Were you recently in an accident involving a large truck in Carbondale, PA? Contact Marzzacco Niven & Associates for immediate legal assistance. Compensation may be available to you if someone else is at fault. Our experienced Carbondale truck accident lawyers will fight to get you every cent you deserve.
Since 2008, Marzzacco Niven & Associates has been a voice for accident and injury victims throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. We stand up to insurance companies, trucking companies, and other defendants with deep pockets every day – and win big for our clients.
If you’ve been hurt, it’s time to put more than 120 years of combined experience in your corner. Contact our respected legal team today at (717) 995-8810 to get started. We offer a free case evaluation and are always standing by to take your call.
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How Our Carbondale Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Truck Accident
When you’re recovering from injuries suffered in an accident with a big rig or tractor-trailer, the last thing you need is the added stress of a lawsuit. However, that may be the only way to recover the money you need to cover your medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering.
Insurance companies and those responsible for your accident won’t just hand you a check. You’ll have to work hard to get the money you deserve. That’s where our Carbondale personal injury attorneys can help.
We’re top-rated, award-winning litigators with more than a century of combined experience. We understand how much is riding on your case, and we’ll do everything in our power to get you the results you need.
Choose Marzzacco Niven & Associates, and we will:
- Help you understand all of your legal options for a financial recovery
- Investigate your truck accident to figure out why it happened and identify all liable parties
- Analyze critical pieces of evidence with the guidance of respected truck accident experts
- Handle insurance adjusters and defense attorneys on your behalf
- Negotiate to get you the best possible settlement deal
- Have a reputable trial attorney bring your case to court if insurance companies try to lowball you
Focus on healing from your physical injuries and the trauma of being involved in a truck accident. Let our Carbondale truck accident attorneys fight to get you the money you deserve.
How Common Are Truck Accidents in Pennsylvania?
There are thousands of auto accidents involving large trucks in Pennsylvania every year.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, 6,344 large truck accidents were reported across the state in 2020. This reflected a slight drop from years prior. In 2018, more than 7,330 truck accidents unfolded on roads and highways in the Keystone State. The decline could be due to the pandemic, which caused a significant drop in traffic across the nation.
Many truck accidents in Pennsylvania are fatal. In 2020, at least 110 people were killed in fatal collisions. While the total number of collisions declined, the rate of fatal accidents remained consistent with prior years.
I Was Hurt in an Accident With a Large Truck – What’s My Case Worth?
When a car accident involves a large commercial truck like a semi or big rig, the damage tends to be catastrophic. The more damage an accident causes, the more a related injury case tends to be worth.
Important considerations in valuing your personal injury case will include:
- The types of injuries you’ve sustained
- Whether you’re expected to make a full physical recovery
- How your injury affects your income and ability to work
- The cost of medical care, now and in the future
- The impact the accident has had on you emotionally and psychologically
- Whether or not you contributed to the wreck in any way
You deserve to walk away with a settlement or verdict that covers the full extent of your injuries and suffering. Our Carbondale truck accident attorneys will fight aggressively to make sure that happens.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Truck Accident Victims?
There are two types of damages that are typically available to plaintiffs in personal injury cases in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania: economic and non-economic.
Economic damages cover the financial costs and losses of an accident, such as:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning capacity
- Property damage
- Nursing care
- Other out-of-pocket costs
Non-economic damages make up for the pain and suffering associated with an accident, such as:
- Mental anguish
- PTSD
- Loss of quality of life
- Chronic pain
- Disfigurement
Economic damages are fairly easy to calculate – they’re based on your verifiable expenses and projected losses. Non-economic damages, on the other hand, are much more difficult to value. That’s because those types of injuries are very personal. The value can shift significantly from one case to the next.
Our attorneys understand the importance of identifying the full scope and extent of your injuries and trauma. The more detailed our claim for compensation – and the more evidence we have to back up our demands – the more likely it is that you maximize your recovery.
What Causes Most Truck Accidents in Carbondale, PA?
Large trucks are subject to state and federal trucking regulations. Truck drivers have to go through extensive training to obtain a Commercial Driver’s License and related endorsements. Trucks must be inspected daily, and maintenance must be performed regularly.
Theoretically, accidents involving large trucks should be a rare occurrence. Unfortunately, they happen often, and they typically occur because someone is negligent.
Common contributing factors in commercial vehicle accidents include:
- Driver distraction (such as texting and driving, eating behind the wheel, or talking with a passenger)
- Alcohol and drugs
- Truck driver fatigue
- Violations of hours of service regulations
- Speeding (or driving too fast for road conditions)
- Unsafe turns or lane changes
- Mechanical failure
- Vehicle defects
- Unbalanced loads
- Tire blowouts
- Negligent hiring
- Inexperienced drivers
Determining the cause(s) of your trucking accident is critical. Once the cause is established, our law firm can begin to identify who’s at fault.
Who’s Liable For My Carbondale Truck Accident?
Under Pennsylvania state law, anyone who contributes to a large truck accident can be liable for the resulting damage.
After pinpointing why your auto accident happened, our attorneys might determine that one or more of the following parties are responsible:
- Negligent truck driver
- Trucking company
- Shipping company
- Truck manufacturers
- Other motorists on the road, including motorcyclists and drivers of smaller passenger vehicles
- Government agencies
We will aggressively pursue compensation from anyone who directly or indirectly put you in harm’s way.
What Happens If I’m Blamed For My Large Truck Accident?
You can still recover compensation as long as you’re not more at fault for the wreck than the defendant. However, your damages will be limited. Pennsylvania follows a modified comparative negligence system with a 51% bar to recovery.
If you’re less than 51% to blame, then your damages will be reduced by your degree of fault. Say you’re assigned 15% of the fault for the truck accident. Your financial award will be reduced by 15% to reflect that.
You lose the right to recover compensation from a third party once you’re allocated more than half of the blame for an accident.
Trucking Accidents Can Cause Catastrophic, Fatal Injuries
Trucks are large, heavy vehicles and can do considerable damage in a motor vehicle accident. As a result, pedestrians, bicyclists, and occupants of smaller vehicles tend to suffer severe, life-altering injuries in these types of collisions.
Marzzacco Niven & Associates represents clients who have suffered all types of truck injuries, including:
- Broken bones
- Burns
- Traumatic brain injury
- Trauma to the eyes and face
- Neck injury
- Back injury
- Spinal cord injury
- Paralysis
- Amputation
- Chest injury
- Crushing injury
Our wrongful death attorneys in Carbondale are also here to help families after a fatal truck accident turns their world upside-down.
No matter the injury you’ve suffered, trust that our law firm will be there to help you work toward a positive financial recovery. Call our office to speak with a member of our team about your truck accident case today.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Truck Accident in Pennsylvania?
Whether the truck accident results in injury or death, you’ll typically have two years to file a personal injury lawsuit for damages. Once the statute of limitations expires, you will lose the right to recover compensation.
Contacting our Carbondale personal injury attorneys as soon as you can after your car crash is the best way to preserve your rights.
Schedule a Free Consultation With a Trusted Carbondale Truck Accident Lawyer
If you’ve been hurt or lost a family member in a truck accident in Carbondale, Pennsylvania, call Marzzacco Niven & Associates.
Our Carbondale truck accident lawyers will help you file a claim and seek compensation for the full extent of your injuries and suffering. We have a demonstrated track record of success handling cases like yours.
Your first case evaluation is 100% free. And, our law firm works on contingency – which means you pay nothing unless we win. There’s no risk in getting our help, so call us now.