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Harrisburg Truck Accident Lawyers

Have you or someone that you love suffered a serious injury in a Pennsylvania truck accident? Did you know that you or that victim may be eligible to recover financial compensation for property damage, medical expenses, lost wages and more?

They’re not your average lawyers; they treat you like family, not clients.
– Client of Schmidt Kramer

The Harrisburg truck accident lawyers at Schmidt Kramer have decades of experience and recovered millions in compensation on behalf of our clients including a $2,200,000 verdict for the family of a man that was fatally injured after being hit by an inexperienced truck driver and a $475,000 settlement for a client that was seriously injured after being hit by a tractor trailer.

It’s free to talk to a lawyer at our firm and there are no upfront fees if you choose to hire us.

Free Consultation. Call us today at (717) 888-8888.

How a Lawyer Can Help

Truck crash injury victims that have legal representation recover more financial compensation compared to those that do not hire a lawyer. We also have a full support team to help obtain the information that we may need to build strong argument for your lawsuit.

Truck crash victims that have legal representation recover more financial compensation compared to those that do not hire a lawyer.

In most truck accident lawsuits, insurance companies are often involved. Our lawyers have a comprehensive knowledge of the automotive laws that are applicable in truck accident cases in Pennsylvania and we understand the tactics that insurance companies often use in the cases that they handle.

For example, a defense lawyer may argue that even though their client (the truck driver) was involved in the collision, he/she was not negligent in their actions. They may also argue that other circumstances contributed to the accident. This is important as proving negligence is often the basis of an injury lawsuit. Every argument that cannot be countered can have a significant effect on the amount of compensation that may be recovered for the person(s) that was injured.

We use our experience to help protect the rights of our clients and work towards our goal of holding negligent parties responsible for their actions, while also helping our customers to recover financial compensation to assist with the recovery – and post-recovery – process.

With more than 30 years of legal experience, our truck accident lawyers can assist you through the entire litigation process and answer all your questions. To have your case evaluated by one of our attorneys, fill out a Free Case Evaluation form – it’s strictly confidential.

Free Consultation. Ph: (717) 888-8888

How Much is My Case Worth?

There can be many different people and companies that contribute to the cause of a truck crash. For example, if a trucking company has not trained a driver correctly, and the driver causes a serious collision, the trucking company may be liable for some of the damages that were sustained in the crash.

As every case is unique, it can be difficult to provide an exact value of your claim without looking at the details of your specific incident. However, some of the following that may be included in the damages calculation:

  • Emergency medical care
  • Overnight hospital stays
  • Surgeries
  • Anesthesia
  • Prescription medication
  • Lost wages
  • Loss of your future earning capacity
  • Calculated cost of future medical care
  • Physical pain
  • Costs associated with any follow-up appointments that may be needed
  • Costs related to physical therapy or rehabilitation care
  • Diagnostic testing
  • Personal property damages
  • Emotional distress
  • Lost enjoyment of life
  • Loss of companionship

If you have questions about your potential lawsuit, it’s free to contact a lawyer at our firm and discuss the merits of your claim. If we determine that you have a case and you choose to hire us, there are no upfront fees and we only get paid when we obtain a recovery on your behalf.

Have Questions? We Can Help. Ph: (717) 888-8888.

Who Can Be Liable?

While some truck drivers are “owner-operators” where the driver of the truck also owns it, most commercially-operated vehicles are owned by haulage companies. These haulage companies often use other companies to assist with the servicing and maintenance of their vehicle fleet.

As we begin to build a truck accident case, we may research some of these details including:

  • The truck driver
  • The owner of the truck
  • The person/company responsible for training the driver
  • The owner of the trailer
  • The company that services the truck
  • Any leasing companies that may be involved
  • The manufacturer of the truck/trailer
  • Any companies that may have loaded the trailer

Our support staff can also help to obtain certain documents that may be used to support your damages claim including the information of any witnesses to the incident, the insurance and license information of the driver, the Police report (if available) and any other pieces of evidence that may be helpful to your case.

Is There a Time Limit To File a Case?

Yes. In the state of Pennsylvania, there is a two year statute of limitations for personal injury cases. This means that if you have been injured in a crash, you have two years from the date of the incident to file your lawsuit (Pennsylvania Statutes Section 42-5524).

