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You may have many questions when you are involved in a truck accident, we are here to help! We have compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions by truck accident victims in the state of Vermont.
Though truck accidents may be caused by any number of factors, negligence is often involved. Negligence means someone acted in a way that was negligent toward others, or acted in a way that others in the same situation would not have acted.
Drinking alcohol and driving and speeding are two of the top contributors to motor vehicle accidents in Vermont. When a driver drinks alcohol and gets behind the wheel or drives over the speed limit, it’s considered negligence. Other common causes of truck accident include:
After a truck accident, you may have two options for seeking compensation: truck accident lawsuits or truck accident claims. A claim is just that — a claim for due compensation, such as for an insurance policy.
If a truck driver is negligent and causes an accident that leads to you being injured, you may be able to file a personal injury claim against their insurance company for damages. If their insurance refuses to pay the claim, you may be able to file a truck accident lawsuit.
The lawsuit would be filed against the responsible party, or the party who was negligent, whether that is the trucker, the trucking company, or another party. Most personal injury claims settle out of court. If yours does not, a competent truck accident lawyer who is experienced in personal injury cases can defend your case.
To start a truck accident claim, simply contact a Vermont truck accident lawyer. You can find an extensive network of law firms through LegalFinders, your one-stop solution to securing quality legal representation.
Once you find your lawyer, they will offer a full case evaluation to ensure you have a strong enough claim to proceed. They may ask for evidence that will help your case, such as medical care records, the police report, and information for any witnesses to the accident.
After they have established a solid foundation for your claim, they will help you file it in the right area of the court system and ensure you meet your filing deadline.
Any number of injuries may be caused in tractor-trailer accidents, since commercial vehicles are so vast in size in comparison to other motor vehicles. While serious injuries and fatalities are more commonly caused in truck accidents, the scope of injuries caused in such accidents is far-ranging. Common truck accident injuries include:
Regardless of the type of injury you suffered in a truck crash, you may be due compensation if negligence led to the accident. You can learn more when you speak with a personal injury lawyer.
There are multiple Vermont truck accident laws which may apply to your case, not the least of which is the statute of limitations, or the timeline you have to file a claim. Most personal injury claims in Vermont, including those for truck accidents and medical malpractice, must be filed within three years, according to the Vermont Legislature.
It’s important to note that this time period reflects the amount of time you have to start a claim, not the time period in which your case or claim must be settled. The statute of limitations begins on the day of your accident. If you are unsure if you are outside of your deadline, connect with a lawyer to find out more information.
Another regulation that could apply to your case is the consideration of fault. Vermont is an at-fault state for car accidents, which means the party that caused the accident is responsible for paying damages to the injured party.
Negligence affects whether you can collect damages, and each state considers negligence differently in personal injury cases. Vermont operates on a modified comparative negligence principle.
Under this principle, you can still file a personal injury claim in Vermont if you were partly at fault for the accident. However, if you were 51% or more at fault for the accident, you will not be able to claim any damages. How is the percentage of fault determined?
The court will look at a number of factors to determine fault in a truck accident. For example, the truck driver may have been at fault if they were speeding at the time of the accident. But, you may have been partly at fault if you were driving aggressively when the truck hit your vehicle.
The court may then assign each party a percentage of fault, such as 80% to the trucker for causing the accident and 20% to you for being careless. In this case, you would receive your settlement amount less 20%.
Wrongful death claims are a type of personal injury claim that addresses the pain and suffering and other emotional and financial injuries after the loss of a loved one.
If your loved one was killed in a Vermont truck accident, you may be able to file a wrongful death claim to help pay for their funeral and burial expenses, to compensate you for the unexpected loss of financial support, or for loss of consortium.
The trauma of the event may have left you with extreme depression, anxiety, or emotional pain. Wrongful death claims allow you to seek compensation to atone for the pain you suffered.
Vermont truck crashes can leave accident victims with serious injuries. If you’ve been hurt in a truck accident in Burlington or elsewhere in the state, you may be able to file a claim for compensation. Personal injury claims allow you or your injured loved one to pursue the responsible party for damages incurred from the accident, like medical bills and property damage. LegalFinders can help you learn more by connecting you with trusted Vermont truck accident attorneys for a free consultation.
Have you or a family member suffered a severe injury after a truck accident in Vermont? You have legal options, especially if the accident was caused by the truck driver’s or other responsible party’s negligence.
