Baton Rouge Truck Accident Lawyer

Truck accidents can have life-changing consequences, leaving victims and their families dealing with serious injuries, financial strain, and emotional stress. The aftermath of a crash often involves complicated investigations, and making sure you have the right guidance is crucial. That’s where an experienced Baton Rouge truck accident lawyer can step in.

At Dué Guidry Andrews Courrege, we help clients navigate the aftermath of truck accidents with experience, care, and a commitment to achieving fair compensation. By focusing on protecting your rights, we hold negligent parties accountable and secure the resources you need to recover and move forward after a serious accident.

Truck Accident Lawyers You Can Count On

At Dué Guidry Andrews Courrege, our clients rely on us for a reason: we deliver results through dedicated, compassionate, and experienced legal representation. Our award-winning firm has built a reputation for successfully advocating for accident victims across Louisiana, recovering hundreds of millions of dollars in compensation to help clients rebuild their lives.

Scott Andrews, one of the partners at our firm, currently serves as President of the Louisiana Association for Justice, a prestigious position that highlights his dedication to advancing legal excellence and protecting victims’ rights. Alongside our other experienced partners, he brings in-depth knowledge and a hands-on, aggressive approach to every case.

We focus on each client’s unique situation, providing personalized attention and strategic guidance from the initial consultation to the resolution of the case. With a commitment to upholding victims’ rights and the relentless pursuit of justice, we make sure every client receives the advocacy they deserve.

Understanding Truck Accident Laws

Trucks moved almost 73% of the nation’s freight in 2022. This, coupled with over 168,000 truck accidents that same year and overloaded trucks accounting for 65% of all fatal traffic accidents, is no wonder that truck accidents are governed by a combination of rules and regulations at the state and federal levels that are designed to keep commercial vehicles and other drivers safe.

These rules cover areas like driver qualifications, vehicle maintenance, cargo safety, and the hours each driver should spend on the road.

Violations of these standards often play a major role when it comes to determining who’s at fault in a crash. A knowledgeable Baton Rouge truck accident attorney from our team can investigate any potential safety breaches or regulatory issues to build a strong case on your behalf so we can make sure that those responsible are held accountable.

Common Causes of Truck Accidents

Truck accidents can happen for many reasons, and knowing what often leads to these crashes can help you better understand your case. Commercial trucks are large, heavy, and operate under unique conditions, which makes certain risks more common. Some of the most common causes of truck accidents include:

• Driver fatigue. Long hours on the road often lead to drowsiness and slowed reaction times.
• Distracted driving. The use of cell phones or other in-cab distractions can result in catastrophic accidents.
• Mechanical failures. Caused by poorly maintained brakes, tires, or engines, which can result in dangerous failures.
• Overloaded or unsecured cargo. Can result in loads shifting around, which can destabilize trucks and cause rollovers.
• Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. It can significantly impair judgment and reaction time.
• Inadequate training. Unskilled or inexperienced drivers could struggle when safely handling large vehicles.

Recognizing these common causes is the first step in building a strong case for compensation. If you or a loved one has been involved in a truck accident, the attorneys at Dué Guidry Andrews Courrege can investigate every detail so that we can hold negligent parties accountable.

Who Can Be Held Liable in a Truck Accident Case

In a truck accident, responsibility doesn’t always fall on just the driver. Several parties could share liability, and knowing who they are is important when pursuing a strong claim. Some of the most common parties who could be held liable in a truck accident case include:

• The truck driver. Direct negligence can make the driver personally responsible.
• Trucking companies. Companies can be held liable for negligent hiring, inadequate training, or pressuring drivers to violate the hours-of-service regulations.
• Cargo loaders and shippers. Improperly loaded or unsecured cargo that causes the truck to become unstable can create liability for those responsible.
• Maintenance providers. Negligent repairs or poor maintenance that lead to equipment failure can result in liability.
• Truck or parts manufacturers. Defective brakes, tires, or other critical components can make manufacturers accountable under product liability laws.

Determining liability often requires a detailed investigation into each potential party, which is why the team at Dué Guidry Andrews Courrege works hard to identify all responsible parties and make sure that victims receive full and fair compensation for their injuries.

Proving Liability in a Truck Accident

Figuring out who’s responsible for a truck accident can be complicated, but it’s a critical part of getting the compensation you deserve. Our team of Baton Rouge truck accident attorneys carefully examines the circumstances surrounding the crash to connect negligence to the resulting injuries, and some common ways we prove liability include:

• Identifying all parties involved.
• Investigating driver negligence.
• Gathering evidence. Such as police reports, witness statements, photos of the scene, and black box data from the truck.
• Consulting experts. Such as accident reconstruction specialists, medical professionals, and trucking industry experts, who can help establish causation and damages.

Successfully proving liability requires careful attention to detail and a thorough investigation into all potential contributing factors. With the guidance and experience of the attorneys at Dué Guidry Andrews Courrege, victims of truck accidents can proceed with confidence knowing that every angle is explored.

