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West Chester, PA Truck Accident Lawyer

Commercial trucking accidents are unlike any type of accident on the road. Not only are they often much more dangerous and deadly, but they also often have different causes and involve heavier regulations and multiple liable parties. If you are involved in a trucking accident in West Chester, PA, it’s essential that you contact the expert big rig accident lawyers here at HoeyLegal right away.
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Why Choose HoeyLegal: The Best Big Rig Accident Lawyers in West Chester, PA

Here at HoeyLegal, we understand just how traumatizing dealing with the aftermath of an 18-wheeler accident can be. From managing the initial shock of the accident and recovering from injuries to dealing with medical bills, lost wages, and navigating the complex legal system, all of this is simply too difficult for anyone to handle on their own, but that’s where we come in. 

Our team of expert truck accident attorneys specializes in ensuring that West Chester, PA residents get the compensation that they deserve after an accident. We believe that everyone deserves the right to have their case heard, and we won’t stop until you get every penny of what you are owed. 

Whether it’s you or a loved one who was the recent victim of a big rig accident, here are just a few of the many reasons why you can trust HoeyLegal with your trucking accident case.

Understanding of West Chester's Unique Legal Landscape

While many assume that courts around the country are all the same, this isn’t quite true. Chester County, just like every other court in the country, has its own rules, regulations, and nuances that can greatly impact the outcome of your case.

Here at HoeyLegal, we have a deep understanding of the local legal landscape and can use this insider knowledge to your benefit. We’ve spent years developing relationships with local judges and court personnel, and we understand their preferences, filing protocols, and the subtle details that truly matter. All of this deep local expertise helps us ensure that your case moves smoothly and that we have the best chance of meeting your compensation goals.

Familiarity With Local Insurance Companies and Adjusters

Our local expertise doesn’t just stop at the court system. We also have decades of experience working with local insurance companies and adjusters. This allows us to anticipate their bargaining strategies and create a plan that we know will work from past experience. We know how these insurance companies work, can avoid common mistakes, and push back hard at whatever unacceptable low-ball offer they try to give you.

Knowledge of Local Roads, Traffic Patterns, and Accident Hotspots

Every trucking accident is different, which often means that even the smallest details can dramatically change the course of any court hearing or settlement negotiation. While other firms may overlook these details, West Chester is our home, and we drive on these same roads every day. We’re familiar with all the local roads and highways and have deep insight into where trucking accidents are more likely to happen and why. All of this specific local knowledge allows us to better visualize accidents, ask the right questions, and build stronger cases.

Personalized Representation and a Commitment to Our Community
Here at HoeyLegal, you’re much more than just another client to us. You’re our neighbor, and as a part of our West Chester community, we genuinely care about helping you recover. We’ll take the time to get to know you, your legal needs and compensation goals, and every detail of your case, and we’ll work tirelessly to ensure you get the maximum amount of compensation possible. We’re always here to be your trusted advocate, and we’ll stand by and fight for you until the very end.
Free Legal Consultations
Here at HoeyLegal, we believe that everyone should have the right to get expert legal advice to help them determine their best path forward. That’s why we offer free legal consultations to anyone who has been in a recent tractor-trailer accident in the West Chester, PA area. All you have to do is call or contact us online, and we’ll happily help you schedule a free consultation at a time that’s most convenient for you.
Proven Track Record of Success
At the end of the day, results are what really matter, and our proven track record of success speaks for itself. We’ve won tens of millions of dollars for our trucking accident clients over the years, and we’ll do everything we can to ensure that your case is our next big win. No matter the specific details of your case, you can trust that we have what it takes to win your case and get you the compensation that you deserve.

Why West Chester, PA Semi-Truck Accidents Happen

Big rig accidents can happen for a number of different reasons, all of which can have varying consequences for your specific case. Whether you have been in a recent accident or simply want to know more about how these trucking accidents happen, here is everything you need to know.

Driver Negligence and Fatigue

Mechanical failures, including brake failures, steering malfunctions, tire blowouts, and trailer attachment issues, are all common occurrences that can cause serious accidents. While there are plenty of cases where these mechanical failures happen suddenly and unexpectedly, oftentimes, these failures are due to a lack of required maintenance or frequent inspections. In these cases, liability could extend beyond the driver and include trucking companies, maintenance providers, or even manufacturers of faulty parts. 

