Indiana Truck Accident Attorney

An accident with a semi-truck is unlike any other type of collision that occurs on Indiana’s highways and interstates. The size, weight, and speed of commercial trucks demand total focus from their drivers. Anything less, and the aftermath can result in an accident that leads to serious injuries or loss of life.

In addition to the physical and personal toll truck accident victims sustain, insurance companies will aggressively defend any resulting personal injury claims or wrongful death lawsuits filed against them. A victim’s unfamiliarity with Indiana’s unique trucking laws and insurance company tactics can place their case and right to compensation in jeopardy.

For this reason, it is important for truck accident victims to consult with an experienced Indiana truck accident attorney.

Attorney Matt Boulton has 25+ years of experience helping Indiana’s truck accident victims and their families. His exclusive focus on personal injury law helps to ensure his clients’ cases are handled in accordance with the state’s most recent laws.

What Types of Compensation Can You Receive in a Truck Accident Case?

Indiana’s truck accident victims may be entitled to several types of compensation depending on the severity of their injuries and case investigation findings.

Boulton Law Group has helped injured truck accident victims recover for the physical, financial, and emotional damage(s) they sustained as a result of the collision.

The most common types of truck accident compensation attorney Boulton recovers on behalf of his clients include:

Medical Bills & Ongoing Care Expenses

Truck accident victims have the right to seek compensation for any existing and future medical care that may be needed for their injuries.

This may include a wide variety of service types, such as ambulance and lifeline transport, ER and hospital treatment, surgeries, medications, physical therapy, rehabilitation, psychological services, and ongoing lifecare.

Attorney Boulton’s experience with trucking cases helps to ensure every medical expense related to the accident is accounted for and recovered.

Lost Wages

Due to the serious nature of trucking accidents, injured victims may require significant time off work, causing them to lose wages. Time off work that is related to your accident and injuries and approved by a medical professional can be recovered as part of the overall compensation.

In some cases, victims may sustain permanent or life-altering injuries that result in long-term disability status. If the person is unable to pursue future occupational opportunities, attorney Boulton will help determine if a ‘future lost capacity to earn’ can be recovered on your behalf.

Pain & Suffering

Truck accident pain and suffering can be the biggest variable in the compensation equation, as this part of the claim is considered non-economic and unique to a victim’s intangible losses.

Unlike a broken bone, a truck victim’s pain and suffering cannot be documented and quantified by doctors. These damages are victim-specific and measure the amount of physical pain, trauma, psychological distress, and negative impact the accident has had on their quality of life.

Pain and suffering can be the most valuable part of a truck accident victim’s overall compensation, but it can often also prove to be the most difficult to obtain without an attorney’s experience and professional guidance.

Punitive Damages

To be eligible for punitive damages in a trucking accident case, Indiana law requires evidence and factual proof that the defendant(s) actions leading up to the collision qualify as outrageous conduct.

If it is determined a victim’s case may qualify for punitive damages, this specific type of compensation must be sought and proven in a court of law. To do so, attorney Boulton would be required to file a lawsuit on the truck accident victim’s behalf.

Ultimately, the total amount of compensation you receive from a truck accident injury will depend on the overall strength of your individual case.

The strength of a trucking case includes a number of factors, such as:

• Liability determination(s)
• Victims’ total injuries and medical history
• Available insurance policies
• Your choice in attorney

Truck accident cases account for some of Indiana’s most complex and high-profile incidents. These are not the types of cases non-attorneys should attempt to handle alone.

“Trucking companies routinely call their attorneys to the scene following a collision. You deserve to have an experienced attorney review the facts, secure all potential evidence, and promptly act on your behalf following a collision with a semi.

And while many firms may employ staff to perform these essential tasks, I believe it’s important for me to be personally involved in each step so that I can provide the best service and representation to my client.

We use the latest research and technology to serve our clients, including any necessary expert services, such as forensic engineers, fire experts, and trailer load analysts.”

