If you suffered injuries in a Carlsbad, NM truck accident, you may be eligible to recover compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering, and other damages.
Buckingham Barrera Vega Law Firm specializes in complex commercial truck accident cases. We handle personal injury claims and help victims win justice. Over 25 years and millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts demonstrate the level of professionalism we dedicate to each and every client we serve.
Contact our New Mexico office today to schedule a free consultation with a Carlsbad truck accident lawyer.
Are Carlsbad Truck Accident Victims Entitled to Compensation?
After a large truck accident, it’s unlikely you have the means to pay for all of your injury-related expenses out of pocket. The cost of medical care for truck accident injuries can reach to millions of dollars over a person’s lifetime. When you add in pain and suffering, mental anguish, lost income, and more, the cost of a truck accident is tremendous.
That’s why commercial trucking companies are required to carry insurance with policy limits much higher than those required of the average vehicle owner. Federal lawmakers know that the consequences of a semi accident are devastating, and often catastrophic.
If you were the victim of trucking industry negligence, you may be entitled to compensation. By partnering with an experienced Carlsbad truck accident attorney, you can file a claim to recover what you lost in the accident.
How a Truck Accident Lawyer From Buckingham Barrera Vega Can Protect You
Unfortunately, there are often several obstacles that stand in the way of a tractor-trailer accident victim receiving fair compensation. Truck accident claims are infinitely complex. One small mistake, an insurance company loophole, or a missed deadline could prevent you from recovering damages.
One of the biggest obstacles to a successful case outcome is often the trucking company itself. Commercial motor carriers don’t usually want to admit liability for an accident. Doing so means a large payout to injured victims, insurance penalties, fines for federal trucking violations, and possibly criminal charges. From a business standpoint, it’s in the best interests of the trucking company to do what they can to shield themselves from liability.
Without the right legal representation, this puts you at a severe disadvantage.
To protect your rights, you need an aggressive and experienced truck accident lawyer who will fight persistently for what’s right. Buckingham Barrera Vega Law Firm doesn’t let insurance companies and large corporations take advantage of our clients. If we take your Carlsbad truck accident case, we’ll offer the same protection to you.
New Mexico Truck Accident Statistics
The statistics below were taken from the New Mexico Department of Transport 2020 Annual Traffic Crash Report.
- Every three hours, a large truck crashed in New Mexico.
- Large trucks made up only 7.8% of all vehicle crashes, but almost 13% of all fatalities.
- 3,176 large trucks were involved in collisions.
- In 2020, large trucks experienced the highest collision rate of the past five years.
- A total of 6,517 people were involved in large truck accidents.
Almost all of these crashes could have been prevented. When negligence leads to preventable injuries and deaths, the truck accident attorneys from our law firm step in to protect the futures of injured victims and their families.
Causes of Commercial Trucking Accidents
Because operating a large commercial vehicle is inherently dangerous (particularly if hazardous materials are involved), the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) institute a system of laws to regulate the trucking industry. Most 18-wheeler accidents are caused by an error which violates one or more of these laws.
Common causes of New Mexico trucking accidents include:
- Speeding or driving too fast for conditions
- Reckless driving
- Drunk driving or other behind-the-wheel substance abuse
- Texting and driving or distracted driving
- Driver fatigue due to federal hours of service (HOS) violations
- Improper driver training
- Mechanical failure due to poor truck maintenance
- Overloading or improper loading
- Failure to check blind spots
- Disregarding traffic laws
Who Is Liable for a Big Rig Accident?
Your truck accident lawyer will determine which party is liable in your truck accident claim. A liable party may be:
- Truck drivers
- Trucking companies
- The owner of the semi-truck
- Truck parts manufacturers
- Loading or shipping companies
- Third-party maintenance companies
No matter which party is responsible for your truck accident injuries, our attorneys will deeply research the evidence that can prove your right to full and fair compensation.
How To Prove Your Carlsbad Truck Accident Claim
As with most personal injury claims, you will need substantial evidence to prove liability and damages. When filing your Carlsbad truck accident claim or lawsuit, your attorney will work creatively to uncover the proof needed to show the insurance company there is no way around providing fair compensation. Evidence may include:
- Data from truck black boxes
- Cell phone, traffic camera, and dashcam footage
- Photos of the accident scene
- Medical records and your physician’s report of your injuries
- Damage done to vehicles, roadways, buildings, and other objects
- Eyewitness statements
- Cell phone records
- GPS data
- Testimony from expert witnesses like traffic reconstruction professionals
- Truck driver drug and alcohol test results
- Company logbooks and records of driver training, hours on the road, and past FMCSA violations
Damages After a Commercial Truck Accident in New Mexico
The repercussions of a semi-truck accident are severe and may last a lifetime. Most truck accident injury victims find they need a monetary award that can cover their:
- Medical bills
- Lost income
- Loss of future earnings
- Permanent disability
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress and PTSD
Types of Truck Accident Cases We Handle
Some truck vs. car collisions are similar to the type of accident you see between two cars—like sideswipe, T-bone, and rear-end accidents. While the damage to the smaller passenger vehicle is substantially worse when a big rig is involved, the collision type is generally the same in these accidents.
However, there are some types of accidents that are specific to commercial trucks like 18-wheelers. Because of the size, weight, and high center of gravity, a large truck is vulnerable to certain types of crashes not often seen among passenger cars.
Our truck accident attorneys have experience in:
Jackknife Accidents
A jackknife occurs when the tractor and trailer move in different directions, forming an “L” or “V” shape. Improper braking, speeding, and incorrect cargo loading can cause a tractor-trailer to jackknife.
Rollovers
When a semi loses balance and rolls over onto its side, the crash is known as a rollover. This type of truck collision is even more dangerous when the trailer is carrying flammable materials, toxic chemicals, or other hazardous substances.
Underride and Override Accidents
In an underride, a smaller vehicle slides under the back or side of the trailer. In an override, the truck drives over the top of a passenger vehicle. In both cases, the car becomes trapped underneath the heavy truck, creating extremely dangerous and often fatal conditions for passenger vehicle occupants.
Work With the New Mexico Truck Accident Attorneys Who Win
Whether your accident resulted from truck driver negligence, trucking company wrongdoing, or careless truck maintenance, we have the knowledge that matters. Our attorneys dedicate themselves to staying at the front of the field in truck accident litigation. When you need it most, we have what it takes to win your case.
Reach out today to speak with a Carlsbad truck accident attorney at our New Mexico personal injury law office.
