If you have been hit by an 18-wheeler or a large commercial truck in North Carolina, you may be seriously injured and in need of representation by a Raleigh truck accident lawyer.
Commercial trucking companies have sophisticated insurance agents whose job is to save their clients’ money by paying out as little money as possible in a truck accident case.
Our firm offers free case reviews and no fee unless you win (on a contingency fee basis). Start your free case review online now!
Raleigh Truck Accident Laws
North Carolina Personal Injury law covers when a victim can recover, what they can recover, and how long they have to pursue the matter through legal channels.
Negligence
In order for an accident victim to recover damages, the at-fault party must be negligent. Negligence can be defined simply as failing to perform a duty owed.
If the at-fault truck driver ran a red light and that traffic violation resulted in injury to a victim, negligence has occurred.
Driver fatigue, distracted driving, and reckless driving by a truck driver can be deadly.
Large tractor-trailers require care in operation due to the potential for jackknife, underride, and blind-spot accidents, as well as the massive size difference with passenger vehicles.
Failure to operate commercial vehicles with due caution is driver negligence.
In addition to the at-fault party's negligence, the victim must also be free of negligence to recover. Under North Carolina law, contributory negligence can bar a victim from recovering their losses.
Read What is Contributory Negligence?
Victim's Damages
In North Carolina, if you have been injured in a truck accident through no fault of your own, you can recover the costs of your medical expenses, missed time from work, and be compensated for your pain and suffering.
In addition to current medical expenses, lost wages and damages, future damages may also be warranted for severe injuries.
Punitive damages involve egregious conduct (like drunk drivers).
In truck accident claims, all theories of liability must be examined for maximum compensation.
Vehicle defects that a routine maintenance company would have detected, negligent hiring practices by the trucking company, improperly loaded cargo, and a failure to enforce the federal trucking regulations' hour-of-service limits that govern a driver's ability to operate a vehicle can all cause a truck accident.
Locating all potentially liable parties is imperative for truck accident claims.
Statute of Limitations
In order for you to recover from NC Personal Injury Litigation, you must file your case in court before the statute of limitations runs out.
Three years from the date of the accident is the general guideline for filing a personal injury lawsuit.
The best course of action is to contact a truck accident attorney who can represent your legal interests and guide you through the following steps after an accident.
At The Bishop Law Firm, we have experienced truck and car accident lawyers in North Carolina with experience in personal injury law. Our team can help you or your loved one with a free case review to explore your options after a truck accident.
Also read Raleigh Car Accident Statistics and Twenty Ways to Avoid Raleigh Car Accidents
Injuries Caused By Truck Accidents
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), of the approximately 503,000 police-reported crashes involving large trucks in the United States in 2022, 5,279 (1 percent) were fatal and 114,000 (23 percent) were injury crashes.
Per the U.S. Department of Transportation, in 2024, 5,379 accidents in North Carolina involved large trucks (with 150 fatalities).
If you have been injured in a truck accident, you are not alone, and you need to get medical treatment as soon as possible, continue to receive medical treatment, and document all the expenses you are incurring.
Do not delay getting medical treatment for your truck accident injuries!
The longer you wait to receive medical treatment, the more difficult it will be to prove that your injury came from the truck crash.
Common injuries caused by auto accidents:
Unfortunately, pedestrians, motorcyclists, and car passengers can never win against large trucks because of their size.
Catastrophic injuries, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and even wrongful death claims can all stem from a truck accident.
- Back Injury After Car Accident
- Neck Injury After Car Accident
- Chiari Malformation After Car Accident
- Brain Injury After Car Accident
- Blunt Force Trauma To Head From Car Accident
- Shoulder Injury After Car Accident
- Leg Injury After Car Accident
- Foot Injury After Car Accident
- Skin Injury After Car Accident
- PTSD After Car Accident
- Vehophobia After Car Accident
- Chronic Conditions From Car Accidents
- Delayed Symptoms After Car Accident
If you are injured in a North Carolina truck accident while working, you may also have a North Carolina Workers' Compensation claim.
The Bishop Law Firm also handles NC Workers' Compensation cases for injured workers.
Also read Raleigh Car Accident Injuries & Twenty Steps to Take After a Raleigh Car Accident
Do You Need a Raleigh Truck Accident Attorney?
It is often necessary to hire an attorney to get the most money from your accident after being injured.
Accidents involving 18-wheelers often result in catastrophic injury or wrongful death because of the size of the truck and the small size of the car relative to the semi-truck.
This means the medical bills for those injured in such cases are often extraordinarily high.
Some trucking accident victims will need lifetime care for their injuries. These are essential factors to consider when settling your case or trying it in front of a jury.
The attorney will obtain the trucking company’s insurance policy and determine its limits.
A commercial trucking company may often carry multi-million-dollar policies to cover accidents, but it will not tell someone without a lawyer what those limits are.
Read What not to do after a Raleigh Car Accident & Raleigh Car Accident Reports.
In reality, many insurance companies are often willing to reveal their insured’s policy limits to an attorney to avoid the attorney filing suit to find out the limits.
Many of these cases settle out of court before a lawsuit is filed, but it depends on whether the insurance company is willing to offer a fair settlement.
Insurance adjusters often want to settle insurance claims quickly and for less money. Victims with serious injuries should not rush to settle.
Your truck accident lawyer and you can discuss what a fair settlement is, based on similar cases the lawyer has handled and the facts that are unique to your case.
Ultimately, the decision to settle or go to court is up to you (the client).
Also read What does a Raleigh Car Accident Lawyer Do?
Get Help Filing a Raleigh, NC Truck Accident Claim Today
A commercial truck accident victim should only have to focus on getting better. Those who are seriously injured are often suffering from a concussion if the injury was severe enough, and are in no position to make legal decisions that will affect them for the rest of their lives.
The attorneys of The Bishop Law Firm have provided exceptional legal representation to clients across North Carolina in personal injury cases (motor vehicle accidents and more).
Contacting the right lawyer after being hit by an 18-wheeler in North Carolina is one of the most important steps to filing a lawsuit.
If you are considering hiring an 18-wheeler accident attorney or truck accident lawyer in Raleigh, NC, and surrounding areas, call us today for a free case review at (919) 615-3095 or start online now.
Also read:
Raleigh Car Accident Lawyer & Wake County Car Accident Lawyer