Matt Boulton

Who is at Fault for a Truck Accident?

Establishing liability for a truck accident is key to a victim’s ability to recover compensation for their injuries. The initial investigation is often focused on the truck driver’s immediate actions prior to the collision.

For example, attorney Boulton may establish a number of common liability factors attributed to the driver, such as:

• speeding
• distracted
• under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• following too closely

However, unlike other collisions, it is routine for truck accident attorneys to investigate and search through multiple layers of potential liability that are unique to the trucking industry.

In addition to scrutinizing the truck driver’s actions, these investigations may uncover lesser-known sources of liability such as:

• Black box data
• Trucking company violations
• Driver hours violation
• Maintenance technician error
• Weight limit violations
• Improper loading
• Vehicle inspection failure(s)
• Tire manufacturer(s) and part distributor(s)
• Rig vs trailer insurance policy

Attorney Boulton’s experience with trucking accidents helps to ensure all sources of potential liability and evidence preservation are secured on his clients’ behalf.

Types of Truck Accidents Boulton Law Group Handles

Due to their unique build and size, attorney Boulton investigates and handles collision types that are unique to trucks as well as crashes that are considered more traditional.

Some of Indiana’s most common truck accident types include:

• Rear-end accident(s)
• Rollover accident(s)
• Truck(s) improperly loaded
• Speeding truck(s)
• Truck driver(s) under the influence
• Drowsy truck driver(s)
• Wrong-way accident(s)
• Distracted driving accident(s)

No matter the type of truck accident you were involved in, it is important to establish appropriate liability and protect your rights against the insurance company that will be defending the trucking company.

Common Truck Accident Injuries

A fully loaded truck can weigh 80,000 pounds (40 tons), leaving modern-day passenger vehicles and their occupants with little in the way of protection against their size.

As a result, it is not uncommon for victims of truck accidents to sustain a wide variety of life-threatening injuries, even when seatbelts and airbags are present.

Attorney Boulton has investigated and successfully handled semi-truck accident cases that left his clients with a wide array of injuries, such as one or more of the following:

• Broken bones
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Soft-tissue injuries, such as severe whiplash, back pain, and bruising
• Joint and structural damage, such as rotator cuff tears
• Lacerations and cuts
• Burn injuries
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Scarring
• Loss of limb(s)

No matter the type(s) of injury a victim sustains, collisions with a truck are unlike other accidents and should be appropriately valued as such.

Attorney Boulton’s truck accident experience has enabled him to successfully build and present his clients’ personal injury case to the insurance company in a powerful and fact-based manner.

Truck Accident Wrongful Death Claim or Lawsuit

Unfortunately, a number of Indiana’s truck accidents result in fatal injuries, leaving loved ones with the responsibility of filing a wrongful death claim against one or more negligent parties.

Attorney Boulton has helped loved ones and families navigate Indiana’s wrongful death laws to recover for the following types of damages:

• Medical bills and expenses from the date of the accident until date of the death
• Funeral-related costs
• Child’s loss of parental love and guidance
• Loss of consortium/relationship
• Loss of decedent’s wages/earnings and benefits
• Pain and suffering, grief, and psychological anguish

Indiana’s wrongful death laws have experienced a number of changes over the years; however, there are strict rules and guidelines that determine who can file on behalf of a loved one as well as the disbursement of any received compensation.

Indianapolis Semi-Truck Accident Example

Taking a closer look at a truck accident example quickly reveals the unique and complex nature of these collisions.

This particular collision resulted in serious injuries to one driver and contained statements from multiple parties, including the truck driver and a number of witnesses.

Truck Accident Diagram

The following diagram and crash report details are specific to an Indianapolis truck accident that occurred on Kentucky Avenue at the intersection of Decatur Drive:

As seen in the truck accident diagram, the force of the collision caused the truck and accident victim’s vehicle to leave the roadway and slide down an incline. The total distance both vehicles traveled post-collision measured approximately 162 feet.

