Indiana Flatbed Truck Accident Lawyers

Trucks can be found practically anywhere you look in Indiana, where approximately 15,820 trucking companies transport about 417,517 tons of manufactured goods each day. Most of the state’s commercial trucking is done with semi-trailers, but some jobs demand flatbed trucks, which have solid beds with no roofs or sides. Flatbed trucks can be useful when transporting unusually shaped cargo, but the flexibility they bring comes with a downside if an unstable load causes an injury.

If you have been hurt in an Indiana flatbed truck accident, you may be eligible to receive compensation. To increase your chances of success, get in touch with the flatbed truck accident attorneys at Hensley Legal Group, who have been fighting for the everyday people of Indiana for more than a quarter century.

Please call or text us at (317) 472-3333, chat with us online, or fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation with an Indiana flatbed truck accident lawyer today.

What Is a Flatbed Truck?

A flatbed truck is a type of vehicle designed for commercial transportation. Flatbed trucks can range in size from four-wheelers that are under seven feet long to eighteen-wheelers that are over 50 feet long, with the largest flatbed trucks carrying nearly 50,000 pounds of cargo per haul.

Unlike semi-trailers, a flatbed truck’s cargo is placed directly on the truck’s flatbed, which has no roof, side railings, built-in containers, or other enclosures. Instead, the cargo must be tied down or secured so that it does not shift around during travel.

The extra space provided by a flatbed truck allows for the transportation of irregular loads that may not fit inside standard commercial shipping vehicles. The following cargo is frequently transported in flatbed trucks:

· Machines and vehicles – Heavy machines, equipment, and vehicles used for construction, aviation, industrial, or military purposes can be carried on flatbed trucks.

· Building materials – The raw materials for building projects, such as metal pipes, rocks, gravel, stones, concrete slabs, and lumber, may be too unwieldy to be shipped in any other way.

· Landscaping materials – Flatbed trucks routinely transport landscaping materials, like sod, pebbles, rocks, mulch, and even full-grown trees.

· Scrap metal and garbage – Flatbeds are the preferred means of conveyance for scrap metal, garbage, and loose debris.

· Tires – Flatbed trucks may carry used tires that have been recycled or compressed into tire bales and repurposed to create motorways, assist in construction, or prevent erosion.

Transporting this cargo might be impossible without the freedom offered by flatbed trucks, though truckers must take precautions so that these goods remain in place. If appropriate safeguards are not implemented, many of these items could break off or become dislodged, then either fall out and become obstacles in the road or fly out and form potentially lethal projectiles that could strike passing motorists.

Incidents of this nature could result in costly injuries that most families could not manage without skilled Indiana flatbed truck accident attorneys in their corner.

Common Causes of Flatbed Truck Accidents

Despite their unique features, flatbed trucks are still motor vehicles. As such, a flatbed truck accident can happen for a variety of reasons just like any other motor vehicle accident, often because of driver error or mechanical failure. However, those unique features can sometimes generate hazards for other motorists and make collisions more probable. Common causes of flatbed truck accidents include:

· Unsecured cargo – The cargo being transported in a flatbed truck can be as dangerous as the truck itself. Because this cargo is less enclosed than it would be in a semi-trailer, it may become loose during transit, sometimes falling into the path of oncoming cars or hitting drivers, passengers, or pedestrians in the vicinity. Even if it does not leave the confines of the flatbed, unsecured cargo could shift while the truck is in motion, causing the truck to overturn, jackknife, or collide with other vehicles.

· Protruding cargo – If secured correctly, cargo should not fall or fly from a flatbed truck, though it may still stick out beyond the truck’s bed. Protruding cargo could injure drivers traveling next to or behind a flatbed truck who do not realize it is jutting out.

· Reduced maneuverability – Flatbed trucks are not as easily maneuvered as other kinds of vehicles, so the driver could lose control when encountering adverse traffic conditions.

· Blockage of sightlines – Drivers may be unable to see around or above a fully loaded flatbed truck. With their sightlines blocked, they might be more likely to crash into the truck or other vehicles as they attempt to merge or pass.

Regardless of the specific cause of your trucking injury, Hensley’s Indiana flatbed truck accident lawyers can advise you of the best course of action if you are contemplating a case.

Who Is Responsible for an Indiana Flatbed Truck Accident?

A number of individuals and entities could be responsible for an Indiana flatbed truck accident, particularly when the truck is being deployed for commercial purposes.

Aside from the flatbed truck’s driver and its owner (if different from the driver), the company making use of the truck could also be liable (if different from the owner). Trucking companies in Indiana have a duty to make sure that their drivers are trained to operate their trucks carefully and follow all state and federal laws. They further have an obligation to maintain their trucks so they do not malfunction and load them in a way that will not lead to harm. If an incompetent driver, an unsafe truck, or an unfastened load causes an accident, the company could be culpable.

In some situations, outside parties could be held accountable as well, such as a cargo loader if improperly packed goods inflict injury or a servicing agency if a malfunction causes a crash. Should a malfunction be linked to a defective component, then the manufacturer, distributor, or retailer of that component could be blamed too. In certain instances, multiple parties could share varying degrees of legal liability for a single flatbed truck accident for which they might in turn share varying degrees of financial liability.

Given how many defendants there might be, it is crucial to pursue all of them within the time allotted by law, known as the Statute of Limitations. Failing to file suit or resolve your claim before the Statute expires could forever bar you from doing so, but Hensley Legal Group will never let a regulatory oversight stall your case.

What Our Flatbed Truck Accident Attorneys Can Do for You

A flatbed truck accident can catastrophic, inflicting injuries that could overwhelm you with skyrocketing medical bills while hindering your ability to work. When the bill collector won’t stop calling and the insurance company won’t call back, it can be difficult to know what to do or where to turn to stave off ruin.

You need attorneys with the compassion to support you in your darkest hour and the wisdom to guide you through it. You need the flatbed truck accident attorneys at Hensley Legal Group, who have devoted their practice to ensuring that the average Hoosier enjoys equal access to justice.

If you hire Hensley, we will conduct a comprehensive investigation into your flatbed truck accident, acting swiftly to amass the evidence required for your claim, including:

· Police reports

· Citations and dispositions

· Eyewitness accounts

· Dash cam, traffic light, and surveillance footage

· Crash scene pictures

· Black box data

· Cellular phone records

· Hours of Service (HOS) and vehicular inspection logs

· Accident reconstruction and forensic analysis

After putting together a first-rate case, our Indiana flatbed truck accident lawyers will attempt to negotiate a settlement that reflects the entirety of your losses, including:

· Medical expenses

· Lost income

· Pain and suffering

· Mental and emotional trauma

· Diminished quality of life

· Permanent impairment

· Loss of consortium

· Punitive and wrongful death damages (if applicable)

And if we do not receive an offer that is worthy of your claim, we are not afraid to proceed to trial for a verdict that is, unlike many of our competitors, who rarely, if ever, set foot inside a courtroom.

You may be worried about spending more money when you can least afford it. Fortunately, our firm works on a contingency basis, so you won’t have to pay us anything until our Indiana flatbed truck accident attorneys win your case.

Hensley will do whatever it takes to get you the resources necessary to restore your health.

Reach Out to Our Indiana Flatbed Truck Accident Lawyers

Hensley Legal Group is committed to helping the innocent victims of negligence. If you have been injured through no fault of your own, reach out to our Indiana flatbed truck accident lawyers to explore the legal remedies available to you.

Arrange a no-cost case review with a dedicated flatbed truck accident attorney now by calling or texting (317) 472-3333, chatting with us online, or filling out our contact form.