However, in certain circumstances, that time frame may be brought forward or extended. If you are unsure or need some help to clarify information for your specific incident, we recommend you reach out to a lawyer at our firm today.

Free Consultation. Ph: (717) 888-8888.

How Do Truck Crashes Differ from Other Motor Vehicle Accidents?

The likelihood of suffering a severe, life-altering injury from a truck accident is significantly higher because of the size and weight of a commercial vehicle. Other differences that contribute to the complexity of a semi-trailer truck, prime mover, 18-wheeler or big rig accident claim stem from the many federal regulations that govern the trucking industry.

Additionally, there are potentially several liable parties and multiple types of evidence that can benefit your claim, if you know how to get it. That is why we recommend trusting your claim to one of our experienced truck accident lawyers.

Federal Regulations in the Trucking Industry

While truck drivers must adhere to state laws, like all other motorists, there are additional regulations set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) they must also follow. These regulations are intended to increase safety and to reduce the number of accidents. Our attorneys are well-versed in these regulations and how they may apply to your accident claim.

Gathering Evidence from the Truck Accident Scene

After a collision involving a commercial vehicle, insurance investigators will rush to get to the scene of the accident to gather important evidence. Preserving this evidence is crucial to insurers, because it may help them to reduce their policyholders’ liability and what they must pay out to any accident victim.

However, the opposite is also true. Your attorney will need to act quickly to obtain important crash scene evidence, such as the truck’s black box, before it is lost or destroyed.

Additional supporting evidence could include:

  • Pictures taken at the scene of the crash, including road debris, vehicle damage, weather conditions and more
  • Eyewitness statements from others who witnessed the crash
  • Police reports, including citations for traffic violations
  • Insurance crash report (which contains more detailed information from a trained investigator)
  • The driver’s daily logs, which include recorded on and off-duty time, inspection reports, service and repairs, and more.

Federal Truck Regulations to Reduce Drowsy Driving Crashes

Federal hours-on-duty rules are intended to regulate the number of hours a commercial driver can continue to operate his or her vehicle during a 24-hour time period. These regulations were implemented to help reduce the risk of a truck driver falling asleep at the wheel due to fatigue, and include:

  • Maximum of 11 hours behind the wheel in a 24-hour time period.
  • 10 consecutive off-duty hours in a 24-hour time frame.
  • No more than 14 hours of being on duty (driving or not driving) per day.
  • Drivers may not spend off-duty hours in the truck unless he or she is in a sleeper birth.
  • Drivers must take a 30-minute rest break after driving eight consecutive hours.
  • Drivers are restricted to no more than 60 hours during any 7-day period and 70 hours over an eight-day period. After reaching the limit, drivers must go off duty for a minimum of 34 consecutive hours.
  • Truck drivers must also adhere to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR) and log their status in 24-hour intervals. Logbooks may provide critical evidence in a truck accident case.

Following a Harrisburg truck accident, your attorney may subpoena the truck drivers daily log entries to determine whether any FMCSA regulation was violated, and whether that violation contributed to your crash.

Common Truck Accident Injuries

Due to the large size of commercial vehicles, most vehicles on the road can be seriously damaged when they are involved in a collision with a truck. Vehicle occupants and pedestrians can sustain life changing injuries that they may never fully recover from.

Some common injuries a victim may sustain in a truck crash include:

  • Bruises
  • Cuts & lacerations
  • Broken bones
  • Spinal cord damage
  • Traumatic brain injuries
  • Facial injuries
  • Eyesight damage

Having experienced, competent legal counsel to help protect your rights while you are recovering can be an important part of the recovery process. We welcome you or your family to contact our team of legal professionals today, to help determine if you have grounds to file a damages claim.

Contact a Harrisburg Truck Accident Lawyer

If you or someone that you love has been injured in a truck accident and you believe that the other driver was at fault, we welcome the opportunity to review the details of the incident.

It’s free to talk to a lawyer at our firm about your potential lawsuit and if you choose to hire us, we only get paid when we obtain a recovery on your behalf.

No Upfront Fees. Ph: (717) 888-8888.