Car-Truck Accidents

If you travel on major roads, you may notice a rise in the number of commercial trucks driving alongside you. The increase in trucks on the road unfortunately means a higher risk of car accidents involving trucks. While car-truck accidents are still relatively uncommon, the injuries and damages caused by a car accident with a truck can be substantially more devastating than in a typical car accident. If you or someone you love was involved in a car accident with a truck that was caused by someone else’s negligence, you should consult an attorney proficient in pursuing damages in car accident cases so that your case is properly handled. The New Hampshire car accident lawyers at Peter Thompson and Associates have over 60 years of collective experience assisting injured New Hampshire residents in seeking the damages to which they are entitled following a car accident.

Car accidents involving trucks are often more complicated than other car accidents. The basis for imposing liability is the same in a car accident involving a truck as in other car accidents, meaning that in most cases you must prove negligence on behalf of the defendant to recover damages. Under New Hampshire law, a person alleging negligence must show that another party owed them a duty of care, the duty was breached, and the breached duty resulted in the accident and the person’s harm.

Car accidents with trucks are different from standard car accident cases, however, in that your attorney may be able to recover damages from the driver’s employer as well. If the driver was acting in the scope of his or her employment at the time of the accident, the employer may be held vicariously liable for the driver’s negligent actions. Additionally, if the employer knew or should have known that the driver was unfit to operate the truck, the employer may be held directly liable for negligent hiring or negligent entrustment. If the truck suffered a mechanical failure or had defective parts that caused the accident, you may also be able to pursue a claim against the entity that serviced or provided parts for the truck.

Discovery is an essential part of proving negligence in a case involving a car accident with a truck. Federal regulations set forth strict parameters regarding how many hours a truck driver can safely drive in a set period of time, as well as other rules regarding the safe maintenance and operation of commercial trucks. Indicators that a truck driver violated any of the federal regulations are strong evidence that the driver was not operating the truck in a safe and reasonable manner. Most commercial trucks have electronic logging devices that record driving activity, which can be recovered to determine how many hours a driver logged in the days and weeks prior to the accident.

Car-truck accidents can result in life-altering injuries, including fractures, crushing injuries, brain injuries, organ failure, and lacerations. Truck accidents can cause significant psychological harm as well. In addition to physical injuries, truck accidents also generally cause substantial property damage. If you suffered injuries due to a truck accident, you may be entitled to recover the cost of any medical treatment and any damages for wages lost if you were unable to work following the accident. You may also be entitled to recover damages for the pain and suffering caused by the accident, as well as the cost to repair any property damaged in the accident.

Truck drivers provide important services, but if they negligently harm other people on the road, they should be held accountable. If you or a loved one sustained injuries in a trucking accident, you may be entitled to damages for your injuries. At Peter Thompson and Associates, our attorneys can work hard on your behalf to help you pursue the full amount of damages that you are owed. We pride ourselves on being aggressive advocates for our clients, and our skill in navigating New Hampshire car accident cases has allowed us to sustain a high success rate and a record of favorable results. We have offices in Bedford, Nashua, Portsmouth, and Manchester, and we assist injured people throughout New Hampshire. Contact us at 800.804.2004 or via our online form to schedule a free consultation.