Wausau Truck
Accident Attorney

Reliable Wausau Truck Accident Lawyer

You have the right to go about your daily life without fear of injury caused by someone else’s negligence. If you do suffer an injury, you can pursue compensation from the at-fault party. This is the foundation of personal injury law in Wausau, Wisconsin, and the belief held by Fitzpatrick, Skemp & Butler, LLC.

If you have suffered an injury in a truck accident, an experienced Wausau truck accident attorney is crucial. Trucking accident claims require specialized knowledge and guidance. Contact Fitzpatrick, Skemp & Butler, LLC at 608-784-4370 for a free consultation. We serve clients in Wausau and the surrounding areas in Wisconsin.

Truck Accident Laws in Wisconsin

The trucking industry is key to the economy of Wisconsin and the United States, leading to numerous large commercial trucks on our roads. State and federal regulations protect the public by overseeing trucking operations. Truckers must follow these rules on public roads. If you’ve been in a Wausau truck accident, it’s important to understand these regulations.

Wisconsin issues commercial driver’s licenses, sets speed limits, and establishes rules for in-state trucking. All truckers must follow these regulations. Trucking company operators also need to comply with safety regulations at both the state and federal levels. When truck drivers or trucking companies fail to follow these rules, truck accident victims can hold them accountable through a personal injury claim.

Commercial trucks on Wisconsin roads must meet strict standards. Large trucks require regular inspections to check for mechanical failures like faulty brakes or worn tires that could lead to tire blowouts. Driver logs track how long truck drivers work to prevent driver fatigue, which is a common cause of truck accidents.

Common Causes of Truck Accidents

Truck accidents happen for many reasons. Driver fatigue remains one of the top causes because truck drivers often work long hours to meet tight deadlines. When drivers push past safe limits, they risk causing a serious accident that can result in severe injuries or worse.

Distracted driving also plays a big role in commercial truck accidents. When truck drivers use phones, eat, or focus on anything other than the road, they put everyone at risk. These moments of distraction can lead to catastrophic injuries for other drivers and passengers.

Mechanical failures create dangerous situations on the road. Faulty brakes, tire blowouts, and other equipment problems often trace back to poor maintenance. Trucking companies must keep detailed maintenance records to prove they properly care for their vehicles. When cargo is improperly loaded, it can shift during transport and cause the driver to lose control. Both cargo loading companies and cargo shippers share responsibility for making sure loads are secure.

Understanding Your Rights After a Truck Accident

After experiencing a truck accident, you need to understand your legal rights. Wisconsin law allows truck accident victims to seek fair compensation when someone else’s actions caused their injuries. This includes medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages.

Many people don’t realize how many parties might share fault in a truck accident. Beyond the truck driver, responsible parties can include the trucking company, cargo loading company, cargo shipper, or even the vehicle manufacturer. Truck accident attorneys work to identify everyone who played a role in causing your injuries.

The legal process starts when you file a personal injury claim. Your personal injury attorney will gather evidence and build your case. This might lead to a settlement with insurance companies or could require filing a personal injury lawsuit in court. Either way, having legal representation protects your interests throughout the process.

Types of Injuries in Truck Accidents

Truck accidents often cause more damage than regular car accidents because of the size difference between vehicles. When a semi-truck hits a passenger vehicle, the people inside the smaller vehicle typically suffer severe injuries. These injuries can change your life forever.

Common injuries from truck accidents include broken bones, spinal cord damage, traumatic brain injuries, and internal organ damage. Many victims need immediate medical attention and ongoing care like physical therapy. Some injuries qualify as catastrophic injuries because they result in permanent disability or long-term impairment.

Beyond physical harm, victims often experience emotional trauma. The psychological impact of a serious accident can be just as debilitating as physical injuries. Depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder are common after truck accidents. Insurance companies should account for both physical and emotional damages when calculating fair compensation.

The Importance of Seeking Medical Care

After any truck accident, you should seek medical attention right away. Some injuries don’t show symptoms immediately, but delaying treatment can make them worse. Getting checked by a doctor creates medical records that document your injuries and link them to the accident.

