Truck Accident Attorney in East St. Louis, IL
Due to its central location within the nation and importance as a freight hub on the Mississippi, East St. Louis experiences a high volume of commercial truck traffic. While that is good for business, it can be bad for motorists who must share the roads with careless commercial truck drivers. One mistake by a trucker can leave victims with life-altering injuries and significant medical bills.
The experienced truck accident law firm of Craig, Kelley & Faultless, LLC, understands the complications victims face after crashes involving commercial motor vehicles. If you have been injured in an East St. Louis truck accident that was not your fault, contact us today for a free consultation, and let us demand the fair compensation you deserve.
Why You Should Choose Our Truck Accident Lawyers in East St. Louis
At Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC, we focus on protecting the rights of truck accident victims in East St. Louis and throughout the region. Our legal team has the resources, skills, and determination to take on large trucking companies and insurance carriers. Pair our experience with our deep understanding of federal and state trucking laws, and you have a team that can help you pursue maximum compensation.
We care about our clients and know that results matter. You do not have to take our word for it. Take a look at the reviews previous clients have left for us. For example, one past client wrote:
“I highly recommend Craig, Kelley and Faultless. Right from the start we were made to feel cared for and valuable. They walked with us through the entire process and I always knew they were hard at work behind the scenes. I will always be grateful that our case was chosen.” – Tami W.
What You Need to Know About Your Rights After a Truck Accident in East St. Louis, IL
It is critical to understand your legal rights if you were hurt in a truck accident in East St. Louis. Illinois law gives you the right to pursue compensation if a negligent truck driver, trucking company, or other party caused your injuries.
Compensation from a successful truck accident claim can offset the financial impact of the accident and pay you for the less tangible ways your life has been affected.
You have the right to engage a truck accident attorney to help you pursue maximum compensation. The trucking industry and its insurers have their own defense lawyers who will fight your claim and shield their clients from liability. You need to level the playing field with your own legal representation.
State law limits the time you have to take legal action. Illinois gives accident victims two years from the date of the accident to file a case. Waiting too long to file can result in the dismissal of your case as untimely, eliminating your right to pursue truck accident compensation in the Illinois court system.
What Compensation Can You Recover After a Truck Accident?
Every East St. Louis truck accident case is different. Factors such as the cause of the crash, the amount of insurance coverage available, and the severity of a person’s injuries can affect the value of the claim. That said, you could be entitled to compensation for the following types of losses in a truck accident lawsuit:
- Medical expenses
- Lost income
- Diminished earning capacity
- Reduced quality of life
- Pain, suffering, and emotional distress
- Property damage
Never accept a settlement or sign away your legal rights until you speak with a knowledgeable truck accident attorney who can accurately calculate your injuries and all your related losses.
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Who Could Be Liable for a Truck Accident in East St. Louis?
One reason commercial truck accident cases are so complex is that there are often multiple parties who might be liable for what happened. The commercial truck driver is not always the only person at fault. Examples of other parties that could potentially be liable for an East St. Louis truck accident include:
- The trucking company
- Cargo loading company or loading crews
- Maintenance companies
- Truck or parts manufacturers
- Government agencies
- Other motorists
Recovering maximum compensation could mean identifying and holding all liable parties accountable for what happened.
Common Causes and Types of Truck Accidents in East St. Louis
Driver error is the most common cause of commercial truck accidents on U.S. roadways today, according to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration data. Driver error might involve, for example:
- Fatigue
- Distraction
- Impairment
- Speeding
- Unsafe lane changes
- Tailgating
- Failure to yield
- Failure to obey traffic rules
Other issues, like inadequate driver training and mechanical failures, can also lead to catastrophic collisions. Among the most common truck crashes that occur due to driver error and other issues are:
- Jackknife accidents
- Rollovers
- Blind-spot accidents
- Underride accidents
- T-bone collisions
- Head-on crashes
Common Injuries and Damages in Truck Accidents
An 80,000-pound vehicle can cause immense damage to smaller passenger vehicles in the event of a collision, even at relatively slow speeds. Many commercial truck accidents involve catastrophic injuries that cause chronic pain and significant quality of life changes for victims. Some examples of severe injuries sustained in East St. Louis truck accidents include:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Paralysis
- Other head, neck, and spine injuries
- Amputations
- Broken bones
- Dislocations
- Thermal burns
- Chemical burns
- Organ damage
- Internal bleeding
- Soft tissue injuries
- Contusions
- Abrasions
- Lacerations
The devastating impact of the crash and resulting long-term physical injuries and impairments can also trigger mental health issues for victims, such as depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Severe crashes involving large commercial vehicles can also lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
How Our East St. Louis Truck Accident Law Firm Can Help You
The injuries, medical bills, and lost work that result from a truck accident can feel overwhelming, especially if you are dealing with insurance companies on top of all that. That is where our knowledgeable truck accident team comes in. Our experienced East St. Louis truck accident lawyers are ready to protect your rights and fight for the compensation you deserve.
We are prepared to handle every aspect of your case, from investigating the crash to identifying the liable parties. We can gather critical evidence to support your claim, including black box data, driver logs, and safety inspection records. Our team can work with accident reconstruction experts and medical professionals to prove fault and the full extent of your injuries.
Armed with this information, we can aggressively negotiate for the compensation you deserve, and we will not hesitate to take your case to court if the liable parties will not engage in good-faith discussions.
Contact a Commercial Truck Accident Attorney Now
Do you need legal help with a trucking accident in East St. Louis, Illinois? Look no further than the team at Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC. Contact our office today and arrange a free consultation about your personal injury lawsuit. We proudly serve commercial truck accident victims in East St. Louis and throughout the surrounding region of Illinois and Missouri.