Were you or a loved one injured in an accident involving a large commercial truck in Norwalk, Ohio? Do you know that you may have the right to compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, pain, suffering, and other losses you experienced? Wisehart Wright Trial Lawyers can help demand the justice and accountability you deserve by representing you in a truck accident claim.
Our Norwalk truck accident lawyers have been recognized as Super Lawyers and Top 40 Under 40. We have recovered over $100 million in life-changing financial compensation for our clients, catapulting us into the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. You can count on our proven track record of success and zealous legal advocacy in Norwalk, OH.
Learn more about how we can help and the compensation you may be entitled to when you call a Norwalk truck accident attorney at (419) 863-5922 for a free consultation.
How Wisehart Wright Trial Lawyers Can Help You After a Truck Accident in Norwalk
Truck accident cases in Norwalk, OH, are often complex because they often involve state and federal regulations, multiple parties, and substantial insurance policies. Insurance companies will fight hard to prevent truck accident victims from recovering fair compensation, protecting the trucking company’s interests instead. If you were injured in a truck accident, you should not try to go up against powerful trucking companies and insurance companies on your own.
Wisehart Wright Trial Lawyers has represented the rights of accident victims since 1946. We have over 180 years of combined experience. You can trust that we have the experience and knowledge of complex trucking laws to capably represent you.
When you hire our Norwalk personal injury lawyers, you can count on us to:
- Provide honest feedback about your truck accident claim
- Conduct a thorough investigation into the accident and identify all at-fault parties
- Identify, gather, and preserve critical evidence
- Protect you from the deceptive or self-serving tactics of insurance companies
- Manage your insurance claims
- Hire expert witnesses, accident reconstruction specialists, and others who can strengthen your case
- Document the full extent of your damages
- Negotiate for maximum compensation
We won’t hesitate to take your case to court if that is what it takes to secure the financial compensation you deserve. Our Norwalk truck accident lawyers will advocate for you at every phase of your case. Call us today to get started with a free case consultation with a Norwalk personal injury attorney.
How Common Are Truck Accidents in Ohio?
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, 4,035 truck crashes occurred in Ohio in 2022. 190 people were killed in these motor vehicle accidents, and 2,473 people were injured.
While the number of truck accidents in Ohio is high, the number of personal injury attorneys qualified to handle them is low. Truck accidents are not like car accidents. They are much more complex, tend to result in much more serious injuries, and involve extensive damages. If you were injured in a truck accident, reach out to an experienced attorney for help.
What Is My Truck Accident Claim Worth?
Unfortunately, this is not an easy question to answer.
The potential value of your truck accident case can depend on many factors, including:
- The type and severity of injuries you suffered
- The costs for your medical treatment and other economic damages
- Your need for ongoing medical treatment and rehabilitation
- The extent and duration of your pain and suffering
- Whether your injuries resulted in permanent disabilities or impairments
- Your anticipated future medical expenses
- Who was responsible for the accident
- Whether you contributed to the accident
- The insurance coverage available for the claim
The best way to determine what your particular case is worth is to contact an experienced truck accident lawyer.
Can I Still Recover Compensation for a Truck Accident if I Am Found Partially at Fault?
Whether you can still recover financial compensation if you are partially to blame for the truck accident depends on your share of fault compared with the fault attributed to other parties. Ohio uses a comparative negligence rule that reduces or eliminates your compensation based on your degree of fault.
Here’s how it works: If you are more than 50% at fault for the accident, you cannot pursue compensation against another party. If you are less than 51% at fault, you can pursue a compensation claim. However, your compensation is reduced by your degree of fault. So, if you are found to be 35% at fault for the accident, your damages are reduced proportionately by 35%. Because truck accidents often involve extensive damages, this can result in your award being reduced by thousands or millions of dollars.
Insurance companies and trucking companies are aware of these rules and try to exploit them to reduce or eliminate the value of claims. An experienced truck accident attorney can protect you from false allegations of fault or work to reduce the percentage of fault assigned to you.
What Types of Damages Can Truck Accident Victims Recover in Ohio?
Personal injury victims in Ohio can generally seek compensation for their economic and non-economic damages. These types of damages are defined below.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are direct financial costs associated with the accident, such as:
- Your medical expenses
- Rehabilitation and physical therapy
- Skilled nursing care
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning capacity
- Property damage and vehicle repair costs
Your lawyer can gather receipts, invoices, and bills to prove the value of these losses.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages represent the intangible losses you suffer as a result of the accident, such as:
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Mental anguish
- Permanent disabilities or impairments
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- PTSD, anxiety, and depression
- Physical disfigurement and scarring
- Loss of consortium
By their nature, these damages are difficult to quantify. An experienced attorney can work closely with you to identify these damages and fight to maximize your claim’s value.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Norwalk, Ohio
Truck accidents can occur for various reasons, and multiple parties may be at fault for them.
Common causes of truck crashes include:
- Fatigued driving
- Distracted driving
- Speeding
- Following too closely
- Aggressive driving
- Failing to yield the right-of-way
- Wide turns
- Impaired driving
- Running red lights or stop signs
- Mechanical failure
- Tire blowouts
- Brake failures
- Unsecured loads
- Driver inexperience
A thorough investigation can uncover the cause of the accident and who is responsible.
Different Types of Truck Accidents
Different types of truck accidents can cause various injuries, indicate who may be at fault for the accident, and involve specific legal issues.
Some of the most common types of truck accidents include:
- Head-on collisions
- Rear-end accidents
- Sideswipe crashes
- Wide-turn accidents
- T-bone accidents
- Lost load accidents
- Tire blowout accidents
- Brake failure accidents
- Underride crashes
Our experienced legal team can capably handle any truck accident case. Contact us for a free case review.
Who Is Responsible for My Truck Accident Injuries?
When you hire our law firm, some of the parties we may investigate for liability include:
- Truck drivers
- Trucking companies
- Truck owners
- Maintenance companies
- Cargo-loading companies
- Mechanics
- Manufacturers of defective trucks or auto parts
We can get to the bottom of the case and hold the responsible parties accountable for the harm you’ve suffered.
How Do I Prove Fault in a Truck Accident Case?
Some of the evidence that our experienced personal injury attorneys may use to establish the elements of your case include:
- Event data recorders
- Accident reports
- Witness statements
- Maintenance, electronic, and personnel records
- Safety inspections and records
- Alcohol and drug test results
Because the trucking company will launch an investigation into the accident immediately after it occurs that is slanted to protect its interests, it is important you involve a lawyer in the process as soon as possible.
How Much Does a Truck Lawyer Cost?
The amount you pay for your lawyer will depend on how much your settlement or award is. This is because most personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee, which represents a percentage of the money they secure on your behalf. If we are unable to secure compensation on your behalf, we do not get paid for our services. We can discuss our contingency fee percentage when you call for your free, no-obligation case assessment.
What Is the Deadline to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit?
The statute of limitations for filing a lawsuit after a truck accident in Ohio is two years. If you don’t file your case within this timeline, you can forfeit your right to seek compensation through the courts. Protect your rights by working with an experienced lawyer who can monitor case deadlines.
Contact an Experienced Norwalk Truck Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation
If you were injured in a truck accident in Norwalk, OH, Wisehart Wright Trial Lawyers help. Our Norwalk truck accident lawyers are skilled at going up against powerful truck companies and insurance companies. We can protect your rights at every stage of your case. You will be in trusted hands when you hire our personal injury law firm. Call us today for your free, no-obligation consultation.