Medical bills can pile up quickly after a truck accident. Emergency room visits, surgery, hospital stays, and follow-up appointments all cost money. Future medical expenses matter too, especially if you need ongoing treatment or physical therapy. Your injury claim should include all these costs to get full compensation.

Don’t let worries about medical bills stop you from getting the care you need. Most personal injury lawyers work with medical providers who understand the situation. They know you’re waiting for your case to settle before you can pay. Focus on healing while your legal team handles the financial aspects.

How Our Law Firm Builds Your Case

Building a strong truck accident case requires gathering evidence quickly. Critical evidence can disappear if you wait too long. Our law firm starts preserving evidence as soon as you hire us. This includes getting driver logs, maintenance records, and black box data from the truck.

Our legal team works with accident reconstruction experts who analyze how the crash happened. They review police reports, interview witnesses, and examine physical evidence from the scene. This crucial evidence helps prove who was at fault and strengthens your legal claim.

Insurance companies have teams of lawyers working to minimize what they pay. They might try to blame you for the accident or claim your injuries aren’t as bad as you say. Our experienced personal injury attorney team knows their tactics and fights back with solid evidence and legal arguments.

Compensation You May Recover

When you file a personal injury claim after a truck accident, you can seek several types of damages. Economic damages include medical expenses, lost wages, and lost income from missed work. Your personal injury lawsuit should also account for future medical expenses if you need ongoing care.

Non-economic damages cover things harder to measure, like pain, suffering, and emotional trauma. These damages recognize how the accident affected your quality of life. You might not be able to do activities you once enjoyed, or your relationships with family members might suffer because of your injuries.

In some cases, courts award punitive damages. These go beyond regular compensation and aim to punish extremely reckless behavior. If a trucking company knowingly lets unsafe trucks on the road or forces drivers to violate safety regulations, punitive damages might apply. Your truck accident lawyer will evaluate whether your case qualifies for these additional damages to help you get full compensation.

Working with Insurance Companies

Insurance companies often contact truck accident victims soon after a crash. They might seem friendly and helpful, but remember, they want to pay as little as possible. Don’t give recorded statements or sign anything without talking to truck accident attorneys first.

These companies use adjusters trained to find reasons to deny or reduce claims. They might offer a quick settlement that sounds good but falls short of covering your actual damages. Once you accept their offer, you typically can’t go back and ask for more money later, even if your medical bills keep growing.

Having personal injury lawyers negotiate with insurance companies levels the playing field. We know what your case is worth and won’t settle for less than fair compensation. Our law firm pushes for a fair settlement that covers all your damages, not just what insurers want to pay. If they refuse to be reasonable, we’re ready to take your personal injury lawsuit to court.

Why Choose Our Personal Injury Law Firm

Our personal injury law firm has handled countless truck accident cases throughout Wisconsin. We understand the unique challenges these cases present and know how to represent clients effectively. Our experienced attorney team has the knowledge and resources to take on big trucking companies and their insurers.

We work on a contingency fee basis, which means you don’t pay legal fees unless we win your case. This arrangement lets you focus on recovery without worrying about upfront costs. Our injury lawyers believe everyone deserves quality legal representation regardless of their financial situation.

When you work with our law firm, you get personalized attention. We take time to understand your situation and explain the legal process in plain language. Our legal team keeps you updated on your case’s progress and answers your questions promptly. We treat every client with respect and work hard to get them the full value of their injury claim.

FAQs by Wausau Clients

Q. How much does it cost to hire a truck accident attorney?

A. Our personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. You pay no upfront costs or legal fees unless we recover compensation for you. When we win your case, our fee comes from the settlement or court award. This means you can afford quality legal representation without financial stress during an already difficult time.

Q. What should I do immediately after a truck accident?

A. First, seek medical attention even if you feel okay. Some severe injuries don’t show symptoms right away. Call the police to file a report and gather evidence, if possible, by taking photos of the scene, vehicles, and any visible injuries. Get contact information from witnesses. Then contact truck accident attorneys as soon as you can to protect your rights.

