Truck Accident Lawyer Newport News, VA

A Brief Summary of the Following Article

With a thorough investigation process, including reviewing trucking records, analyzing EDR data, and examining the accident scene and truck, you are able to determine truck accident liability.
Common causes of truck accidents range from distracted and reckless driving to mechanical failures and poor weather conditions, with the large size and weight of trucks often leading to more severe accidents.
Key steps after a truck accident include seeking medical care, contacting law enforcement, exchanging information with all parties involved, gathering evidence, and consulting an experienced successful lawyer to protect your rights and compensation.
Award-winning Waterman Law Centers, PLLC, offers legal services on a contingency fee basis, ensuring victims receive experienced representation without upfront costs, paying attorney fees only if compensation is recovered.

One of the most devastating types of motor vehicle accidents is truck accidents. The size and weight of trucks pose serious threats to other drivers on the road and to the truck drivers themselves. In a report by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, there were 52 fatal crashes involving large trucks in 2021. Many Virginia residents suffer severe injuries due to large trucks and require extensive medical treatment for their injuries.

When an individual’s poor driving behavior leads to a serious accident, the victim has the need and right to seek legal assistance and file a claim. The award-winning attorney at Waterman Law Centers, PLLC, has years of experience protecting Newport News residents and helping them receive justice for their injuries. You deserve to recover the losses you suffer and hold truckers accountable for their actions.

How a Newport News Truck Accident Occurs

From poor weather conditions to aggressive driving and other dangers, many factors are involved in truck accidents. Trucks are bulkier, heavier, and less responsive, so they are more challenging to control if drivers are not careful or paying attention to the traffic around them.

Some common causes of truck accidents include:

Distracted driving
Reckless driving
Road rage
Drunk driving
Mechanical failure
Tiredness/sleepiness
Bad weather
Overweight/insecure loading

Truck accidents are usually more severe than car or even motorcycle accidents because of the large size of trucks, especially commercial vehicles. They carry cargo weighing many tons, making it difficult to control without the proper precautions and training. Truck drivers must analyze the conditions of the vehicle, the road, and themselves before driving.

Newport News Truck Accident Claim Investigations

Accidents involving trucks lead to severe injuries due to their immense size and weight. However, truck size alone is not always the root cause of these accidents. Frequently, they stem from negligence, whether due to the truck driver, the trucking company, and/or the manufacturers or installers of truck components.

Key steps in an accident investigation include the following:

Reviewing trucking company records: Important evidence of negligence, such as poor hiring practices or retaining unqualified drivers, often is found in the trucking company’s records. Maintenance logs and driver safety records are also scrutinized.
Analyzing event data recorder (EDR) data: The EDR, or “black box,” of the involved truck provides critical data for a detailed analysis of the accident dynamics.
Conducting interviews and depositions: Timely interviews with witnesses, including the driver, law enforcement, and others, followed by taking their discovery depositions, are crucial for capturing vital details about the accident.
On-site accident investigation: Examining the accident scene helps in understanding the cause of the collision. This involves analyzing physical evidence like tire marks and collision debris, working with accident reconstructionists, and correlating witness accounts.
Truck examination: Inspecting the truck, ideally at the accident scene, allows investigators to look for signs of equipment failure, impact damage, and other factors contributing to the accident.

An in-depth investigation by an experienced lawyer well-versed in truck operation and trucking regulations is essential after a large commercial vehicle crash. Assessing the specific causes of an accident often requires knowledge beyond the initial police report. The award-winning trucking accident lawyer at Waterman Law Centers, PLLC, is equipped with the necessary knowledge and experience to offer comprehensive guidance for truck accident victims so he or she is able to focus on recovery.

5 Steps to Take After a Truck Accident

The aftermath of a truck accident may cause you to feel overwhelmed and frustrated. However, there are a few essential steps to remember, which significantly increase the probability of a smooth and successful outcome.

Call Emergency Medical Care

Contact emergency medical care once you are in a safe location. Your first priority is ensuring the health and safety of yourself and others around you. If you believe that nobody in the crash suffered injuries requiring immediate assistance, you still will want to make a precautionary doctor’s appointment later to ensure your well-being.

Contact Local Law Enforcement

When you contact the police, they will send an officer to the scene of the accident to assess the situation and create an accident report. He or she will evaluate the accident scene and make a judgment about fault based on both accounts and any witness testimonials. If the other party is aggressive or creates an uncomfortable environment, the officer also assists in diffusing the tension.

Gather the Other Party’s Information

Both parties are responsible for exchanging information with everyone involved in the accident. In addition to providing your information, you should collect the names, addresses, emails, and phone numbers of all vehicle occupants and other witnesses, plus the insurer and driver’s license of each driver. The contacts and details you collect will provide your Newport News truck accident lawyer with information to give legal notice, start his investigation, and gather evidence.

Collect Evidence and Document the Accident

Tire marks, other road data, vehicle damage, and medical documentation are a few examples of evidence that will provide information on what occurred during the crash. When you present a claim to a judge, your lawyer must provide evidence of your innocence and the other party’s fault. In order to create a strong case, your Newport News truck accident lawyer will collect as much evidence as possible.

Contact Your Lawyer

Without someone familiar with the complex regulations and strategies involved in a truck accident claim, your rights and compensation are at risk. Having a Newport News truck accident attorney by your side will provide you with the experience and information you need to have a smooth claim process.

The sooner you contact your Newport News truck accident lawyer, the more time he has to investigate your truck accident and provide you with the evidence your case needs. Speak with Attorney Avery T. “Sandy” Waterman, Jr., Esq. about your claim and receive legal representation you are able to trust.

How Do I Pay for a Truck Accident Lawyer?

Waterman Law Centers, PLLC, understands the physical, emotional, and financial challenges you face after a truck accident. We want to get you the compensation you deserve. In order to provide our services, we take our cases on a contingency fee basis. This means you do not owe us any attorney fees unless we win or settle your case. If you do not recover compensation – which is extremely rare – we will not charge you for any of the time we spent on your case.

Contact Waterman Law Centers, PLLC, for an Experienced Newport News Truck Accident Attorney Today

Serving the Virginia Peninsula and surrounding areas for over four decades, the award-winning lawyer at Waterman Law Centers, PLLC, has a strong commitment to protecting the rights of his clients. We are established in the community as a top law firm in the area. Attorney Avery T. “Sandy” Waterman, Jr., Esq. was named to The Best Lawyers in America for Personal Injury during 2007-2024 and was voted its “Lawyer of the Year” for Personal Injury by his peers in Southeast Virginia in 2022; and Waterman Law Centers has been listed as a Metropolitan Tier 1 Best Law Firm for Personal Injury in U.S. News & World Report and in The Best Lawyers in America for 2021-2024.

No victim should have to deal with the consequences of an accident he or she did not cause. Contact our office for a free consultation by calling (757) 720-7038 or filling out our contact form today.