Damages Available in Truck Accident Cases

After a truck accident, the impact on your life can include lost income, emotional stress, and long-term changes to your lifestyle. Understanding the types of damages you can pursue is important, and our Baton Rouge truck accident attorneys can help assess your losses. Some damages you could be entitled to include:

• Medical expenses. Including hospital bills, surgeries, medications, and ongoing rehabilitation.
• Lost wages and earning capacity. This is compensation for time missed from work and potential future income loss due to disability.
• Pain and suffering. These are non-economic damages for physical pain, emotional distress, and reduced quality of life.
• Property damage. Including costs to repair or replace your vehicle and personal property.
• Permanent disability or disfigurement. This is compensation for long-term injuries that impact your lifestyle and your ability to work.
• Wrongful death damages for surviving family members. Including funeral expenses and loss of financial support.

The team at Dué Guidry Andrews Courrege is committed to making sure our clients receive the compensation they deserve for every aspect of their recovery.

Hire a Truck Accident Lawyer

At Dué Guidry Andrews Courrege, we’re your local Baton Rouge truck accident attorneys, and our deep roots in the community give us a unique advantage when it comes to handling your case.

We understand the local court system and the tendencies of juries, which allows us to craft strategies that are tailored to your specific circumstances. Our familiarity with local courthouses, including the 19th Judicial District Court, Louisiana Middle District Court and the Louisiana First Circuit Court of Appeal, allows us to navigate filings, motions, and courtroom procedures with ease.

Choosing Dué Guidry Andrews Courrege means working with attorneys who know Baton Rouge inside and out; attorneys who are committed to securing the most favorable outcome possible for our clients.

FAQs

Q: What If the Truck Driver Were an Independent Contractor, Not an Employee?

A: Even if the truck driver is classified as an independent contractor, the trucking company could still be liable if it controlled any aspects of the driver’s work, provided the truck, or set unsafe delivery schedules. Courts look beyond labels to see how much control the company exerted. Our Baton Rouge truck accident attorneys can investigate contractual agreements, company policies, and FMCSA compliance records to identify all responsible parties.

Q: Can Black Box Data Be Altered or Destroyed After a Truck Crash?

A: Electronic logging devices and event data recorders can be overwritten or erased if they’re not quickly preserved. Federal law only requires trucking companies to retain some records for a limited time, so our team can immediately issue a spoliation letter to prevent the destruction of important evidence. Acting fast ensures that vital information is secured before it disappears, making early consultation with a truck accident lawyer essential.

Q: What Happens if a Trucking Company Is Based Outside of Louisiana?

A: Many trucking companies operate across multiple states. This means that even if the company’s headquarters are in another state, Louisiana courts often have jurisdiction if the accident happened here. Our Baton Rouge truck accident attorneys can file claims locally and coordinate with professionals in other jurisdictions when necessary. This prevents trucking companies from dodging responsibility by trying to move claims to less favorable courts.

Q: Can I Still Recover Compensation if I Was Partially at Fault?

A: You can still recover compensation if you were partially at fault, as long as you were not 51% or greater at fault. Louisiana follows a modified comparative fault system, which means you may be able to recover damages even if you were partially responsible for the crash. You are assigned a percentage of fault, and if that percentage is less than 51% any compensation awarded to you is then reduced by that percentage. Our team works hard to reduce the percentage of fault assigned to you, which can help maximize your recovery.

Baton Rouge Truck Accident Lawyer

Big Rigs cause serious injuries. Occupants of passenger cars involved in accidents with 18 Wheelers and other large commercial trucks are often seriously injured or killed because of the substantial size and weight difference between the big truck and the automobile. Big Rigs cause thousands of fatalities and over one hundred thousand injuries each year. Exceeding the speed limit and fatigue are the most common causes of collisions with commercial trucks, including 18-wheelers, tankers, dump trucks, panel vans, log trucks, and pulp wood trucks.

Many commercial vehicles are governed by special state and federal laws and regulations that vary depending on the size and weight of the tractor and trailer or tanker, on whether the Big Rig travels intrastate or interstate, and on whether the trailer or tanker hauls liquids or hazardous materials.

The experienced Baton Rouge, Louisiana, truck accident attorneys at Dué Guidry Andrews Courrege are knowledgeable about the federal and state laws and regulations applicable to the trucking industry and will leave no stone unturned when investigating compliance with licensing requirements, permits, hours of service rules, log books, post-accident drug and alcohol testing, and training and supervision.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a wreck with a Big Rig, it is important to remember that many commercial tractors or trucks are equipped with electronic event data recorders (EDR) or “black-boxes” that record accident data, including braking and speed prior to a collision. If this information is not downloaded immediately after an accident, the information can be overwritten and lost forever. Eighteen-wheeler accident victims should contact an experienced truck accident lawyer immediately following a collision with a Big Rig to protect their legal rights.

The Louisiana truck accident attorneys at Dué Guidry Andrews Courrege have collected millions of dollars for personal injury and wrongful death clients involved in 18-Wheeler accidents, including multiple cases involving rear-end collisions with defective ICC under-ride guards or bumpers.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured or killed in a wreck with a Big Rig, contact the experienced Baton Rouge, Louisiana, truck crash lawyers at Dué Guidry Andrews Courrege to schedule a consultation.