Commercial vehicle accident lawyer in Kentucky

Accident victims in Kentucky can pursue compensation for various damages

Semi trucks, tractor-trailers, and other types of large vehicles such as delivery trucks and vans cause severe bodily injuries, property damage, and even death when they collide with occupants in smaller vehicles due to their large size and heavy loads. Depending on the severity of a victim’s injuries, other damages and symptoms may follow as a result of their physical and mental limitations caused by the wreck.

Our Kentucky truck accident team of professionals can evaluate your injuries and will pursue every injury and category of damages you are entitled to claim compensation for, such as:

• Medical bills
• Vehicle repair costs and other property damage costs
• Cash value of your vehicle if it was totaled in the accident
• Lost wages due to your injuries putting you out of work, including lost benefits
• Reduced earning potential if your injuries affect your ability to perform regular work tasks or require you to stop working
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress, including psychological trauma from the accident
• Disability and disfigurement

Evaluating the accident and your injuries as the insurance company views it allows us to reach a fair estimate of how much your case is worth. This estimate is important because a plaintiff cannot pursue additional compensation once their case settles, even if new damages occur.

When a commercial vehicle accident caused someone to die

If you have lost a family member  in a truck or commercial vehicle accident, you may be eligible to file a wrongful death claim or lawsuit and pursue damages, such as:

• Loss of consortium
• Loss of your loved one’s financial support to the family
• Loss of your loved one’s affection and guidance
• Costs for funeral arrangements and type of services (e.g., burial or cremation services)

When you work with our dedicated personal injury lawyer at the Morrin Law Office, we do everything in our power to bring you some comfort, convenience, and guidance during this very difficult time in your life. We can manage the case and update you as new developments occur, and we are always here to provide legal advice as you navigate dealing with insurance companies, funeral expenses, medical bills, and medical liens.

Liability can fall on multiple parties when commercial vehicles are involved

Kentucky companies are liable for the actions of their employees while they are working. This principle is referred to as “vicarious liability.” As such, one of our first concerns will be identifying which trucking or commercial vehicle company employs the driver who caused the truck accident.

However, other parties could be named if their actions contributed to the cause of the accident. For example, the following parties may be named in your trucking injury case:

• The commercial vehicle driver
• The company that employs the at-fault driver
• The maintenance company that last worked on the at-fault vehicle
• The manufacturer of the at-fault vehicle or one of its parts
• A local municipality that governs the conditions of the road where the accident took place
• A third-party driver who caused the collision to occur

Our truck accident lawyer will have a separate investigation from the police conducted to identify all potentially liable parties involved in the case.

Kentucky sets a time limit on how long you have to file an injury lawsuit

Many clients opt to file an insurance accident claim to avoid going to court with the opposing party. However, in some cases, negotiating a settlement deal may not be possible, due to policy limits or unreasonable insurance adjusters.

If negotiations come to a standstill for the case, our commercial vehicle accident lawyer is prepared to file a personal injury lawsuit on your behalf and continue the legal fight in a trial setting. However, for this option, you must submit a lawsuit within one year of the accident, according to Ky. Rev. Stat. § 413.140. For wrongful death cases, the deadline is set at one year from the victim’s death or within one year from the appointment of the representative or administrator of the estate, per Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 413.180.

Failure to submit the case within this timeframe could lead to:

• Your lawsuit being dismissed by a judge
• The opposing party being absolved of liability for your damages
• You losing the opportunity to collect compensation to cover your damages

Our legal team will identify the filing deadline when we start building your case. Doing so will allow us to assess whether it is worth continuing to negotiate a settlement or if we should file a legal complaint on your behalf with the appropriate Kentucky court before it’s too late.