Chicago Trucking & Auto Accident Attorneys
Aggressive & Experienced Representation After Wrecks of All Kinds
Have you or a loved one been injured in a heavy truck wreck or other auto accident? At Ferrell Young, LLC, our team of dedicated and professional Chicago trucking and auto accident lawyers are here to help you and your loved ones seek just compensation. We are capable of handling claims related to both passenger car accidents and those involving heavy commercial vehicles like 18 wheelers, dump trucks, tow trucks, delivery vans, and street sweeping vehicles. Don’t hesitate to contact us to find out what we can do for you today!
Ready to set up your free consultation with an experienced local lawyer? Call (312) 698-9089 or contact us online now! Se habla Español.
What to Do After a Car Accident
Injured in a motor vehicle accident? It is important to begin collecting evidence at the crash site as soon as possible—however, this should always come second to your health and wellbeing.
Immediately following a car wreck, do the following as quickly as possible:
- Call 911 if you or anyone else involved in the accident is seriously injured. Severe wounds should be tended to before anything else.
- Take as many pictures of the crash scene as possible.
- Talk to the other motorist(s) involved in the wreck and ask them to give you their contact and auto insurance information.
- File an accident report with the police and ask for the report number for your records.
- Do inform your auto insurance carrier you’ve been in an accident, but do not sign anything yet— nor speak to the at fault driver’s insurance company at all.
- Reach out to a local trucking and auto accident attorney to discuss your legal rights and options during a free case evaluation.
Whether you have been injured while driving a passenger vehicle or a loved one collided with a heavy commercial truck, you can rely on our experienced attorney to fight for the maximum compensation you deserve.
What Differentiates Car & Commercial Truck Accidents?
Accidents involving semi-trucks are typically far more devastating than passenger vehicle wrecks, and often result in serious injuries and wrongful death. Trucking companies will also do everything they can to avoid liability. Trucking companies and their insurance carriers almost always quickly send accident investigators to the scene of a truck accident to begin working on ways to limit their liability in these situations.
Plus, there are significant differences between handling an interstate trucking case and other truck wreck cases. It is imperative to have knowledge of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, technology, business practices, insurance coverages, and to have the ability to discover written and electronic records. Expert testimony is of utmost importance.
Our lawyers, staff, and in-house accident investigators immediately begin the important task of documenting and preserving the evidence of a truck collision. We would like to review any case involving catastrophic injury or death.
Types of Truck Accidents
There are many kinds of truck accidents. Common scenarios include:
- Freight-related accidents: When a truck carrying excessive or improper freight malfunctions or crashes as a result
- Jackknife accidents: When a tractor-trailer turns in on itself with the trailer moving toward the tractor at a 90-degree angle, causing the driver to lose control
- No-zone crashes: Collisions caused by a truck driver’s failure to check their blind spots before changing course
- Ordinary collisions: Including head-on collisions, sideswipes, and rear-end collisions, all of which can be equally catastrophic
- Overrides: When a large truck runs up over the top of a personal-sized car
- Rollovers: When a truck with a high center of gravity loses balance, usually after making an unsafe maneuver or hitting an obstacle in the road, turning on its side
At Ferrell Young, LLC our experienced Chicago truck accident attorneys can help with any of these accidents, regardless of how big or small the damages might seem.
Why Do Trucking Accidents Happen?
Commercial truck drivers have a tough job. They spend long hours on quiet roads, often at night and in areas they don’t know well. Shift after shift, they push themselves to stay alert behind the wheel and treat driving with the same caution and respect as the average motorist in a passenger car.
In recognition of that challenge—and to curb the ballooning number of fatal trucking accidents—the state and federal governments have enacted a number of regulations about how often (and under which circumstances) truckers can drive. As a general rule, they must ensure they’re getting enough sleep and plenty of breaks so that they don’t endanger the rest of us.
Unfortunately, while most of these drivers play by the rules, some don’t. Even more problematic are the employers who implicitly encourage their drivers to push their limits so they can meet tough deadlines and improve their delivery times. Sadly, the trucking industry is rife with employers who are willing to engage in these dangerous and illegal practices.
Examples of Commercial Trucking Negligence
The federal government has conducted several investigations into commercial trucking accidents and their findings mirror our own—these crashes are typically caused by recurring kinds of negligence.
These include:
- Aggressive driving
- Distracted driving (including texting/using smartphones)
- Drowsy driving
- Drunk driving
- Failure to check for blind spots, which can be much larger in a truck than in a car
- Improper licensure
- Inadequate training
- Negligent hiring of drivers who should never have been behind the wheel in the first place
- Speeding
- Using prescription, over the counter, or illegal drugs that cause impairment or drowsiness
- Working challenging shift schedules that require too much time on the roads
These aren’t the only kinds of driver negligence, of course. Any instance of carelessness can cause auto accidents. If you aren’t sure whether negligence played a role in your crash, our experienced Chicago truck and auto accident attorneys can help.
Call Ferrell Young, LLC today at (312) 698-9089 or send us a message online to get started on your case. Se habla Español.
Who Is Responsible for My Truck Accident?
While you may have identified the cause of your crash, understanding which parties may be deemed responsible or liable is also extremely important for your case.
Some of the main parties that may be held liable include:
- Drivers
- Maintenance companies
- Manufacturers
- Supervisors/trainers
- Trucking companies
Comprehensive, Results-Driven Representation
If you or a loved one was injured in a car or truck accident, you need quality representation right away. A serious or deadly accident caused by a passenger car or any commercial vehicle—delivery truck, garbage truck, bus, etc.—can leave you and your family in physical, emotional, and financial turmoil. At Ferrell Young, LLC, our compassionate Chicago truck and auto accident lawyers understand the struggle you are going through and will work tirelessly to help you receive the compensation you deserve.
