Merrillville Truck Accident Lawyers
Helping you recover full compensation for claims arising out of crashes
What Should I Do After a Truck Accident in Merrillville, Indiana?
If you have been injured in a truck accident, you might wonder what to do next. Indiana law governs the steps you and the truck driver must take after an accident involving injuries or deaths, but the steps you take after you follow the law can impact your rights and your ability to make a personal injury claim following a truck accident injury. We’ll review next the steps you and the truck driver must follow under the law following a truck accident, but if you want to go deeper and learn more about your rights after a truck accident, it’s always a good idea to speak to a truck accident lawyer in Merrillville, Indiana at Marshall P. Whalley & Associates. Our semi-truck accident attorneys can review your case, help you understand your rights, and assist you with taking the next legal steps.
What are drivers and truck drivers required to do under the law following a truck accident in Merrillville, Indiana? Here are some initial steps that you should always take under Indiana law:
- Under Indiana law, Indiana Code Title 9, Motor Vehicles, 9-26-1-1, drivers must stop after an accident “in a manner that does not obstruct traffic more than is necessary.” No driver involved in an accident is permitted to leave the scene until all parties have been able to exchange driver’s license information and vehicle registration.
- Render Aid. If people have been hurt, call 911 and follow the instructions provided by medical personnel. Under Indiana law, Indiana Code Title 9, Motor Vehicles, 9-26-1-1, police officers, medical personnel, or 911 must be contacted if anyone is injured, killed, or entrapped due to a motor vehicle accident.
- Seek medical care. If you have been hurt, or believe you might be hurt, seek medical attention and follow the directions and instructions of medical providers. Seek proper follow-up care if you are advised to do so.
These are the steps that you must take under Indiana law, and to protect personal and public safety. Yet, there are additional steps you may need to take to protect your legal and personal rights. Here are some additional steps you may need to take:
- Let your insurance company know you’ve been involved in a truck accident.
- Get copies of the police report from the accident scene and keep any copies of medical diagnosis, bills, and medical records.
- Contact a truck accident lawyer in Merrillville, Indiana. A truck accident lawyer can help you and your family seek compensation for your injuries and other losses. In the aftermath of a truck accident, there is a lot of information to keep track of. Healing and recovery is never easy especially if it means many doctors’ appointments or rehabilitation. If you have been unable to return to work, you and your family might be struggling with unpaid medical bills or struggling to make ends meet. The truck accident lawyers in Merrillville, Indiana at Marshall P. Whalley & Associates can help you take the next steps. We can negotiate with insurance companies to help you and your family get the maximum possible settlement permitted under the law, we can identify negligent companies and drivers, and hold them accountable.
If you have been injured in a truck accident, you may only have a limited time to make a claim and protect your rights. It can take some time to investigate a truck accident claim and build a strong case. Contact the truck accident lawyers in Merrillville, Indiana at Marshall P. Whalley & Associates as soon as possible to learn more about your rights and begin taking the next steps.
What Do I Need to Know About Insurance After a Truck Accident in Merrillville, Indiana?
If you’ve been hurt in a truck accident in Merrillville, Indiana, there are some important things you might want to keep in mind about the truck accident insurance claims process. As semi-truck accident lawyers in Merrillville, Indiana, Marshall P. Whalley & Associates see it all. Here are some key tips we offer to individuals who have recently been involved in a truck accident:
- The first settlement you might be offered by the truck insurance company or even your own insurance company might not be the full amount you might be entitled to receive. If you’ve been seriously injured in a truck accident, the initial settlement amount might appear quite significant. But without knowing what your truck accident claim might be worth, you could be at risk of settling for less than you might be entitled to receive.
- Estimating the value of a truck accident claim goes far beyond medical expenses and can often be quite complex. Your truck accident lawyer will need to look at lost wages, and the seriousness of your injury. If you are unable to return to work, you might be entitled to receive money to cover future lost wages. And if your injury is severe, you might be entitled to receive money to cover ongoing care related to your injury.
