Cheyenne Truck Accident Lawyer

A serious truck accident can forever change the lives of victims and their families. Trucks’ immense size, heavy cargo, limited visibility, and the speeds they travel make them a severe hazard to those who are forced to share the road with them. Crash victims can be left with skyrocketing medical expenses, an inability to work, and immense pain.

Cheyenne truck accident attorney Sean Olson has years of experience helping crash victims and their families demand full and fair compensation from powerful trucking insurance companies. He knows how complex truck accident claims can be, and his team has the skills and resources to thoroughly investigate and handle these tough cases.

If you have been seriously hurt or lost a family member in a truck accident that was caused by someone else’s negligence, Olson Personal Injury Lawyers is here to help. Our firm provides an unwavering client experience and has built a track record of outstanding results for truck accident victims. Sean will meet with you personally to talk about your case and answer any questions you have. Please call (307) 317-6779 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.

Why Cheyenne WY Truck Accident Claims Are More Complicated

You would think that filing a personal injury claim for compensation after a truck accident would be the same as after a car accident. That is far from the truth. Pursuing payment for your truck accident injuries can be a frustrating and stressful process, with the trucking and insurance companies fighting you every step of the way.

Some of the factors that make these types of claims more difficult (and call for the help of a skilled attorney) include:

• Complexity of securing evidence. Truck accidents require an in-depth examination of evidence critical to the case, such as driver logbooks, driver records, and maintenance records on the truck. Trucking companies must keep detailed records for specific periods of time, but they are then free to destroy the records after the set time has passed. Individual logbook entries or other records could also be falsified, and the wrecked truck may be quickly disposed of.
• Layers of insurance with high policy limits. Another notable difference with a commercial truck accident is that the trucking company is required by law to maintain insurance that has far higher policy limits than the standard passenger vehicle. The result of these higher limits is that people may be able to obtain much larger awards for catastrophic injuries than they would receive in a traditional car crash claim where policy limits cap their actual recovery amount. Some cases can involve multiple insurance policies, and these can become complicated very quickly when a person is dealing with claims adjusters in various states.
• A web of federal regulations. Commercial trucks also need to comply with strict federal regulations, so you are going to want to know if your accident involved some violation of federal law. Truck drivers have mandatory limits on the number of hours they are allowed to drive in a day and week. Also, the trucks themselves must be regularly maintained according to federal regulations, and failure to comply with any of these rules could be considered negligent.

At the Olson Personal Injury Lawyers, our knowledgeable Cheyenne truck accident lawyer has successfully handled complex truck accident cases throughout Wyoming. Sean knows what it takes to go head to head with large trucking companies, and he is prepared to go to battle for you.

Who Can Be Held Liable After a Truck Accident in Cheyenne?

A commercial truck wreck is different from the average car accident because they often result in catastrophic injuries and extensive property damage. In addition, unlike your usual fender bender where one driver or the other is the only liable party, it is possible for several different parties to be responsible for a truck accident. Some of the various parties that could share liability include:

Multiple liable parties are relatively common in truck accidents because many drivers are independent contractors who don’t own the vehicle they are driving. Additionally, one company may own the tractor while another owns the trailer or the cargo inside.

Our experienced truck accident lawyer in Cheyenne will thoroughly investigate your accident to identify all potentially liable parties and sources of compensation for you.

How Our Truck Accident Attorney in Cheyenne Can Help

Attorney Sean Olson aggressively represents clients who have been hurt in truck accidents in Cheyenne, Wyoming. You can trust Olson Personal Injury Lawyers to manage all the details of your case and take that burden off you, so you can focus on your physical and emotional recovery.

• Sean and his team will conduct a thorough investigation of the crash and gather all the evidence needed to prove negligence.
• He will work hard to identify any party that might share liability for the crash and holds them fully accountable for the harm they’ve caused you.
• Sean’s caring team will also be able to assist you in making sure that you are receiving all of the medical care that you need.
• Sean will deal with the insurance companies on your behalf and work toward a just truck accident settlement that covers every single expense you are facing or will be facing down the line related to your injury.
• If an insurer does not present a settlement offer that takes into account your current and future financial needs, Sean will file a truck accident lawsuit and show a jury why you deserve maximum compensation.