Driver negligence refers to a failure to exercise reasonable care while operating a vehicle, which can lead to dangerous or even deadly consequences on the road. In the context of trucking, negligence may include behaviors such as speeding, distracted driving, fatigue, improper lane changes, or failing to inspect and maintain the truck properly. Because commercial trucks are large and heavy, even a minor error can result in a serious accident. When a truck driver is negligent, the consequences can include multi-vehicle collisions, rollover crashes, or jackknifing, often causing significant injury or damage to others on the road. 

Improper Loading of Cargo

The cargo loading process also plays a key role in trucking safety. Overloaded trucks and cargo that isn’t strapped down properly or evenly distributed can easily cause a truck to tip over or take much too long to stop. Again, this is a case where liability can extend beyond the driver, leaving shipping companies and warehouse personnel liable as well.

Dangerous Road Conditions

Road conditions can change in an instant, especially when it comes to weather. Surprise storms and black ice can cause a truck driver to lose control of their truck in an instant, and even things like potholes and construction zones can cause further hazards that increase the likelihood of a crash. While many of these conditions are outside of the driver’s control, there is an expectation that a driver should exercise a reasonable amount of caution to match the driving conditions.

What to Do After a West Chester, PA Tractor Trailer Accident

If you are involved in a trucking accident, it’s crucial that you know exactly what to do in response. Dealing with the initial trauma can be a nearly impossible task by itself, but what you do in the immediate aftermath does have the potential to make or break your case. Here is what you need to know.
Get to Safety
Ensuring your own safety is always the first priority after an accident. If you are able to, you need to move to a safe location and call 911 immediately. This will help ensure that you or anyone else involved in the accident will receive the medical attention they need while the police file an official report.
Don't Speak to Insurance Adjusters
There’s a reason that people tell you to never talk to anyone without a lawyer. Insurance companies often try to get you to say something that they could use against you, whether it’s an admission of fault or anything that they could use to lessen their client’s liability. No matter what you do, don’t speak to any insurance adjusters without talking to an attorney first.
Seek Medical Attention
Even if you think you feel fine, you should still seek out further medical attention in the aftermath of a trucking accident. Injuries like concussions and other internal trauma might not present symptoms immediately, but can still pose plenty of danger or delayed consequences in the long term. This is also another important step when it comes to investigating your claims, as having official documentation of a medical examination could potentially serve as critical evidence during settlement negotiations.
Document the Scene of the Accident
Once you know that you are safe, you need to do the best you can to document the scene of the accident. This is a crucial step that can provide a ton of critical evidence that you’ll need to be able to reference once you file your claim. Be sure to take plenty of photos of your vehicle, the truck, the road around the accident, and your injuries, and try to get the contact information of anyone who was a part of the accident or witnessed it firsthand.
Contact a West Chester, PA Big Rig Accident Lawyer

The last thing that you need to do after a trucking accident is to contact the expert West Chester, PA big rig accident lawyers here at HoeyLegal. The sooner you contact us, the more time we have to build your case, provide legal advice, and maximize your compensation, so there’s no reason to wait. Contact HoeyLegal as soon as possible. 

The Process of Filing a Truck Accident Claim

While every trucking accident is unique, the process of filing a claim generally follows the same steps. Once you contact us, we’ll file all the necessary paperwork, and then move on with the following steps. 

  • Evidence Gathering: During this stage, we will gather all the evidence we can, including all the pictures and documentation that you have from the scene of the accident and your medical examination. We’ll also contact witnesses and take note of everything that they have to say about the accident.
  • Identifying Liable Parties: We will then analyze all the evidence and documentation to identify any and all liable parties.
  • Negotiating with Insurance Companies: Then, we will employ all of our local expertise to negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf. This is usually where the process ends, but if they do not offer a favorable settlement, we’ll have no problem taking them to court. 
  • Taking the Claim to Court: If negotiations fail, we will then take your case to court, and argue your case in front of a judge or jury, ensuring that you get every penny of the compensation that you deserve.

What Compensation to Expect After a Big Rig Accident

There are essentially three different types of compensation that you may get after filing a trucking accident claim. While there’s no way to predict exactly how much compensation you should get without knowing all the specifics of your claim, understanding more about the different types of damages you may receive may help you make an educated guess. The three types of damages you may receive are:

  • Economic Damages: This type of damage compensates you for financial losses, including medical bills, property damage, lost wages, and any future costs that may result from the accident
  • Non-Economic Damages: This type of damage compensates you for emotional, psychological, and physical pain as well as any reduction in quality of life that comes as a result of the accident. 
  • Punitive Damages: Punitive damages are extremely rare and are meant to punish the liable party for especially egregious, negligent, or malicious behavior. This also serves as a deterrent, so that others will not act similarly in the future.
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Contact HoeyLegal Today

Are you a recent victim of a commercial trucking accident? Are you looking for West Chester, PA big rig accident lawyers that you can trust to get you the compensation that you deserve? Give us a call.

