Greenville, KY Truck Accident Lawyers

As a member of the Greater Muhlenberg Chamber of Commerce, Flora is in your community helping in the schools, charities, and fundraising events. We frequently travel to schools in Muhlenberg County recognizing students for their achievements which include Greenville Elementary and presenting Muhlenberg North Middle School with Poppy’s Leadership Award Grand Prize. If you’ve been out and about, you might have seen her firm mascots, Poppy and Pixie along with Flora making a difference in your community.

Greenville, Muhlenberg County KY Semi-Truck Accident Statistics

On average, there are around 10,000 semi-truck accidents on Kentucky roads every year. According to the Kentucky Transportation Center, the leading cause of truck collisions and fatalities is driver inattention. Misjudging clearance is the second-biggest cause of accidents, while not having the truck under control accounts for the second-highest number of fatalities.

Even though Muhlenberg County had only three large truck-related fatalities between 2014 and 2018, there are still numerous injury accidents every day on our roads. Comparing the most recent data, Muhlenberg County had 800 injury accidents in 2017 and 816 in 2018. These figures include accidents involving passenger vehicles, motorcycles, etc.

Types of Semi-Truck Accidents

Semi-truck accidents typically vary considerably from passenger vehicle collisions. Some of the most common types of truck accidents we see include:

• Jackknife accidents,
• Head-on collisions,
• Rear-end collisions,
• Blind spot accidents,
• Tire blowout,
• Rollover accidents, and
• Underride accidents.

Injuries resulting from any of these types of accidents can be severe to catastrophic. Due to the weight of Semi-trucks, seemingly minor impact can cause significant damage and serious injuries.

Causes of Semi-Truck Wrecks

Semi-Truck accidents can be caused by several contributing factors, including the drivers negligence, vehicle equipment, road hazards, and/or weather conditions. The most common causes of truck collisions in Kentucky are related to driver error and equipment malfunction.

Some of the most common causes of truck accidents include:

• Distracted driving,
• Traffic violations,
• DUI,
• Defective equipment,
• Improper load,
• Load not secured, and
• Driver fatigue.

Other contributing factors to an accident can include road hazards like potholes or adverse weather conditions like snow and sleet. In some cases, you may have a combination of these factors that can lead to an accident.

Statistics on Semi-Truck Crashes in Kentucky

• A total of 10,620 commercial trucks were involved in collisions in the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 2018. 116 of those involved fatal collisions, while 1,580 of them involved non-fatal injury collisions.
• 19% of all Kentucky Semi-truck collisions occurred on county or city streets.
• 30% of all Kentucky Semi-truck collisions occurred on an interstate.
• 45% of all Kentucky Semi-truck collisions occurred on U.S. and KY State Routes.
• 31% of semi-truck drivers involved in Kentucky collisions were non-residents of Kentucky.

Steps to Take After a Semi-Truck Collision

Your safety should be your top priority after an accident, especially one involving a semi-truck. If you are safely able to move out of traffic, you should. If your injuries are too severe and/or the damage to your vehicle prevents you from moving it, someone needs to contact 911.

In a semi-truck collision that is not that severe, take scene photos of the road conditions, the vehicles, and anything else that might be important for proving your case. Ensure you have contact information for all witnesses to the accident.

Even if you are not severely injured or taken from the scene via ambulance, you still need to seek treatment immediately. Delaying medical treatment can potentially harm your case.

Once you’ve sought treatment, the next step is to contact an experienced Greenville, Muhlenberg County KY semi-truck accident lawyer as soon as possible. Our experienced Greenville, Muhlenberg County Semi-Truck attorneys start working on your case immediately. Any delays may result in loss of crucial evidence and harm to your case.

How to Determine Fault in a Semi-Truck Accident

Semi-Truck claims are complicated and often involve more than one party. Depending on the type of truck involved in the collision, you may be dealing with a company “commercial vehicle”, a trucking company, or a government municipality for a publicly owned truck.

This often means you may be dealing with multiple insurance companies. Our experienced Greenville, Muhlenberg County KY Semi-Truck attorneys will start investigating your claim immediately to establish liability with the proper parties.

“Liability” means that you have to show that the other party was at fault for the collision. Without establishing liability, you cannot recover for your damages. Sometimes the liability of the driver is clear, however not all claims involve only driver negligence.