Evidence We May Use in a Truck Accident Claim

Always make sure you contact law enforcement to have a police report completed for your crash. A police report will become an essential piece of evidence, especially if the truck driver was issued a citation for a traffic violation that caused the crash.

Some of the other kinds of evidence in a truck accident case will be the result of an investigation, possibly including:

You should know that one of the most vital pieces of evidence is something you can collect yourself at the scene of your crash. Use your smartphone (if you have one) to take as many pictures as possible of everything involved in the crash.

Pictures can be invaluable to a personal injury attorney, especially when you have a variety of pictures from different angles and distances. Photos can capture many elements of an accident before they are cleaned up and the evidence disappears.

You can also do yourself a favor by keeping a journal that chronicles your life after your accident. By writing all of this information down with dates, you will be able to easily recall certain facets of your experience that may become more difficult to remember over time.

Damages in a Truck Accident Claim

Truck accidents can often leave victims in a very precarious financial position. Serious injuries can require weeks, months, or even years of follow-up medical care, and some people are unable to return to work because of the nature of their injuries.

Settlements are typically supposed to provide for all of the damages a victim has incurred or will incur. When a truck accident case goes to trial, the plaintiff could be awarded compensatory damages, which are a combination of economic damages and non-economic damages.

Economic damages include actual, calculable financial losses like:

• Past and future medical expenses
• Lost wages
• Reduction in future income
• Repair or replacement of your vehicle or damaged personal property
• Travel expenses for treatment
• Modifications to your home for the accommodation of disabilities

Noneconomic damages are not quantifiable, usually including awards such as:

• Pain and suffering
• Post-traumatic stress
• Loss of enjoyment of life

An extremely limited number of cases could also result in punitive damages (also known as exemplary damages or vindictive damages) being awarded. These are intended to punish the at-fault party.

Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Cheyenne

Although truck drivers are commonly at fault for semi-truck accidents, there may be other factors that lead to a crash. Some drivers are unable to control their trucks because of mechanical issues or improperly loaded cargo, for example.

Some of the common causes of 18-wheeler accidents include, but are not limited to:

To avoid liability (and therefore, having to pay for an injury claim), trucking companies or their insurance representatives may try to place the blame on the victim for the accident. They will look to deny or diminish your claim to save themselves money. This is why it is crucial to hire a truck accident attorney in Cheyenne who has dealt with these companies before and who knows how to fight back against their tactics.

Catastrophic Injuries Caused by Truck Accidents in Cheyenne, WY

Very few people walk away from truck accidents unharmed. In most cases, victims suffer injuries that involve a very long recovery. In severe cases, the individual may never fully recover or the injuries may result in death.

Some injuries restrict not only a person’s ability to work, but also their basic ability to care for themselves. Such victims may need 24-hour full-time assistance with all of their daily functions.

Some of the injuries our clients struggle with after a truck accident include:

Families who have lost a loved one to catastrophic truck accident injuries may still be able to demand justice through a wrongful death lawsuit. Please do not hesitate to reach out to Sean Olson today to learn about all your legal options for financial recovery after a crash.

Cheyenne, Wyoming Truck Accident Statistics

The Wyoming Department of Transportation reported that in Wyoming in 2018, there were:

• 21 fatal crashes causing 23 fatalities
• 287 injury crashes causing 400 injuries
• 1,088 property damage only (PDO) crashes involving medium (10,000 pounds up to 26,000 pounds) and large (more than 26,000 pounds) trucks

Truck Accidents on Wyoming Interstates

• In January 2017, KING-FM reported that there was an accident involving semi-trucks on Interstate 80 on average every other day.
• Trucks have been involved in more than 4,000 accidents on I-70 over the past 20 years.
• Interstate 25 had just over 600 crashes involving trucks during the same time period.

Talk to a Truck Accident Attorney in Cheyenne Today

Did you suffer catastrophic injuries or was your loved one killed in a commercial motor vehicle accident in Cheyenne? Turn to a lawyer who is passionate about his clients and who has the skill to take on deep-pocketed trucking companies.

Attorney Sean Olson was named a Rising Star by Super Lawyers in 2014, 2015, and 2016 before being named a Super Lawyer in 2017. He has successfully negotiated impressive trucking accident settlements on behalf of his deserving clients, and he is not afraid to take any case to court to see to it that justice is served.

Talk to Sean directly about all of your legal options by calling (307) 317-6779 or contact him online to take advantage of a free consultation.