Truck Accident Attorney Near Lake Charles

Driving west on I-10 toward Texas, the last major town you’ll pass through is Lake Charles. It’s a bustling city of nearly 100,000 people known for its casinos, art scene, and so much more. However, it’s also known for experiencing nearly 4,800 crashes every year in the city limits, either on I-10, I-210, or other highways or surface streets.

No matter the cause, traffic accidents all result in disrupted lives, destroyed property, and pain and suffering. Thankfully, cars and big trucks are safer than they’ve ever been, and the auto industry continues to innovate in making them even safer. However, the sheer size difference between an 18-wheeler and the average passenger vehicle is so big that if you’re in an accident with one, you risk major injury or even death.

If you or someone you love was hit by a big rig near Lake Charles, you need a Louisiana truck accident attorney with the experience and drive to serve as your advocate. The trucking company and their insurance know all too well that paying out the compensation you deserve will hurt their bottom line, so they work hard to pay you the minimum possible.

The Lake Charles truck wreck lawyers with Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys work just as hard as you do to ensure you get the help you need.

Call us today at 337.888.8888 or contact us below for a free consultation about your case.

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Types of Truck Accident Cases We Handle

We understand the immense stress and uncertainty following a collision, especially with a large truck. Here at Gordon McKernan, our Louisiana personal injury attorneys are dedicated to helping victims of all kinds of truck accidents.

We have extensive experience handling a variety of cases, including:

• Jackknife and rollover accidents: These are especially dangerous due to the size and weight of the truck.
  
• Sideswipe and head-on collisions: These accidents can cause serious injuries or even death.
  
• T-bone and wide-turn accidents: Often caused by improper maneuvers or driver negligence.
  
• Rear-end collisions: While common, these can still be devastating, causing whiplash and other injuries.

No matter what type of accident you’ve been in, our goal is the same: to fight for the justice and fair compensation you deserve.

What Causes Truck Accidents?

Truck drivers form a crucial component of transporting goods in the U.S., and are vitally important to the continued functioning of the economy. As a result, truckers and delivery vehicle drivers often face immense pressure to deliver their wares as quickly as possible, which can result in a number of risky and downright dangerous behaviors.

The taxing aspects of truckers’ jobs can endanger any civilian driving in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Any of the following conditions can lead to a potentially deadly error:

Driver Fatigue

Driver fatigue is one of the most common causes of truck accidents.

Drivers regularly spend long hours behind the wheel, and even though local and federal regulations require breaks, they aren’t always followed. Drowsy driving has been shown to be just as dangerous as drunk driving and has led to thousands of accidents every year.

Overweight or Improperly Loaded Cargo

Unbalanced or overweight cargo due to improper loading might seem to be relatively minor, but with the weights that trucks carry, it can be a major driver of highway accidents.

Cargo mismanagement can inhibit a driver’s control and lead to fishtailing, jackknifing, and other serious mishaps.

Driving Under The Influence

Driving drunk or under the influence of drugs is dangerous—and illegal—in any vehicle, but trucks in particular can be exceedingly dangerous if their driver is impaired.

Wrecks caused by inhibited drivers are not only tragic, they’re entirely avoidable.

Blind Spots

Trucks have much larger blind spots than passenger cars, and drivers forget this fact at their peril.

If you’re driving alongside a truck on the highway, remember that if you can’t see them in their rear-view mirror, they can’t see you. Exercise caution and don’t linger in a truck’s blind spot.

Speeding

Speeding trucks pose an immense danger to other vehicles as 18-wheelers take much longer and are more difficult to bring to a full stop than smaller automobiles such as cars or motorcycles.

Poor or Negligent Maintenance

Semi-trucks can be a danger to all drivers on the road even if they have been perfectly maintained. However, an improperly maintained truck creates even more opportunities for a crash caused by brake failures, powertrain malfunctions, tire blowouts, and more.

Common Injuries After Truck Accidents in Lake Charles

The average tractor-trailer weighs between 20 and 30 times more than the average passenger vehicle, making it extremely likely that, in the event of an accident, the passenger vehicle and its occupants will be hurt more than the truck driver.

Many of the injuries that truck accident victims sustain can be life-changing:

• Traumatic brain injuries, or TBIs, are caused by the victim’s head hitting something hard during a crash and injuring their brain. TBIs can permanently disable the victim, causing memory loss, motor issues, mood shifts, or even death.
  