You may have a cause of action against the driver’s employer for negligent hiring if the driver was not properly trained or licensed. Equipment failure could be another scenario where you may have a cause of action against the trucking company or equipment manufacturer.

Some companies have many layers of insurance, which can be difficult to ascertain without an attorney. Retaining a skilled Greenville, Muhlenberg County KY semi-truck accident lawyer from the start can ensure that no stone is left unturned, and all options are explored.

How Our Law Office Can Help You Recover Damages

It is best for an experienced Semi-Truck attorney to be involved from the early stages of your Kentucky semi-truck accident. The more evidence available to help prove your case, the more compensation you are likely to receive. Our experienced attorneys start working on your case immediately, and will take crucial steps to prove your claim, including:

• Obtaining statements from witnesses and the at-fault parties;
• Photographing the scene of the collision;
• Retaining experts to examine the vehicles, equipment and scene to reconstruct the collision;
• Find all liable parties and put them on notice of a claim;
• Reserve PIP benefits, if applicable, for loss wages, medical treatment, and/or household services;
• Issue letters of preservation requesting that all evidence be preserved for future litigation;
• Recommend the appropriate physicians or medical treatment; and
• Hire the necessary experts, including trucking industry standard experts, bioengineering experts, vocational rehab experts, life care planners, accident reconstructionist, medical experts, and safety experts.

Why Choose Us?

There are numerous Greenville, Muhlenberg County KY Semi-Truck accident lawyers to choose from, so why hire us?

To start, we have a proven record of success, recovering financial compensation in over 90% of our cases.

We have the experience and knowledge to negotiate settlements in even the toughest cases.

We’ve represented hundreds of clients for injuries sustained in Semi-Truck collisions, including a $2.825 million settlement, with a lifetime annuity for our client who suffered a brain injury due to a semi-truck accident.

Our client had to be airlifted for treatment. We negotiated down their bills and also obtained disability benefits in addition to the settlement.

In another semi-truck accident case, we receive a $1.65 million award and lifetime income for our client who sustained two fractured legs when a semi-truck ran a red light.

Apart from our successes in semi-truck accident recoveries, we are very committed to our community. You will find Ms. Flora Templeton Stuart at numerous charitable events.

As a former teacher, Flora donates considerable time and resources to giving back. She founded Poppy’s Field Trip and Today’s Leader, which recognize students, schools, and teachers for their hard work.

She travels all over the region, handing out school supplies to various schools as well. To learn more about all our charitable work and community involvement, visit our Giving Back page.

In addition to our case successes and community involvement, our attorneys are active members of the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys and the American Association for Justice Trucking Litigation Group, which includes many of the nation’s top trucking attorneys.

These select groups routinely hold education seminars and annual conferences to discuss updates in the law and trucking industry, as well as advanced strategies to best serve our semi-crash victim clients. We continue to diligently gain knowledge and insight on how to best serve our clients!

Contact a Greenville, Muhlenberg County KY Semi-Truck Accident Lawyer

We are local and we care! With an office located in the heart of Greenville at 105 E. Main Cross Street, we are here to meet with you anytime.

If you were injured in an accident involving a truck, it’s time to speak with a knowledgeable Greenville, KY Muhlenberg County semi-truck accident lawyer. Contact Flora Templeton Stuart today to schedule an initial consultation.

FAQs About Semi-Truck Accidents in Kentucky

Understandably, we receive a lot of questions from prospective clients who want to know how filing a claim for damages works in Kentucky. Here are some of the most common questions to get you prepared for your initial meeting.

How Much Do You Charge to Take My Semi-Truck Accident Claim?

It surprises many clients to know that most personal injury attorneys do not charge hourly fees or costs upfront. Your case will be handled on a contingency basis, which means we get paid only if we reach a settlement or a jury awards you any compensation.

How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit?

In most cases, you have two years to file a lawsuit after a semi-truck accident. However, if a family member was killed in the accident, the time to file a wrongful death or consortium claim may be shorter.

Because individual circumstances can alter the time you have to file, it’s essential to speak with a Greenville, Muhlenberg County, Ky semi-truck accident lawyer as soon as possible.