Asheville Truck Accident Lawyer

Truck Accidents Are Devastating

Vehicular accidents are frightening, and those involving a truck can be downright traumatizing. As a result of the size and mass of commercial vehicles, accidents involving them often produce serious and permanent injuries and an uncertain future.

Were you seriously injured in a crash with a commercial truck, an 18-wheeler, or delivery truck in or around Asheville, North Carolina? If so, you are likely overwhelmed. Questions regarding your mounting medical bills, possible rehabilitation, and future lifestyle are a lot to handle. That’s when you can rely on the skillful legal representation of our truck accident lawyer. Lakota Denton is ready to answer your questions and to explain how he will fight for the compensation you deserve to cover the costs associated with your truck accident.

Regardless of the size of the truck or the location of the incident in North Carolina, you may be able to recover damages from the individual or organizations whose negligence caused your accident. That said, the process of determining liability, accounting for damages, and negotiating a settlement can be both complicated and very time-consuming. An experienced truck accident lawyer who knows the law can make what seems like an overwhelming process easy for you. Let Lakota Denton do the work while you focus on recovering from your injuries.

The Effects of a Truck Accident

Our Truck Accident Attorney in Asheville Shares Common Injury Information

Truck accidents can cause significant property damage, serious personal injury, and even death. Because of their size, when trucks hit automobiles, the driver and passengers in the car often suffer. Victims can be jolted inside their cars or even be ejected. A host of injuries can occur in a collision like this. Some of the more common include:

• Broken Bones
• Soft Tissue Injuries (Bruises and sprains)
• Traumatic Head Injuries
• Back and Spine Injuries
• Memory Issues

When these injuries are serious, treatment can be both extensive and costly. In addition to emergency medical services, victims may require surgery, medication, and physical therapy. Sometimes long-term care is necessary.

The cost for medical treatment and care for injuries suffered by those involved in truck accidents can be astronomical. You may be able to recover these costs, or a portion of them. Our Asheville truck accident lawyer can review your case and help you to pursue the settlement you deserve.

Frequently Asked Questions About Truck Accidents

Our Asheville Truck Accident Lawyer Has the Answers

It’s not surprising that those involved in truck collisions have many questions. Moving forward and negotiating for the compensation you deserve is a complicated process. While each person’s situation is unique and personal, some questions arise regularly. Below, our Asheville truck accident attorney has provided answers to some of those most frequently asked.

Working With a Truck Accident Attorney in Asheville

Why You Should Contact Asheville Truck Accident Lawyer Lakota Denton

Lakota Denton is a seasoned professional with a decade of experience representing clients in and around Asheville. With a focus on truck accidents and personal injury law, he has developed a reputation as an empathetic listener and a fierce negotiator and litigator.

An experienced Asheville truck accident lawyer, Lakota can help you through the confusing and overwhelming process of negotiation with an insurer to reach a settlement that is fair and reasonable.

Don’t let yourself be taken advantage of by an insurance adjuster for a trucking company. Having an attorney who will fight for what is reasonably owed to you can mean the difference between a fair resolution and an unfair outcome.

In addition to representing you in negotiations with the insurance adjuster, our truck accident attorney can speak to your medical providers and creditors about your medical bills so that you can focus on your health and recovery.

We work closely with some of the best personal injury attorneys in Asheville, North Carolina, and around the country, constantly striving to learn new strategies that increase the value of truck accident cases. Our goal is to ensure that our clients are treated fairly and reasonably by insurance companies.

About Truck Accidents

Truck Accident Cases Are Different from Car Accident Cases

While there are similarities in truck and auto accident cases, they are not identical and need to be managed appropriately. First and foremost, trucks are big. Did you know an 18-wheeler weighs 40 tons? That is 80,000 pounds!

Cars, on the other hand, weigh anywhere from 3,000 pounds (for a compact) to 6,500 (for a large SUV). The discrepancy in size is considerable. Consider the damage a truck can do to an automobile, particularly when accidents occur on a highway at a high rate of speed. When you are driving an automobile, an accident with a truck can be devastating.

Other things to consider include specific truck components. Unique braking systems and cargo securement may come into play in the case of an accident.  Finally, trucks operate under Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations and trucking companies are required to keep very specific records.

As an experienced truck accident attorney who understands these differences, Lakota Denton knows how they affect truck accident cases and can leverage this knowledge on your behalf.

Commercial trucking claims are handled differently than conventional car accident claims. There are usually several parties involved: the truck driver, the operator of the truck, and the company who hired the operator. You’ll have to deal with several insurance carriers, all of whom will do their best to reduce the amount that they have to pay to you.

Our truck accident attorney understands how truck accident cases are unique and will make sure to review all the details of your accident. Call our team today at 828-333-5996 to learn how we can help you.

Types of Truck Accidents

Our Asheville Truck Accident Lawyer Tailors His Strategy to the Type of Accident

There are several types of accidents caused by trucks, each of which can result in considerable property damage and significant injury. You can depend on Lakota Denton’s experience and skill to fight aggressively on your behalf. Lakota understands how different types of accidents may have different causes. He will thoroughly investigate your case to identify how negligence may have led to the accident. As a truck accident lawyer with a proven record of success, he will leave no stone unturned to ensure you get all the compensation you deserve.

