Your Chattanooga Truck Accident Lawyer

Underride crashes occur when a smaller vehicle slides underneath a commercial trailer. These accidents frequently result in catastrophic injuries.

Large trucks can roll over during sharp turns, sudden maneuvers, or cargo shifts. In some cases, those who loaded the cargo may be held responsible.

Because tractor-trailers require longer stopping distances, rear-end crashes involving trucks can be severe.

Commercial trucks have large blind spots along the sides and rear of the vehicle. Drivers who fail to check these areas carefully may collide with nearby vehicles.

Large trucks often require additional space when turning. Drivers who misjudge these turns can strike nearby vehicles, cyclists, or pedestrians.

Improperly secured cargo can spill into traffic and create dangerous roadway hazards.

If you’re physically able and it’s safe to do so, take photos and videos before vehicles are moved or debris is cleared. Truck accident scenes can change quickly, and photos may help show what happened.

Try to photograph:

• Vehicle damage
• The truck, trailer, and license plates
• Road conditions
• Traffic signs and signals
• Debris in the road
• Skid marks
• Visible injuries
• Weather conditions
• The position of the vehicles
• Any nearby cameras or businesses that may have footage

Photos can help preserve details that may otherwise be lost. They may also help accident reconstruction professionals, lawyers, and insurance companies better understand how the crash occurred.

After a truck accident, an insurance adjuster may contact you and ask for a recorded statement. You should be careful before agreeing to one. Insurance companies may use your words to reduce the value of your claim, shift blame onto you, or argue that your injuries are not as serious as you say.

You should avoid guessing about what happened, downplaying your pain, apologizing, or making statements about fault. Even simple comments can be taken out of context. Instead of giving a recorded statement, tell the insurance company to speak with your attorneys at The McMahan Law Firm. Our team can handle communication with the insurance company and help protect your claim.

Truck accident claims often involve more evidence than regular car accident claims. In addition to your own records, key evidence may include the truck driver’s logs, maintenance records, inspection reports, cargo records, dashcam footage, black box data, and company safety records.

You can help protect your claim by saving:

• Medical records
• Medical bills
• Prescription receipts
• Photos and videos
• Repair estimates
• Towing receipts
• Rental car receipts
• Lost wage records
• Emails, letters, and texts from insurance companies
• The names and contact information of witnesses

Keep everything related to the accident in one place. Don’t repair or dispose of damaged personal property until you’ve documented it.

Truck accident cases can be more complex than standard car accident claims. Several parties may be involved, including the truck driver, trucking company, maintenance company, cargo loading company, truck manufacturer, or insurance carriers.

A truck accident lawyer can investigate the accident, identify who may be responsible, gather evidence, communicate with insurance companies, and help calculate your losses. Acting quickly can make a difference because some evidence may disappear over time. For example, trucking companies may only keep certain records for a limited period unless they receive a legal request to preserve them.

Many truck drivers who pass through Chattanooga are from outside Tennessee. You may still be able to pursue a claim in Tennessee if the crash happened here. Interstate trucking cases can involve out-of-state drivers, trucking companies, and insurers, but the location of the accident often plays a major role in where the claim can be filed.

A trucking company may deny responsibility after a crash, but that doesn’t mean you dn’t have a case. Evidence such as black box data, driver logs, maintenance records, inspection reports, witness statements, crash scene photos, and violations of federal trucking rules may help show what happened and who is responsible.

Many truck accident cases settle before trial. A settlement may be possible if the evidence clearly shows fault and the insurance company agrees to pay fair compensation. However, some cases go to court when the trucking company or insurer disputes fault, denies the severity of your injuries, or refuses to make a fair offer.

The McMahan Law Firm handles truck accident cases on a contingency-fee basis. This means you don’t pay attorney fees upfront. Attorney fees are only collected if compensation is recovered for your case.