Bear Truck Accident Lawyers
Strong advocacy when tractor-trailers, semis, and other trucks cause injuries and deaths in Delaware
Tractor-trailers, flatbeds, delivery trucks, and other trucks regularly deliver goods to the neighborhoods, businesses, and stores of Bear, Delaware. While many truck drivers drive responsibly, there are many who speed to make deliveries, drive while looking at a GPS instead of the road, or drive when they should take time off to rest. At Silverman, McDonald & Friedman, our trial lawyers understand the unique challenges involved in filing truck accident claims starting with which trucking companies are liable in addition to a negligent truck driver. Our Bear truck accident lawyers demand compensation for all your financial damages and every way your injuries are causing pain, suffering, and distress. We also represent families if a loved one dies in a truck accident.
Our record of truck accident results includes:
- $1.25 million for a victim of a truck accident victim who suffers from post-concussion syndrome
- $1.25 million in a truck accident/work injury case
How can we help?
- How dangerous are truck accidents?
- What different types of truck accidents do your lawyers handle?
- What causes truck accidents in Bear?
- Who do you hold accountable for truck accidents in Bear?
- What laws regulate truck driving in Delaware?
- What injuries do truck accidents cause?
- How do you fight for the victims of truck accidents?
How dangerous are truck accidents?
According to the National Safety Council, in 2022, more than 5,800 “large trucks” were involved in fatal accidents nationwide. Large trucks are trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 10,000 pounds. Large trucks accounted for 6% of all vehicles involved in deadly vehicle crashes. In 2022, more than 120,000 large trucks were involved in accidents that caused someone to suffer an injury.
The Delaware State Police report for 2023 states that 39 people died in truck accidents involving semis, tractor-trailers, pickup trucks, and other types of trucks. Almost 1,400 people were injured in Delaware truck accidents in 2023.
Trucks are more deadly and cause more serious injuries than cars do because they’re longer, wider, taller, and heavier than almost every type of car.
What different types of truck accidents do your lawyers handle?
At Silverman, McDonald & Friedman, we represent anyone inside a vehicle (drivers and passengers) and outside a vehicle (pedestrians and bicycle riders) who is injured in a truck accident. Our Bear truck accident lawyers handle all types of truck accidents including:
- Jackknife accidents. These accidents occur when the tractor and trailer fail to move in the same direction or at the same speed causing them to close in on each other like the blades of a jackknife.
- Truck rollovers. Trucks have a different center of gravity than cars making trucks more prone to rollover especially when the trucks turn, when drivers are distracted, or when the truck is only partially filled with cargo.
- Blind-spot accidents. Trucks generally don’t have sight lines in their rear or on their sides. Trucks should be installed with the latest video technology and mirror technology to assist drivers.
- Wide-turn accidents. The longer and wider the truck, the more room it needs to complete turns.
- Underride/override collisions. Small cars can be crunched by large trucks when they collide with a truck. Commercial trucks must have rear-safety guards to prevent these underride accidents
- Backing out accidents. Drivers may need to use a spotter when backing out. Trucks should generally avoid backing out as much as possible.
- Overloaded cargo and unsecured cargo accidents
- Accidents that are common to car accidents. These include head-on crashes, broadsides, and rear-end accidents.
We handle accidents involving all types of trucks including tractor-trailers, semis, 18-wheelers, rigs, flatbeds, box trucks, garbage trucks, and delivery trucks.
What causes truck accidents in Bear?
Our Bear truck accident lawyers are skilled at showing how your accident happened.
Some of the common causes of truck accidents include:
Truck driver negligence
Driver negligence includes:
- Truck driver fatigue
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Distracted driving
- Speeding, reckless driving, failing to yield, and other Delaware traffic law violations.