Given that the speed limit on this section of roadway is 45 mph, and no initial report(s) of speeding, as well as cloudy, daylight conditions and a dry roadway surface, it is easy to see how a collision with a truck can have extraordinary consequences.

Truck Driver Accident Report Statement(s)

Immediately before the collision, Unit 1 (truck driver) was traveling northeast bound on Kentucky Avenue in the right-hand lane. At the same time, Unit 2 (accident victim) was traveling southwest on Kentucky Avenue preparing to make a left turn into the Decatur High School’s parking lot.

According to the initial report filed by Indianapolis Metro Police Department, as the truck driver attempted to cross through the intersection of Kentucky Avenue and Decatur Drive, he advised the investigating officer that the traffic light for his lane of travel was yellow.

Further, the truck driver stated that he attempted to brake and swerve to the right in an attempt to avoid the accident victim who was making a left-hand turn at the same time the truck driver entered the intersection.

Unable to avoid a collision, the truck crashed into the passenger’s side door of the turning vehicle, resulting in a T-bone accident.

Truck Accident Victim Injuries

Due to the nature of their injuries, a statement from the driver of the t-boned vehicle was not included in the initial report.

The investigating officer noted the victim sustained a crush injury with the head being listed as the area with the most severe injury. As a result, the accident victim was transported by ambulance to a local area hospital in critical condition.

As in this example, the serious nature of truck accidents requires a complete understanding of the chain of events and any contributing factors that may prove essential to establishing liability.

Truck Accident Witness Report Statement(s)

Witness statements can be key to establishing truck accident liability, and because the victim in this collision was unable to offer their version of events at the crash scene, the investigating officer included statements from several witnesses.

Ultimately, the witnesses reported the light for traffic traveling northeast was red, while the accident victim traveling on southwest had a green turn arrow.

Additionally, a person traveling behind the truck driver stated they were, “…northeast bound on Kentucky Avenue approaching Sterling Pointe in the right-hand lane.” The light turned to yellow for the truck driver. The truck driver then hit their brakes but was unable to stop, so they went on through the intersection, striking the accident victim’s vehicle.

Truck Accident Report Liability Findings

The details contained within an accident report do not always represent final liability determinations. In many cases, accident reports serve as the investigating officers’ initial account of what they believe to have occurred that may have caused or contributed to a collision.

In this truck accident example, the investigating officer’s report relied on multiple statements, physical evidence, and additional accident scene details to help make their initial determination of liability.

As such, the accident report lists Disregard Signal as the primary factor responsible for the collision, with accident liability initially being assigned to the truck driver.

A final determination regarding each driver’s total or partial liability for this (or any) accident can be subject to change depending on several factors, such as:

• additional evidence and/or statements
• semi-truck black box data
• supplemental report details
• insurance company findings
• attorney investigation(s)

Truck accidents are often complicated and face a number of liability questions that can ultimately determine whether or not an accident victim has the right to seek compensation for their injuries.

For these reasons, Boulton Law Group always advises Indiana truck accident victims to request a free review of their potential case to help protect their legal rights and shield them from the insurance company.

Contact Indiana Truck Attorney Matt Boulton Today

Attorney Matt Boulton is an experienced Indiana truck accident attorney with 25+ years’ experience helping injured victims and their families recover compensation following a collision with a big rig.

Attorney Boulton’s experience with these cases helps to ensure his clients are unbothered by insurance companies and complex legal questions. Instead, their only responsibility is to focus exclusively on their physical and mental well-being.

Boulton Law Group offers Indiana truck accident victims and their families a Zero Fee Guarantee. This guarantee means accident victims will never be charged for a consultation or case review, and there are absolutely no charge(s) or fee(s) for the firm’s legal services until compensation is recovered on their behalf.

You can send attorney Boulton the details surrounding your truck accident by using the firm’s confidential, free contact form.

If attorney Boulton believes he can assist you with your potential trucking case, he will contact you directly.