Truck accidents are common in North Carolina, including in the Asheville area. Some types of these truck wrecks specifically include:

• Rollovers: A high center of gravity increases the chances of a rollover. When taking turns at high rates of speed or going too fast in windy weather, trucks may tip and roll.
• Cargo Spills: Trucks are used to ship goods from place to place. At times their cargo may not be appropriately contained and can spill. When this occurs on a road with other vehicles, the materials that fell from the truck can cause accidents.
• Jackknife: 18-wheel vehicles are comprised of a tractor and a trailer. Sometimes the tractor’s connection device malfunctions and the two parts separate. The resulting perpendicular position resembles that of a jackknife, hence the name.
• Override:This happens when a truck crashes into the back of a car. Because trucks are larger and higher, rear-end crashes can result in the truck’s driving on top of the vehicle it hit. Crashes like this often result in fatalities, particularly for those riding in the back seat.
• Underride: This is actually the reverse of an override. When a car collides with the rear of a truck it may, depending upon its size, become wedged under the body of the larger vehicle. These crashes can be fatal to the driver and passengers in the front seat of the car.
• Runaway Vehicles: Because trucks are so heavy, they can run out of control, especially if the truck driver loses control. While this can happen on a level highway, it is more common when traveling downhill.

The causes of these accidents can be attributed to several factors, many of which are the result of negligence.

Our Truck Accident Lawyer Explains the Role of Negligence

Understanding the Causes of Truck Accidents

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, “a total of 4,119 people died in large truck crashes in 2019. Sixteen percent of these deaths were truck occupants, 67 percent were occupants of cars and other passenger vehicles, and 15 percent were pedestrians, bicyclists, or motorcyclists.” Our truck accident lawyer understands the tragic outcome when a truck collides with a car or hits a pedestrian. That’s why Lakota Denton is committed to putting his legal skills to work fighting on behalf of his clients.

These numerous truck accidents were caused by a range of issues often based on negligent behavior by any number of players. These can include:

• Driving Under the Influence: Sadly, drugs and alcohol do play a role in many truck accidents. Commercial truck drivers are held to extremely strict standards. According to the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, any individual with a blood alcohol content of .08 immediately has their license revoked for 30 days. When the driver is operating a truck, the legal limit is .04.  The use of drugs or alcohol slows reactions and can cause serious accidents. When an accident is caused by a driver who is under the influence of alcohol or drugs, our truck accident attorney will gather evidence to prove negligence of the driver.
• Distracted Driving: Because they spend extended time away from home and on the road, it is not surprising that truck drivers tend to check their cell phones and tablets frequently, both for personal and professional reasons.
• Tired Driving: It’s common knowledge that commercial vehicle operators spend many hours on the road, often without necessary breaks. Financial incentives regarding delivery times often encourage drivers to “keep going” and not get the rest they so badly need. Exhaustion leads to slower reaction times and sometimes drivers even fall asleep at the wheel.
• Speeding: Regardless of the vehicle you are driving, speeding can result in a lack of control. Trucks, because of their size and high center of gravity, are even harder to manage.
• Aggressive Driving: Incentives in the form of compensation encourage drivers to get from point A to B as quickly as possible. To accomplish this, some drivers tend to be rather aggressive on the road. They follow other vehicles too closely (tailgate), pass inappropriately, and even neglect to use their turn signals.
• Health Issues: Federal regulations outline health issues that would prohibit an individual from driving a truck. These include but are not limited to insulin use, epilepsy, and certain levels of hearing and vision loss. There are exemptions available, but they must be formally obtained.

Truck driver negligence is obvious in most of the above causes. Our Asheville truck accident lawyer knows how to prove it. Lakota Denton’s skill and experience is well-known among insurance company representatives. When you have our team on your side, you will have a strong advocate who is a skillful negotiator and, when necessary, a strategic litigator.

Drivers aren’t the only parties who may be negligent. There are also several elements of a truck accident under the control of the trucking companies, such as:

• Cargo Issues: Improperly loading or storing cargo can result in a number of problems. Regulations govern the weight of loads and how it is secured. Violations of these rules can result in spills or roll-overs.
• Poor supervision: Truck drivers, like all employees, must follow specific rules and regulations. Ensuring that this is done is the responsibility of the companies for which they work. Companies should review performance, conduct drug tests, and provide safety education.
• Inadequate Equipment Maintenance: Trucks must be inspected regularly and have repairs made appropriately. Equipment failure can cause severe injury.

Contact Our Asheville Truck Accident Attorney in Asheville, NC, Today

Find a Compassionate Ally and a Fierce Protector of Your Rights in Lakota Denton

If you or someone you love was the victim of a truck accident, contact Lakota R. Denton for a free consultation. There are no fees if we don’t win your case. These complex accidents require a truck accident attorney who has the skill and knowledge to manage commercial trucking claims. We know that being involved in an accident with a commercial truck can affect every aspect of your life. You may owe thousands of dollars for damaged property and medical treatments when all is said and done.

Protect yourself and your assets by consulting with a truck accident lawyer who can put his knowledge and experience to work for you. Attorney Lakota R. Denton is here to help.

Call 828-333-5996 or email us today to determine a path forward in your claim. Our consultations are always free.

Client Testimonial

”My sweetheart recommended that I talk to Lakota after I was in a car accident. I was in a lot of pain and didn’t know what my rights were or where to start with negotiating with the insurance company. Lakota completely changed the way I feel about lawyers and I would recommend him to anyone and everyone. Our consultation was extremely helpful for me; he offered lots of valuable information for my case (things I never would have known) and helped me navigate with compassion, skill and ease. I was able to settle with the insurance company for a settlement the felt great thanks to Lakota’s help.” – Torey Jones (Google Review)