Adams County Truck Accidents

Adams County Lawyers for Truck Crash Victims

Adams County, part of the Quincy, IL–MO Micropolitan Statistical Area, is located on the banks of the Mississippi River in Illinois. Covering 871 square miles, the county is named after the sixth president of the United States. Commercial trucks traverse the county and come in and out of the county by way of I-172, U.S. Routes 24 and 36; and Illinois Routes 57, 61, 94, 96, 104, and 336. The Adams County courthouse is located in central Quincy. Whether you suffered paralysis or broken bones, or a loved one died, because oof a commercial truck collision, you should contact the results-oriented Adams County truck accident lawyers of Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca. We have more than 60 years of experience fighting for accident victims. We also handle SSDI claims and workers’ compensation claims.

Liability for Truck Accidents

After a truck accident, it becomes important to figure out who was responsible. Due to the weight and size of commercial trucks, these accidents are often devastating and life-altering. They can cause significant tragic or even fatal injuries and leave many families in grief. Most people look at the truck driver’s behavior, at whether he or she was speeding, following traffic signs and signals, checking blind spots, driving while distracted, or driving under the influence.

When trying to hold a truck driver accountable, our attorneys usually need to prove his negligence, which means we’ll need to show he breached a duty of reasonable care and that the breach caused your injuries. When the truck driver violates the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR), which have been adopted wholesale by Illinois, we may be able to use the violation as prima facie evidence of his negligence. However, because many others involved and injured in the accident may also be making claims against the truck driver’s insurance policy, it is important that our lawyers look to other potential sources of recovery.

Attorneys to Determine Comparative Fault

Other parties that may be held accountable in connection with a truck accident are trucking companies, mechanics, third party loading companies, property owners, truck manufacturers, and other drivers. We may need to retain a credible and reputable accident reconstruction specialist to look at the debris, property damage, injuries, testimony, and other evidence from the crash to determine what other parties bear fault for it.

A trucking company, for example, may be directly or vicariously liable for a truck accident. As the employer of a truck driver who causes an accident, a trucking company could be held accountable under a theory of vicarious liability for its employee’s actions. However, trucking companies also owe their own duties to the public. They can be held liable for negligently hiring, supervising, or training truck drivers. For example, if they failed to conduct a background check and put a driver with a record of DUIs in charge of their heavy truck, they could be held liable for negligent hiring when that truck driver got in a drunk driving accident. For another example, if they noticed that their truck driver was falsifying entries in his logbook and working more than what the hours of service permit, and looked the other way because it was profitable for him to do that, they could be held accountable for negligent supervision.

Similarly, if a third party loading company failed to appropriately balance cargo due to negligence, and as a result the truck jackknifed and killed multiple people, it would be appropriate to bring the loading company into the lawsuit.

The jury would look at the evidence and arguments and determine to what extent the various parties are at fault for the damages you sustained.

Consult an Adams County Truck Accident Attorney

If you were injured or your loved one died in a truck collision, it’s important to seek legal representation. Discuss your legal options with the trustworthy Adams County truck accident lawyers of Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca. In addition to pursuing damages in a lawsuit, we may be able to seek relief through an SSDI or workers’ compensation claim. Call us at 312-724-5846 or fill out our online form.