Our expert team of West Chester, Pennsylvania truck accident attorneys is always here to answer your questions, and we’ll happily tell you more about how we can help you maximize your compensation. We’ll even help you schedule a free legal consultation so that you can get the expert legal advice you need without having to worry about paying anything up front. 

Don’t wait to file your claim. Contact HoeyLegal and get the expert Chester County tractor-trailer accident lawyer you need to win your case today!

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Distracted Driving

Pennsylvania defines distracted driving as “an activity that could divert a person’s attention away from the primary task of driving.” Drivers have to focus on driving, so they can react to the information on the road, such as road conditions, hazards and other drivers. Distracted drivers do not react appropriately and thus put others at risk for severe injury or death. Examples of distractions, besides using cell phones and texting, include drinking, eating, adjusting the radio, adjusting climate controls, adjusting seats, combing hair, putting on make-up, daydreaming, reaching for dropped items, engaging in heavy conversations, and focusing on events outside of the car.

Driving Under the Influence

Driving under the influence typically refers to alcohol use, but drug use can also impair drivers and cause severe car accidents.  In either situation, enjoying cocktails at happy hour, celebrating with drugs or alcohol, drinking too much wine for dinner and unwinding after a long week at work results in too many motorists driving under the influence.  Controlled substances impact each person differently, making it common for someone to misjudge his or her level of impairment.  These poor judgments can lead to severe and sometimes fatal car accidents.

Driver Fatigue

Driving without enough sleep is commonplace for many in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and across the nation. Truck drivers, shift workers, and those with sleep disorders are most vulnerable to causing an accident because they are drowsy or fatigued. Not having enough rest slows down reaction time and impairs the senses. In fact, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) claims that eighteen (18) hours without sleep impairs a driver to the same extent as someone who has a 0.08 blood or breath alcohol concentration after consuming alcohol.

Speeding

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that one-third of all car accidents involve speeding. Drivers who rush, run late, or simply lack patience may choose to speed when they get behind the wheel. Speeding makes it more likely that a driver will lose control of his or her vehicle and makes it more difficult to react to road hazards and other vehicles. Speeding also increases the impact of a car accident and makes it far less likely that a negligent driver may maintain control of his vehicle sufficient to prevent a collision. High speed car accidents make it far more likely that those involved will suffer severe injuries or death.

OBTAIN NECESSARY COURT ORDERS TO PRESERVE EVIDENCE

At HoeyLegal, we know from our litigation experience that tractor-trailer drivers often operate at least one cellular phone which is in use at, during, or immediately prior to a tractor-trailer accident. Additionally, most tractor-trailers are equipped with data recorders which capture, in real-time, important vehicle operation events including speed, hard braking and other evasive maneuvers taken by the operator and the tractor-trailer.  It is imperative that this evidence be obtained before it is destroyed.  At HoeyLegal, our trial attorneys will obtain any necessary court order to preserve this evidence for trial.

IDENTIFY ALL AT-FAULT DEFENDANTS

Oftentimes, there are several defendants responsible for the tractor-trailer accident. In most cases, at least two defendants are responsible for the ownership and operation of the tractor-trailer.  There may be additional defendants responsible for the hiring and retention of the tractor-trailer driver.  At HoeyLegal, our investigators will promptly identify the responsible defendants and immediately request the preservation of all evidence related to the hiring and retention of the driver, inspection of the vehicles and the supervision and drug/alcohol testing of the vehicle operator.

LOCATE, EXAMINE AND INSPECT THE TRACTOR-TRAILER

Our accident investigators include mechanics who will immediately respond to the accident site and the location where the truck has been impounded in order to photograph the truck and conduct necessary mechanical inspections of the vehicle. In the event that a court order is necessary to examine and inspect the trucks, HoeyLegal Attorneys will promptly file the necessary motions to enable the HoeyLegal mechanics and inspectors to conduct a prompt evaluation of the mechanical function of the at-fault tractor-trailer

ACCIDENT RECONSTRUCTION

Our expert accident investigators include former Pennsylvania State Police accident investigators and nationally recognized engineers who will carefully photograph the accident scene and conduct all necessary measurements of skid marks, yaw marks, displacement of debris and thoroughly examine the accident site to preserve all evidence for the time of trial.

INTERVIEW ALL WITNESS

Our investigators will promptly interview and record all witnesses that observed the accident and collect all biographical information from the witnesses so they will available to testify on your behalf at trial.

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