lawyers at the Law Office of Matt Uhrig can help accident victims protect their right to compensation from a driver or trucking company after a major truck accident. Attorney Matt Uhrig proudly serves people throughout Missouri, including in Jefferson City, Ashland, and Columbia. If you believe that you could benefit from our legal services, feel free to schedule a complimentary consultation. We want to be on your team.