Q. How long do I have to file a truck accident claim in Wisconsin?

A. Under Wisconsin law, you generally have three years from the accident date to file a personal injury lawsuit. However, you shouldn’t wait that long. Evidence can disappear, and memories fade over time. Starting your legal claim early gives your truck accident lawyer the best chance to build a strong case and gather evidence while it’s still fresh.

Q. Can I still recover compensation if I was partially at fault?

A. Wisconsin law follows a modified comparative negligence rule. You can still recover damages if you were less than 51% at fault for the accident. Your compensation gets reduced by your percentage of fault. An experienced personal injury attorney will work to minimize your share of blame and maximize your recovery from the other party’s negligence.

Q. What if the trucking company offers me a settlement?

A. Don’t accept any settlement from a trucking company or their insurance companies without talking to personal injury attorneys first. Early settlement offers usually fall far short of what your case is worth. They don’t account for future medical expenses, ongoing lost income, or the full value of your pain and suffering. Let injury lawyers review any offer before you make a decision.

Q. How long does a truck accident case take to resolve?

A. Every truck accident case is different. Some settle in a few months, while others take a year or more, especially if they go to trial. The timeline depends on factors like the severity of your injuries, how clear the liability is, and whether insurance companies negotiate fairly. Your legal team will work efficiently while making sure you get fair compensation for all your damages.

Q. What types of damages can I recover in a truck accident lawsuit?

A. You can seek compensation for medical expenses, future medical expenses, lost wages, lost income, property damage, pain and suffering, and emotional trauma. In cases involving extreme negligence, you might also recover punitive damages. An experienced attorney will calculate the full value of your damages to make sure your personal injury claim seeks full compensation.

Q. Who can be held liable in a truck accident case?

A. Multiple parties might share liability in truck accidents. This can include the truck driver, the trucking company, the cargo loading company, the cargo shipper, maintenance providers, or vehicle manufacturers. Truck accident attorneys investigate to identify all responsible parties so you can recover fair compensation from everyone whose negligence contributed to your injuries.

Q. Do I need to go to court for my truck accident case?

A. Many truck accident cases settle without going to court. Insurance companies often prefer to settle rather than risk a trial. However, if they refuse to offer a fair settlement, your personal injury lawyers are ready to take your case to court. Having attorneys prepared to go to trial often encourages insurers to make better settlement offers.

Q. Can I obtain the truck driver’s logs?

A. Yes, your attorney can request the driver logs, which can show hours of service and potential violations. These logs are critical evidence in many truck accident cases. They reveal whether the truck driver exceeded legal driving limits, which could prove driver fatigue contributed to your accident.

Q. What kind of evidence is important in a truck accident case?

A. Important evidence includes police reports, medical records, witness statements, photographs of the scene, and any available video footage. Driver logs, maintenance records, and black box data from the truck are also crucial evidence. Your legal team works on preserving evidence before it gets lost or destroyed.

Q. What if the truck was improperly loaded?

A. If the truck was improperly loaded and this caused the accident, the company responsible for loading the truck can be held liable. Both cargo loading companies and cargo shippers have a duty to make sure cargo is properly secured. When they fail in this responsibility, they become responsible parties in your legal claim.

Call Our Wausau Truck Accident Lawyer Today​

At Fitzpatrick, Skemp & Butler, LLC, we lead in truck accident litigation. Our Wausau truck accident attorney team has the experience and resources to handle complex commercial truck accidents. We fight for truck accident victims who have suffered severe injuries because of someone else’s negligence.

Our personal injury law firm understands how motor vehicle accidents involving large trucks differ from regular crashes. We know how to identify all responsible parties and hold them accountable. Whether dealing with trucking companies, insurance companies, or other liable parties, we work to get you financial compensation for your losses.

Don’t let medical bills and lost wages pile up while you wait for help. Contact our law firm today for a free consultation. We’ll review your case, explain your options, and help you understand the legal process. Call us at 608-200-4289 or visit our office in Wausau, WI. Let our experienced personal injury attorney team fight for the fair compensation you deserve.