Have you, or someone you know, been injured in a trucking accident in Massachusetts? If so, then you are in the right place. Mahaney & Pappas, LLP is an experienced truck injury law firm local to Framingham, Massachusetts, that specializes in helping accident victims get the financial compensation they deserve from the person or persons responsible for their injuries.

An experienced truck accident attorney is vital to defend your rights after being injured in a crash. Commercial truck accidents often result in very serious and permanent injuries which can affect multiple areas of victims' lives. It goes without saying that getting the proper financial compensation for those injuries is not always easy when dealing with neglectful truck drivers, resultant truck accidents, and trucking insurance companies.

Our legal team of highly skilled truck accident lawyers and staff have years of experience representing accident victims, protecting their rights, making sure they are treated fairly by trucking insurance companies, and getting the compensation they deserve.

Types of Truck Accidents That Can Result In Severe Injuries

We all see the massive tractor trailers, 18 wheelers, semis, and other commercial trucks driving up and down the Massachusetts highways. These powerful rigs seem to move along the roads with a “get out of my way” attitude. Sometimes that manner of driving causes accidents. Trucking accidents occur more often than we think. It was reported by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration that in 2015 there were 415,000 police-reported crashes involving large trucks. That’s nearly half a million crashes. Truck accidents can occur in many different ways. Here are some of the common types of truck accidents that can result in very serious injuries.

Rear-end Accidents

Rear-end accidents involving commercial trucks are very common. Speed is usually the main cause of these rear-end collisions. When truck drivers drive at high rates of speed on the highways while carrying heavy loads, it creates a dangerous situation. If traffic suddenly slows down on the highway, the tractor-trailer cannot slow or stop in time due to the combination of speed and weight and can cause a violent rear-end crash.

Jackknife Accidents

Jackknifing is a common term used to describe a truck accident. It is when an 18 wheeler or tractor trailer skids, which causes its trailer to swing out to one side forming an angle like that of a jackknife. Jackknifing is commonly caused by a combination of the road and weather conditions, speeding and negligent driving by the truck driver. Jackknife accidents typically cause very serious accidents and can impact numerous cars on the road or highway.

Rollover Accidents

Rollover crashes are another common type of trucking accident that occurs as a result of fast speeds, improper driving techniques, and steep inclines and declines. A trailer truck that rolls over usually impacts the several other cars nearby and can cause its cargo or truck parts to be thrown from the 18 wheeler, which poses a significant risk of injury to other drivers and passengers on the road or highway.

Underride Accidents

These types of trucking accidents can be the most dangerous and result in fatal injuries to other drivers and passenger of nearby vehicles. An underride collision is when a tractor-trailer and a passenger vehicle (car) crash and the car is forced under the trailer. This often results in the roof of the car being ripped off, which puts the car’s driver and occupants in serious danger of injury or death.

It’s not hard to understand how these large vehicles carrying very heavy cargo can be involved in accident. The combination of improper driving techniques, truck drivers being exhausted from driving for hours and hours, and the weight of the trailer trucks make it very difficult to slow down or stop in an emergency situation. The result is a serious truck accident and serious injuries.

Truck Accidents Can Cause Very Serious Injuries

It’s not hard to imagine how being hit by a trailer truck or 18 wheeler can cause serious injuries. Smaller passenger vehicles, like cars, are not match for these massive machines. Below are some of the common types of injuries that people can suffer from commercial truck accidents:

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration reported in 2015 that 4,311 large trucks and buses were involved in fatal crashes. This was an 8-percent increase from the year before. This statistic is an example of how truck accidents can be extremely devastating events. With catastrophic injuries like these, you and your family need to make sure you get the financial compensation that you and your family deserve.

Establishing Liability To Help You Recover The Compensation You Deserve

In truck accidents, just like in other personal injury cases, you must show and be able to prove the cause of the accident was the truck driver’s negligence, carelessness or recklessness. Negligence is the failure by someone to execute a task with the reasonable care that a prudent person would have. Typical types of negligence include, speeding, falling asleep, distracted driving, and improper driving technique.

Negligence will determine liability. Liability is the legal responsibility for an act. A negligent driver will be liable for the accident and injuries he or she caused to the accident victim.  If you can establish this, then you should be entitled to financial compensation for your injuries and losses. But establishing negligence is not always easy. Trucking companies their insurance carriers always put up a fight and will find a ton of other reasons why their driver was not at fault. This makes truck accident injury cases complex and requires a great understanding of the specific rules and regulations that pertain to these types of matters. This is why you need an experienced truck accident lawyer.

If you are injured by a negligent truck driver, you are entitled to money to compensate you for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering that were incurred as a result of the truck accident. If your injuries prevent you from working in the future, you have the right to be compensated for the loss of your earning capacity. It is difficult to place a monetary value on an accident case. This is another reason why you should consult with an experienced truck accident attorney. They will be able to properly value your case and make sure that the insurance companies don’t take advantage of you or make sure you don’t undervalue your injuries.

Contact Our Framingham Truck Accident Lawyers Today

Massachusetts personal injury claims that involve injuries suffered in a truck accident can present unusual and complex legal issues. The federal and state regulations must be examined and the precise cause of the accident needs to be investigated in order to be successful in a claim for bodily injury. We have handled many serious truck accident cases over the years and understand what it takes to build a strong case for our clients.  

If you’ve been injured in a truck accident, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your injuries. Dealing with the national trucking insurance companies and getting proper compensation from them, however, can be difficult. This is why, if you were hurt in a trucking accident, you should consult with an experienced accident lawyer.

Mahaney & Pappas, LLP is a law office dedicated to representing accident victims, including those injured in truck accidents. Our mission is to get the maximum financial compensation for our clients for the injuries, damages and losses they suffered. If you or someone you know has been injured in a truck accident, please contact us online or call (508) 879-3500 for a free meeting to discuss your claim. 

We offer free no-obligation case evaluations. Contact us today! 

Joseph M. Mahaney
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Injury lawyer serving car, truck, and motorcycle accident victims in Webster and Framingham, Massachusetts.