Trailer Hitch Truck Accident Claim Settled by Indiana Injury Attorney

As pick-up trucks grow in popularity among Hoosiers, manufacturers also continue to make their vehicles bigger and bigger. In fact, the sturdy build of today’s pick-up trucks sometimes creates an illusion of safety for its owners.

But make no mistake, drivers and passengers of today’s pick-up trucks (even trucks that are oversized) are still at risk for injury during an accident.

One of the more controversial collisions involving pick-ups occurs when a truck is struck from behind and appears to have suffered minor property damage. In many instances, these trucks are outfitted with trailer hitches, which spares the vehicle from visible bodily damage, yet transfers the force of the collision to the truck’s occupants, leading to significant injuries.

Attorney Matt Boulton has previously discussed trailer hitch accident dynamics and their resulting injuries.

In fact, attorney Boulton’s experience with these cases has led him to be sought after by a number of Indiana accident victims who sustained injuries in a rear-end truck accident, despite incurring minimal damage to their vehicle.

As such, insurance companies may be difficult to deal with in cases where a truck’s trailer hitch was the initial point of impact. Boulton Law Group recently handled a similar trailer hitch truck accident case that occurred in Northern Indiana.

Lake County Trailer Hitch Truck Accident Case

Indiana State Police were called to the scene of an accident that occurred on Interstate 80 in Lake Station, north of Merrillville, Indiana. This particular part of I-80 maintains 4 lanes of traffic, as shown in the accident diagram:

Accident Liability

Our clients were in Vehicle 1 (V1), a Ram 1500 pick-up truck, and the defendant driver was driving Vehicle 2 (V2), a Chevrolet Silverado pick-up truck.

Shortly before the accident, our client was traveling westbound on I-80 in the far-left lane (Lane 1). Due to congestion ahead, our client was forced to slow for traffic that had stopped in front of him.

Specifically, Indiana State Police reported that our client stated, “Traffic came to an abrupt stop in front of me. As traffic stopped, I stopped and was suddenly struck in the rear by the other truck.”

When the officer spoke to the driver of V2, he stated, “As traffic stopped in front of me, I attempted to stop, but was unable to stop in time and struck the rear of the truck in front of me.”

Based on the physical evidence at the scene, as well as both driver’s statements, the investigating officer’s accident report notes the crash occurred as a result of V2 following too closely and being unable to avoid the collision.

Property Damage

The bodily damage to the trucks was isolated to the area of the impact, which was the rear-end of our client’s vehicle and the front of the defendant’s vehicle.

The investigating officer estimated total property damage between the two trucks at $1,000 – $2,500. And while this total suggests the accident may have been a relatively minor collision, it’s only because the trailer hitch on our client’s truck was the primary impact point of the collision.

The force generated by the collision transferred from the hitch and its frame to those inside the truck. As such, the appearance of minor damage turned out to be rather deceiving in terms of the resulting bodily injury sustained by our clients.

Injuries

At the scene of the accident, each of the three occupants in our client’s vehicle complained of pain to various parts of their body:

• The driver complained of pain to his shoulder and upper arm.
• The front-right passenger sustained a back injury.
• The rear-right passenger complained of pain to her face.

It should be noted that each of our clients were wearing seatbelts at the time of the collision, likely preventing them from suffering additional and/or more traumatic injuries.

While no one required ambulance services from the scene of the accident, our clients’ injuries continued to persist in the days following the accident, requiring them to seek medical attention. As a result of the doctor’s findings, our clients were prescribed ongoing treatment and follow-ups to monitor their progress.

Due to the complexities ‘trailer hitch rear-end truck accidents’ present, our clients performed a search on Google to find an attorney with experience in handling these case types, which led them to Boulton Law Group.

Trailer Hitch Accident Attorney

When seeking an Indiana trailer hitch accident attorney, it’s important to locate a lawyer who has several years’ experience handling these case types. An experienced attorney can lean on their past trailer hitch accident experience, crash data dynamics, and medical analysis to help ensure your case is settled or litigated for maximum value.

Due to minimal property damage that can occur to trucks with trailer hitches, insurance companies may try to minimize your injuries. By trying to equate bodily injury to lack of property damage, it means your personal injury claim is subject to being undervalued.

If you have questions about a truck accident case that involves a trailer hitch rear-end collision, please feel free to request a free case review from attorney Matt Boulton.

About Boulton Law Group

Boulton Law Group is an Indiana-based, award-winning law firm focused on helping Hoosiers recover maximum compensation for their injuries. Attorney Matt Boulton’s exclusive focus on personal injury helps ensure his clients have access to legal representation that is only tuned into Indiana’s accident laws and the insurance companies defense tactics.

In addition to trailer hitch truck cases, Matt helps Indiana’s residents with the following case types:

• Car accidents
• Semi-truck accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Dog bite injuries
• Slip and fall injuries
• Wrongful death lawsuits
• Negligent security claims
• Nursing home abuse

No matter your case type, Boulton Law Group’s Zero Fee Guarantee ensures there is never a charge for a personal injury case review. The firm’s guarantee also means you will never pay anything unless we are hired, and a financial recovery is made on your behalf.

Attorney Boulton’s firm is recognized by peers and clients alike as a highly rated and ethical source for personal injury assistance. In fact, when you choose us to represent you, we aim not only to resolve your claim, but also make sure you Get Treated Like Family.