How Do Our Lawyers Investigate a Collision?
Attorneys Fred Pritzker and Eric Hageman recently won $5 million for a client injured by a large delivery truck. They also recently won $10 million for a man who was severely burned, with 3rd degree burns on much of his body.
When Fred and Eric are hired to represent a victim and/or family in a head-on collision case, they and our team at Pritzker Hageman law firm immediately investigate the accident. Below are some of the steps we take to build a winning case (we are paid on a contingency basis, meaning we don’t get paid unless you win):
- We send out a spoliation letter to inform the trucking company of the documents it must keep;
- Hire specialized experts in engineering, accident reconstruction and medicine when necessary;
- Interview the victim, if he or she survived, and the victim’s family to get an understanding of how the accident has affected lives;
- Interview witnesses to the head-on collision with the semi truck that caused the serious injuries or wrongful death;
- Go to the scene of the head-on accident;
- Inspect the semi truck and all other vehicles involved in the head-on accident;
- Obtain trucking company documents regarding the hours that the semi truck driver was on the road before the accident, the maintenance of the semi tractor and trailer, the company relationship to the semi driver, the driver’s past driving history and substance abuse tests, and all documents relevant to the accident;
- Obtain freight company documents relevant to the head-on collsion (freight companies can be sued by semi trailer accident victims in some situations);
- Interview trucking company and freight company employees who have knowlege that may be helpful for the case.
Semi truck head-on collision cases can be expensive. Because or our many successful cases, our law firm has the resources to do what is necessary to win a case.
Head-On Collision: Semi Truck Driver Negligence
A head-on collision with a negligent semi truck driver usually involves one or more of the following:
- Semi driver fatigue;
- Speeding or driving too fast for the conditions;
- Distraction (talking on a cell phone, texting, eating, looking for something, talking to a passenger).
If the driver of a big truck violates a traffic law (speeding, failure to give right-of-way, etc.), most states consider this violation prima facie evidence of negligence. This means that the violation will by law constitute a negligent act in the absence of evidence of justification. When there is evidence of justification, the facts must be considered when determining whether there was negligence.
Commercial truck drivers have more laws to follow than other drivers because there are state and federal regulations that govern commercial transportation. These regulations have specific requirements regarding the hours a semi driver can drive, the weight of the load, the size of the vehicle and many other aspects of commercial transportation.
What if a Brake Failure Caused the Crash?
If there is evidence that a brake failure caused the semi truck to collide head-on a car, motorcycle, van or other vehicle, the victims of the accident and their families may have a product liability claim for money damages against one or more of the following:
- A maintenance company, including a dealership;
- The manufacturer of the brakes; and/or
- The manufacturer of the commercial truck.