  
• Neck, back, and spinal cord injuries are fairly common during truck wrecks due to the extreme forces involved. Injuries to the spinal cord can cause partial or total paralysis, ongoing pain, and other injuries requiring expensive medical intervention, equipment, and therapy.
  
  
• Broken bones are the most common injury following a truck wreck. While these are generally less severe than spine or brain injuries, they can still cause pain, cause the victim to be unable to work, and require expensive surgery and treatment.
  
  
• Catastrophic injuries such as loss of limb can occur in the event of an accident with a big rig and can drastically alter a person’s quality of life, ability to work, and more.
  
  
• In many of the most tragic circumstances, a semi-truck accident can cause the wrongful death of the other vehicle’s driver or passengers.

What Compensation Can I Expect After a Truck Wreck?

If you’ve been hit by a truck, you may not know what to do after your accident and you could be facing thousands of dollars in costs, from your medical bills, lost wages, inability to work, therapy and equipment costs, and more.

Luckily, if the wreck was the truck driver’s fault you could stand to collect tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, or even millions of dollars, depending on the severity of the wreck and your injuries.

The amount of compensation you could expect can also depend on who is found liable for your accident. Several parties could be found responsible for your injuries, including:

• The truck driver, who drove recklessly or with disregard for others.
• The truck loader, if they improperly loaded the cargo.
• The truck owner, if they failed to properly maintain the truck, leading to the wreck.
• The government agency charged with maintaining the road, if bad infrastructure contributed to the wreck.
• Other drivers, if their actions caused the wreck.

Determining liability in big truck accident cases can be notoriously difficult, which is why you need a Lake Charles truck accident lawyer with the experience to bring those responsible to justice. Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys have 679+ years of combined legal experience practicing personal injury law in Louisiana, and we know what it takes to win.

How Long Do You Have to File a Truck Accident Lawsuit in Lake Charles?

Truck accidents can leave you shaken and unsure of what to do next.

Statute of Limitation Changes in Louisiana

In 2024, Louisiana law extended the statute of limitations for personal injury claims occurring on or after July 1, 2024, from one year to two years. Any injuries that occurred before July 1, 2024, will still have a 1-year statute of limitation. Learn more about Louisiana’s New Statute of Limitations here.

• 1 year for injuries sustained before July 1, 2024.
• 2 years for injuries suffered after July 1, 2024.

The statute of limitations is a legal deadline that sets a time frame for filing a lawsuit. In Louisiana, this is known as the “prescriptive period,” which determines how long you have to take legal action against the responsible party after an injury occurs.

Why is this important? Missing this deadline could mean giving up your chance to get the compensation you deserve for your injuries. That’s why contacting a truck accident lawyer as soon as possible after the accident is crucial.

A Lake Charles personal injury attorney can help you navigate the legal process and fight for the fair compensation you’re entitled to. Don’t let a strict deadline prevent you from getting the help you need.

How Can a Lake Charles Truck Accident Lawyer Help?

In the aftermath of a truck wreck, things can get complicated fast (legally speaking). That’s where a Lake Charles truck accident lawyer comes in. Here’s how they can help:

• Figure out what happened: They’ll investigate your case, gather evidence, and build a timeline of the accident.
  
  
• Know the law: They’re skilled in practicing Louisiana traffic laws and will make sure your claim is strong and legal.
  
  
• Fight for what you deserve: They’ll handle the tough negotiations with insurance companies, aiming to get you the most money possible.
  
  
• Go to court, if needed: If a fair settlement can’t be reached, they’ll represent you in court, arguing your case powerfully.

A truck accident lawyer is your champion throughout this whole process. They’ll take the weight off your shoulders and fight to get you the best possible outcome.

Consult With Our Truck Accident Lawyers in Lake Charles

We’ve helped Louisiana residents & their loved ones recover over $3 Billion in verdicts and settlements, and we’re ready to help you at no cost until we win your case or reach a settlement. That’s the G Guarantee.

If you or a loved one has been in a truck wreck, you don’t need to face the coming weeks and months alone. Our team of truck accident attorneys at Gordon McKernan are here to help you recover the compensation you need to begin to heal.

Give us a call at 337.888.8888 for a free consultation about your legal options.

Lake Charles Truck Accident Lawyer Near Me

337.888.8888