Semi-truck accidents often lead to devastating results — such as injuries which are life-changing for the truck accident victims, loss of a loved one (wrongful death), or complete disruption to your life.
Many commercial truck accident victims cannot return to life as usual after suffering injuries such as paralysis, traumatic brain injuries (TBI), or dismemberment. Such injuries can affect their ability to work in both the short- and long-term, affect their quality of life, and change the course of their life as a result.
People who face such life-altering impacts from a truck accident caused by negligence deserve to be paid for their suffering and for any expenses they incurred. Medical expenses and other costs caused by an accident are known as damages. Damages in truck accident cases may include both tangible ones, such as medical bills, and those which are harder to place a value on, like pain and suffering or emotional anguish.
A highly skilled truck accident lawyer can help you assess the damages you have experienced so you know what to cite on your personal injury claim. A lawyer will also be able to help you prove negligence, a highly important component in any truck accident claim.
Insurance companies will likely try to disprove negligence in order to minimize their payout or have your claim denied. But an experienced personal injury attorney can demonstrate how negligence was involved and how it contributed to the truck crash, resulting in your injuries.
Once the lawyer has established negligence, they can help you determine the liable party you’ll file your claim against. The liable party could be the truck driver, the trucking company, or any other party that contributed to the accident. For example, some road commissions have been charged when poor road conditions led to a motor vehicle accident.
How do you get in touch with a personal injury lawyer? That’s where LegalFinders can help. We can connect you to highly revered legal teams, who only work with lawyers who are knowledgeable in their practice area. Truck accident lawyers must be well-versed in truck accident law to help you seek maximum compensation and the optimal outcome for your case.
During a free case evaluation, your lawyer will begin to examine the details of your claim, from the photos of the accident to the police report and more. Once they have an overview of the details from the accident, they can give you an idea of whether you have a solid case and how much you may stand to claim.
From then on, they will work with you to build your case through a close attorney-client relationship — you’ll know your case is in good hands. Your lawyer can help you understand the laws which apply to your case, communicate with insurance companies and lawyers on your behalf, and predict possible verdicts based on previous truck accident cases they’ve handled.
In the state of Vermont in 2020, the most recent year for crash data, there were 57 fatalities caused by auto accidents, according to the Vermont Agency of Transportation. Of those car accidents, three fatal crashes involved heavy trucks, such as big rigs and other commercial vehicles. Other statistics regarding large truck accidents in Vermont include:
Heavy truck accidents in Vermont in 2020
62
those crashes led to injury.
Total crashes of large truck accidents led to property damage
409
in Vermont in 2020
Alcohol was a factor involving heavy trucks, three of the truck accidents that led to injuries, and one of the accidents that led to fatalities
seven property damage accidents
Drugs were a factor in one of the fatal truck accidents in Vermont in 2020
while only one fatal large truck accident
didn’t involve alcohol or drugs
Heavy truck accidents occurred on the following Vermont routes
I-91, VT-15, VT-9, VT-2, VT-22A, VT-103, VT-100, and US-7
Fatal heavy truck accidents all occurred in Rutland and Windsor Counties.
Semi-truck accidents can occur anywhere in Vermont and may cause serious damage for truck accident victims, particularly when commercial trucks collide with smaller passenger vehicles. While accidents can happen anywhere in the state, some roadways are considered more risky to travel than others. This is due to the number of accidents that occur on these routes, as well as the high number of fatal auto accidents they see each year. Some of the most dangerous roadways motorists should be aware of in Vermont include:
| Roadways | Descriptions |
| VT-9 | Which holds the second-highest fatality vehicle accident rate in the state |
| VT-15 | Rural route with limited access to emergency medical routes and known for many winter closures |
| US-2 | A highway well-known for poor road conditions |
| US-7 | Which frequently sees slippery road conditions and heavy fog, leading to 50 traffic-related fatalities in the last 10 years |
Whether you are looking for some legal advice or exploring your options for a Vermont truck accident lawyer, LegalFinders can help. Law offices in our network only feature lawyers with ample experience backed by positive client testimonials and an impressive track record.
Don’t settle for a hasty, low settlement offer. Reach out to LegalFinders today to learn about the best truck accident attorneys in your area.
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Published: 26 May 2022
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration — The Large Truck Crash Causation Study
Vermont Agency of Transportation — VTrans Public Crash Data Query Tool
Vermont General Assembly — The Vermont Statutes Online
