Anyone who drives in Maine knows the hazards posed by commercial trucks. Whether it’s a logging truck on a narrow rural road, a cement truck in the city, or a tractor-trailer on the interstate, these vehicles pose unique risks to smaller vehicles and pedestrians. Even low-speed collisions can result in serious injury or death.
Driver fatigue, lack of proper training, speeding, excess loads, and poor vehicle maintenance are some of the top reasons why commercial trucks are involved in hundreds of accidents each year in Maine.
Maine law entitles truck accident victims to financial compensation. But many fail to recover for their losses because they aren’t represented by truck accident lawyers with the experience, resources, expertise, and proactive approach needed to win their case.
Whether the accident involved a semi truck, a dump truck, or any other large commercial vehicle, our legal team has the intricate legal knowledge needed to help you recover compensation.
For information about what to do if you’ve been hit by a truck, see our blog article.
For the best results, you need the best Maine truck accident lawyers
Berman & Simmons is widely recognized as the best personal injury lawyers in Maine and among the best in the U.S., having won many of the largest jury verdicts and settlements ever obtained for injured people in Maine. We have recovered $1.35 billion for our injured clients.
Our attorneys are ready to go to work for you and fight when the insurance company refuses to cooperate or offer a fair settlement. We handle all types of injury claims resulting from truck accidents, with a particular focus on serious injury and wrongful death cases.
Truck Accident Tips and Tools: What should I do if I’ve been injured in a truck accident in Maine?
Taking some basic steps after a truck accident can make the difference between a legal claim that fails and one that provides fair compensation for you and your family. Here are some suggestions for first steps.
- First, be sure all parties involved are safe and out of danger. Then move your truck if it is causing a hazard; otherwise leave it where it is and turn on hazard lights.
- Call 911 to immediately report the accident to police, even if you think the damage is minor. Stay close to your vehicle until police arrive.
- Remain calm and polite, but do not apologize or admit fault.
- Gather pertinent information from other driver and any witnesses.
- Photograph truck damage and any visible injuries. Write down your recollections about the event.
- Get the name and badge number of all responding officers, and ask for police report.
- Seek immediate medical attention for your injuries, even if you think they are minor.
- Contact an experienced personal injury trial lawyer who specializes in truck accident cases and one who is prepared to win either by settlement or, if necessary, court judgment.
- Report the accident to your insurer. Do not give a signed or recorded statement to your insurer before talking with your lawyer.
- Do not discuss the accident with any representative of the other driver’s insurance company before talking with your lawyer.
More resources than any other personal injury firm in Maine
To help build and present a winning case, we regularly work with the top medical experts, accident reconstruction specialists, investigators, and other consultants in Maine and nationwide. These efforts can be critical in proving negligence and determining the extent of your losses, so that you can be fully compensated not just for the short-term, but for your future as well.
We are also the leaders in Maine in the use of state-of-the-art technologies in the courtroom, including anatomical and computer models and dynamic presentation of studies such as MRI and CT scans. We produce professional videos to help show the true impact of the accident on you and your family. This allows us to present complex evidence in a straightforward way that judges, jurors, and insurance companies can easily understand.
A Law Firm That Listens
We have helped countless victims who have been harmed in truck accidents and we understand the challenges you face. We realize that beyond the physical struggles, the emotional and financial impacts can be overwhelming.
Our lawyers and staff members take the time to listen to you, understand your concerns, and come up with solutions that can make your life better, including obtaining payment for or deferral of your debts until your case is resolved.
Take Back Control
Get Peace of Mind
It never hurts to consult an attorney regardless of whether you decide to move forward.
Many states have strict deadlines for filing personal injury claims.
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The other insurance company is likely already building their client’s case against you.
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Witnesses may become unavailable and evidence may be lost or degraded with time.
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You’ll need help navigating your medical care and dealing with financial pressures.
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You need peace of mind to focus on your recovery.
$8.5 Million
Paralysis due to mismanagement of
degenerative spine
$2.5 Million
Catastrophic injuries in a head-on car accident
$800,000
Wrongful death case involving negligent
motorist
$715,000
Plaintiff Rear Ended by
Telephone Truck
$5 Million
Delay in diagnosis and treatment of cancer
$1.2 Million
Significant Head Injury Car Accident
Truck Accident FAQs
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How common are truck accidents?
Around 500,000 trucking accidents occur each year in the US, compared to 6 million nationwide car accidents. Large trucks are much more likely to be involved in a fatal multi-vehicle crash than are passenger vehicles. In Maine, trucks account for just 4.7 percent of all vehicles on the road.
Unfortunately, when truck accidents do occur, they can be exceptionally severe. Injuries are often catastrophic, and fatalities are common. Truck accident victims and their families are strongly advised to seek legal counsel to help compensate for the often long-lasting, life-altering injury effects.
Some common types of commercial truck accidents include head-on and rear-end collisions, jackknife accidents, blind spot accidents, rollover accidents, and underride accidents.
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What are the most common causes of truck accidents?
Truck accidents generally have the same causes as car accidents, including:
- Distracted driving.
- Fatigue.
- Impaired driving.
- Speed.
- Lack of experience.
- Failure to obey traffic rules.
- Poor judgment.
Fatigue and distracted driving are, understandably, common causes of truck accidents. Drivers often put in incredibly long hours on the road and can easily lose focus. However, truck accidents can also occur due to the negligence of other drivers. Many people rapidly switch lanes or fail to signal, neglecting to account for a truck’s limited braking abilities.
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What can I do to protect my rights after a truck accident?
The first way to protect your rights after a truck accident is to file an accident report. By calling 911, you can summon both the police and an ambulance to report the accident and then immediately seek treatment for your injuries. These two critical steps are important steps in a successful injury claim.
The next step is to hire an experienced truck accident attorney, who will immediately work on your behalf. Unfortunately, evidence such as tire tracks and surveillance footage disappear quickly, and witnesses may forget what happened or lose interest in helping with the case. The sooner you hire an attorney to investigate, the better your chances of preserving evidence essential to your case.
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How can a truck accident attorney help?
An experienced truck accident attorney will take the bulk of the burden off your shoulders. While you may be asked to provide paperwork, get treatment from recommended physicians, and potentially testify in court, your attorney will generally do the rest of the work for you, including:
- Filing your claim with the relevant insurance companies.
- Fielding communications from insurance representatives.
- Obtaining physical copies of police reports and medical documentation.
- Negotiating with opposing counsel.
- Filing your case in court.
- Drafting and opposing all legal paperwork.
- Compiling evidence and formulating arguments.
- Bring your case to trial and arguing your case in court.
While it is always up to you whether to pursue a claim, there is no reason to take legal action alone. Your chances of recovery and the amount you’re eligible to recover increase substantially with attorney representation. In addition, there is no fee unless your case succeeds, so hiring an attorney to handle your case is risk-free.