- Truck companies are governed by federal and state laws, which means there are many more ways they could potentially be found negligent after an accident. Never accept blame following a truck accident. Leave the blame-finding and discovery to your insurance adjusters and truck accident lawyer. Your insurance adjusters and truck accident lawyer can investigate your case to see whether hours of service laws were violated, whether the truck was overloaded, or whether maintenance issues or defects might have resulted in your accident. Truck companies might also have a responsibility to vet their drivers. If the truck driver had a poor driving history that wasn’t flagged by the company, this could also impact your case.
These are just some of the complexities that can arise with a truck accident claim. A truck accident lawyer in Merrillville, Indiana at Marshall P. Whalley & Associates can review your case and protect your rights. If you have questions, reach out to our truck accident attorneys in Merrillville, Indiana at Marshall P. Whalley & Associates today.
Accomplished Merrillville, Indiana Truck Accident Lawyers and Attorneys Assist Injured Victims
If you’re in the path of a jackknifed tractor-trailer, the results can be devastating. Fighting powerful insurance companies for the compensation you’re entitled to can make a bad situation even worse. That’s why, for more than 30 years, Marshall P. Whalley & Associates, PC has stood up for the people of Indiana injured in truck accidents, working diligently to assert their rights. We provide personalized service that addresses your immediate and long-term needs as you work to recover your health and lifestyle.
Handling a wide variety of commercial vehicle cases throughout Merrillville, Indiana
In a crash, the size mismatch between trucks and other vehicles often results in serious orthopedic injuries, brain damage or even death. With so much at stake, you need an attorney with specific truck accident experience who knows what it takes to prove negligence on the part of drivers or truck companies. Our Crown Point vehicle accident attorneys have successfully settled and tried cases arising from a number of different collision scenarios:
- Blind-spot collision — Long trucks have lengthy blind spots. Passenger car drivers have got to be aware that if they cannot see the truck’s side-view mirror, the truck driver cannot see them. Motorists who squat in a truck’s blind spot, especially when the turn signals start flashing, are inviting tragedy.
- Jackknife — The sudden braking of a truck tractor can cause the trailer to flare out to the side so that the rig bends, one end closing on the other, like a pocket knife.
- Rollover — In high winds, and especially on tight turns, a poorly loaded truck that does not have sufficient balance can tip over, crushing vehicles alongside it and blocking adjacent lanes.
- Rear-end collision — The majority of two-vehicle truck accidents that occur are rear-end accidents. The most severe of these involve a car so low to the ground that its front end passes under the rear of the trailer.
- Wide-turn collision — Big-rigs need more than one lane to turn safely. Passenger cars that attempt to pass while a truck is turning can easily be crushed.
- Tire blowout — A blown tire can make the rig nearly impossible to control, while the massive tire presents a hazard to other vehicles.
- T-bone — A side-impact accident is potentially deadly, especially if a car passes below the undercarriage of a truck. Bumpers and crumple zones are useless, so the top of the cabin can be easily crushed.
- Lost load — When a load is not secure, there’s a real danger that flying debris might impact another vehicle.
- Toxic exposure — Trucks carrying caustic chemicals pose a secondary danger after a collision: release of the chemicals can be deadly to anyone in close vicinity.
In 2014, accidents like these increased by 22 percent statewide. At Marshall P. Whalley & Associates, we want you to have the peace of mind that comes when you know your attorney or lawyer is fully engaged and cares about your outcome. That’s why we are in frequent contact with you throughout the entire legal process.
- Trucking Accidents Verdicts & Settlements
- Wrongful Death of Good Samaritan—$5 Million
- Failure to Yield—$6.8 Million
- Speeding Semi-Truck Stop Fatality—$2 Million
- Semi Crash—$1 Million
- Rear End Crash—$1.25 Million
Get committed legal assistance in Indiana for your truck accident case
The experienced attorneys and lawyers at Marshall P. Whalley & Associates, PC know how to manage truck accident litigation, and we do it without upfront costs to you. We work on a contingency fee basis, so you only pay after we obtain compensation through a settlement or verdict. To schedule a free initial consultation and case evaluation at our Crown Point office, please call 219.769.2900 or contact us online.