- Failing to manage blind spots
- Failing to inspect the truck before each trip
- Failing to understand how to control the type of truck they’re driving
- Driving too fast for weather or traffic conditions
Trucking company negligence
Trucking companies and the companies involved in a shipment may be liable for:
- Failing to check the driving record of their drivers
- Failing to train the driver about the various risks
- Failing to inspect and repair the truck on a regular basis
- Pressuring drivers to speed or meet unrealistic delivery schedules
Generally, trucking companies are liable for the negligence of their drivers
Third-party negligence
Other responsible parties may be liable for:
- Truck parts that are defective
- Selling alcohol to a driver who is visibly intoxicated
- Defective road design and improper road maintenance
Who do you hold accountable for truck accidents in Bear?
Our personal injury and wrongful death lawyers file claims against every person and every company that causes or contributes to your accident. The defendants in your case often include one or more of the following:
- The driver of the truck
- The employer of the truck driver
- The owner of the truck
- The companies involved in the shipment
- Manufacturers, distributors, and sellers of defective truck parts such as hydraulic systems and brakes
- Truck repair and maintenance companies
- The Delaware Department of Transportation, New Castle County, and other state and local entities/agencies
- A seller of alcohol to a visibly intoxicated driver
- Car drivers and other responsible parties
What laws regulate truck driving in Delaware?
At Silverman, McDonald & Friedman, we’re experienced at showing that a truck driver or trucking company violated federal or Delaware trucking laws and regulations.
- FMCSA hours of service rules. The FMCSA requires that truck drivers stop driving if they’ve been on the road too long based on the number of hours and days of the week they’re driving. Both truck drivers and trucking companies must keep electronic logs of the times their trucks are on the road.
- OSHA loading and unloading rules. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulates the proper ways to load and secure different types of cargo.
- Delaware size and weight requirements. Delaware regulates how heavy different types of trucks and truck combinations should be.
Our Bear truck accident lawyers also understand the various truck equipment regulations such as that commercial trucks must have rear underride safety guards.
What injuries do truck accidents cause?
Our Bear truck accident lawyers handle all types of catastrophic, permanent, and serious injuries including:
- Traumatic brain injuries and concussions
- Damage to the spinal cord including paralysis and disc herniation
- Burns
- Traumatic amputation/loss of limb
- Fractures/broken bones/fractures
- Internal bleeding and internal organ damage
- Crush injuries
- Muscle, ligament, and nerve injuries
- Neck back, and shoulder pain
- Hearing or vision loss
- Heart failure
- Scarring and disfigurement
- All other types of serious injuries
How do you fight for the victims of truck accidents?
At Silverman, McDonald & Friedman, we have more than 100 years of experience fighting for personal injury victims including truck accident victims. We’ll fight for you through each step of your claim. These steps include:
- The initial interview. We’ll review what happened, answer your questions, review your medical status including which doctors you’re seeing, and explain how the claims process works.
- The investigation. We work with the police, trucking officials, our own investigators, trucking industry professionals, truck product experts, and traffic reconstruction experts to determine what happened and who is responsible for your accident.
- The complaint. We file a formal complaint against every responsible person and business.
- The discovery process. We question every defendant and every witness about their knowledge of the accident or your injuries.
- The medical review. We review with your doctors what medical care you will need, the cost of the care, and how your injuries are affecting every aspect of your life including your ability to work, perform daily tasks, and enjoy your family and your life.
- The negotiation. We demand compensation for all your medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, loss of bodily function, scarring and disfigurement, and inability to enjoy life’s pleasures. Our Bear truck accident lawyers are able to settle many truck accident cases.
- The trial. If your case does not settle, we persuasively argue your case before a local jury.
Talk with our Bear personal injury lawyers today
At Silverman, McDonald & Friedman, we file personal injury claims when anyone suffers injuries due to a truck accident on any roads in or near Bear, Delaware. We also file wrongful death claims if your loved one tragically died in a truck accident. We’ve helped many accident victims like you obtain strong recoveries. Please call us or use our contact form to schedule a free consultation. We have offices throughout Delaware. Our lawyers represent clients on a contingency fee basis.