Every day, thousands of tractor-trailers, flatbeds, logging trucks, and other large trucks haul goods across North Carolina. Any collision involving a large truck and a car has the potential to cause serious injuries. If you sustained injuries after a serious truck crash, call our experienced truck accident lawyers in Raleigh, NC at Younce, Vtipil, Baznik & Banks, P.A.
At Younce, Vtipil, Baznik & Banks, P.A., our compassionate attorneys understand the hardship and disruption that a serious injury can cause. We know you may be struggling with pain, financial stress, and an uncertain future. We want to help you regain control of your life. We provide quality legal representation and hands-on attention. Many of our clients are referred to us by former clients who were pleased with the attentive service we provided. Our legal team includes staff members who speak Spanish as well as English.
How Can Our Experienced Truck Accident Lawyers Help?
An experienced Raleigh truck accident attorney can guide you through the process of pursuing fair compensation for serious injuries caused by a large truck.
- We will conduct a detailed investigation to identify all the potentially at-fault parties and then locate all the insurance policies available to provide compensation. This is an important step in the process. Finding additional sources of insurance may increase the amount of compensation available to cover your losses.
- Our attorneys will calculate the extent of your losses from the truck accident, including your medical expenses, lost income, future medical and rehabilitation expenses, the cost of remodeling your house to make it accessible, and reduced earning capacity.
- We will submit a claim to the insurance company and negotiate aggressively for a full settlement. We will discuss any settlement offers we receive and offer our perspective on whether the settlement is reasonable based on your injuries. If the insurance company refuses to make a fair settlement, the attorneys at Younce, Vtipil, Baznik & Banks, P.A., will be ready to pursue justice for you in court. We are dedicated to helping our clients move forward after a serious injury.
Our Client Testimonials on Truck Accidents
Excellent communication and was very effective in analyzing the situation and working diligently to resolve the issues. I was very pleased with the professionalism and expertise of the staff and highly recommend them.
We are very grateful with this firm, They have been our lawyers for more than 17 years, always excellent service and good communication, in Spanish or English! Younce, Vtipil, attorneys at Law always fighting for the rights of their clients!! For that reason I give them 5 stars if I could I would give them more!!!!
Mr. Vtipil was great! Very kind, calm, knowledgeable, and actually cares about you as a person! This law firm is very organized as well. Highly recommend!
Size Difference — The disparity in size and weight of tractor trailers and passenger vehicles increases the chances that the occupants of the smaller vehicle will sustain serious injuries, catastrophic injuries, or 
More Complex Liability — Truck crashes are more likely to involve numerous insurance companies and potentially responsible parties. An investigation of an 18-wheeler crash may identify any of the following as contributors to the accident: the truck driver, the trucking company, the owner of the trailer, the cargo shipper, the company that loaded the cargo, and the manufacturer of truck mechanical equipment such as brakes. Each of these potential at-fault parties may have separate insurance companies. The truck crash may have multiple responsible parties and a number of insurance companies.
Higher Insurance Amounts — Truck drivers and trucking companies are required by North Carolina law to carry higher amounts of liability insurance than auto owners because of the greater harm a commercial trucking accident may cause. The owner of a commercial truck that transports non-hazardous material is required to carry a minimum of $750,000 in liability insurance. The insurance requirements are higher for commercial trucks engaged in transporting hazardous goods. The higher policy limits increase the financial stakes 
Federal and State Rules — Truck drivers and commercial trucking companies involved in transporting goods from state to state are governed by federal laws that prescribe the 
A truck driver following too closely may be unable to stop if traffic comes to a stop unexpectedly ahead of him. If a driver is distracted or drowsy, a tractor-trailer may plow into the back of a car that stops unexpectedly ahead. An automobile driver who cuts off a truck driver by pulling in 
Because large trucks are taller and have greater ground clearance, a car may slide under the side or rear of a large truck, crushing the passenger compartment. Many large trucks are now equipped with underride guards on the back of the trailer to prevent underride accidents. But truck underride guards often fail in crashes, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Ride-under collisions can cause serious or fatal injuries to the occupants of automobiles and other smaller vehicles.
Icy roads or improper braking may cause a truck to jackknife. If a truck driver locks the drive axle when trying to brake, it will cause a jackknife accident. The trailer swings out of control to a 90-degree angle with the cab, resembling the folding blades of a pocket knife. Jackknife accidents are more likely to cause multi-vehicle accidents.
Tanker trucks have a higher center of gravity and are more prone to rollover. A sudden shift of liquid in a cargo tanker as a truck rounds a banked curve can cause the truck to overturn. Rollover accidents involving tanker trucks pose a serious hazard because they often are carrying flammable liquids. The loading lines of tanker trucks are often filled with a flammable liquid and can be easily ruptured during a crash, spilling gasoline or other flammable fuels.
Tractor trailers and flatbed trucks must comply with regulations that dictate how cargo is tied down or secured to prevent it from shifting or creating an unbalanced load. Unsecured loads can shift and cause a truck to roll over or fall onto the road and strike another vehicle, causing a crash. A freight shipper responsible for failing to properly load and secure the cargo may be responsible for the accident as well as the truck company.
