Worker’s Compensation and Personal Injury Claims for Truckers

Handling a large commercial truck takes skill and care, and unfortunately truck accidents leading to injury are all too common. If you are the driver of a commercial tractor trailer and have been injured in a crash or other type of accident, you should be entitled to worker’s compensation. What many truckers don’t know is that on top of worker’s compensation, you can also file a personal injury claim against any at-fault third party.

If you have been injured while on the job as a truck driver, don’t hesitate to contact the Karl Truman Law Office at 502-222-2222 today for your free legal consultation. Personal injury attorney Karl Truman has experience obtaining justice and compensation for truckers who have been injured on the job.

Truckers Are Not Always At Fault

Although drivers will try to point the finger at the driver of the larger truck, often truck accidents are not actually the truck driver’s fault. Drivers of smaller cars are often frustrated at being stuck behind a tractor-trailer, and will perform aggressive and dangerous maneuvers in order to get around it.

Common causes of truck accidents can include:

• Unsafe Passing: Drivers will often try to pass slower commercial trucks, even when it is dangerous to try to do so. Passing by crossing into oncoming traffic, passing on a curve, and passing on a hill are all dangerous practices that can result in a crash.
• Erratic Driving: Smaller cars have much more maneuverability than large semi trucks, and drivers of said cars tend to forget that semi trucks need a lot more time and space to perform actions such as braking or turning. When drivers dart in front of semi trucks in heavy traffic or tailgate, it can have dire consequences.
• Driving In a Blind Spot: Large trucks have larger blind spots than regular cars, so care must be taken when driving alongside one. If a car driver is in a truck’s blind spot when it needs to turn or merge, it can lead to wreckage.

In addition to these causes, other typical car accident causes such as driving under the influence, driving while distracted, and speeding also apply in truck accidents. Truck and car drivers alike need to be alert and aware at all times on the road.

Plus, semi truck accidents are not always caused by other motorists. Large commercial vehicles are prone to breakdowns, safety violations, and recalls. If your truck is found to be defective in some way, or if repairs were not sufficiently carried out and were found to contribute to your accident, then the truck manufacturer or repair shop may be found liable in your case.

Combining Worker’s Compensation and Third Party Personal Injury Lawsuits

As a truck driver, you are automatically entitled to worker’s compensation from your employer. Even if you are technically classified as an independent contractor, often you can still obtain worker’s compensation. Insurance companies will always try to pay out the minimum possible amount, but with an experienced personal injury lawyer on your side, you can fight for maximum compensation.

In addition to your worker’s compensation, which may be capped, if your truck accident was caused by one or more negligent parties such as another driver or the manufacturer of your truck, you have the right to sue. If your injuries were extensive and limit your ability to find work as a truck driver in the future, it may be in your best interests to sue a third liable party in addition to claiming worker’s compensation. This way you can be sure to obtain enough compensation to cover not only your medical bills, but also your lost wages and lost future income potential.

Contact the Karl Truman Law Office Today

If you have been injured in a tractor trailer accident, call the Karl Truman Law Office at 502-222-2222 for a free, no-obligation legal consultation. We serve clients in and around Louisville, Kentucky and Jeffersonville, Indiana.