Rear-End Truck Accident Lawyers

Indiana is home to nearly 275,000 registered semi-trailers, more than any other state in the country besides California and Texas. Trucking is an essential part of life in the Hoosier State, but truck accidents are also some of the most catastrophic events imaginable.

Truck accidents can take many forms, though the most frequently occurring are rear-end collisions, constituting 22 percent of crashes involving trucks. When a large truck rear-ends a passenger vehicle, the occupants of the smaller automobile will probably suffer the brunt of the consequences, making up 72 percent of the casualties in two-vehicle truck accidents in 2021. Even the survivors of rear-end truck accidents can be left with punishing injuries that may be beyond the means of the average Indiana family.

If you have been hit from behind by a commercial truck or semi-trailer, financial recovery may be possible, though success is not automatic. To tip the odds in your favor, turn to the truck accident attorneys at Hensley Legal Group, who have been fighting for the everyday people of Indiana for more than 25 years.

You can schedule a free consultation with an Indiana rear-end truck accident lawyer by calling or texting us at (317) 472-3333, chatting with us online, or filling out our contact form at your earliest convenience.

Why Do Rear-End Truck Accidents Take Place?

As complex as commercial trucks and semi-trailers are, they are still driven by human beings, who sometimes make mistakes. Perhaps understandably, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has found that driver error is the “critical reason” most truck accidents take place. Examples of misconduct that could cause a rear-end truck accident may include:

• Tailgating – Following a vehicle too closely, commonly known as “tailgating,” is the top factor in rear-end collisions. Drivers must maintain an adequate space cushion so that they can respond appropriately to the flow of traffic. While passenger vehicles should generally follow a “three-second rule,” in which at least three seconds pass between the time the leading auto leaves a fixed point in the road and the time the trailing auto arrives at that point, a “four-second rule” may be preferable for trucks and semi-trailers.
• Traveling too fast – Tailgating is often associated with traveling too fast, which can make rear-end truck accidents more likely to happen and more destructive when they do.
• Distraction – A driver who is not paying attention may not notice a stoppage until it is too late. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about 87 percent of rear-end crashes include “some form or degree of driver distraction.”
• Drowsiness – Approximately 100,000 American motor vehicle accidents, 50,000 injuries, and 800 deaths are linked to fatigued driving annually. Truckers may be disproportionately vulnerable to drowsiness given how many hours they spend driving each day.
• Driving under the influence – Though intoxication at the wheel has been declining, driving under the influence remains a persistent problem, including in Indiana, where law enforcement makes a DUI arrest every 11.98 hours. Drunk and high drivers have dulled reflexes and impaired judgment, both of which can precipitate a rear-end truck accident.

Other elements that could play a role in rear-end truck accidents may include:

• Mechanical issues, such as brake failure or tire blowouts
• Excessive or unsecured cargo
• Inclement weather
• Hazardous road conditions

Hensley’s Indiana rear-end truck accident attorneys can analyze the circumstances of your injury and determine whether you have grounds for a case.

Steps to Take After a Rear-End Truck Accident

To better protect that case, there are important steps you should take after a rear-end truck accident, including:

• Move to safety – You risk getting struck by another vehicle if you linger in the street for too long, so move to safety before you do anything else.
• Dial 911 – If police and emergency personnel are not already at the scene, dial 911 to request their presence. An inaccurate police report could be detrimental to your case, so be sure to give a complete account of the collision to the responding officer.
• Seek medical attention – Injuries are the rule in a rear-end truck accident, not the exception, so seek medical attention immediately. Any delays in treatment could hinder the healing process and allow doubt to be cast on the relevance and extent of your damages.
• Take pictures and shoot videos – Use your phone to take pictures and shoot videos of your surroundings if you can, since a visual record could be invaluable in assessing liability and cataloging your losses. Try to capture any logos or text painted or printed on the truck itself, which could indicate possible defendants in your case.
• Obtain driver and witness information – You may not have a case if you do not know who those defendants are, so obtain pertinent information from the truck driver and anyone else who may have been involved, such as:
  • Name
  • Address
  • Phone number
  • Email
  • Vehicle make, model, and year
  • License plate
  • Insurance company and policy number

Inquire about the truck’s owner and any company making use of the truck as well, and don’t forget to ask for the names and numbers of any witnesses who are present.

• Notify your auto insurance company – Prompt notification can ensure that you remain in compliance with the terms of your auto insurance policy and permit you to access any benefits it may provide, such as reimbursement for doctor bills, towing, car rentals, and repairs.
• Avoid other insurance companies – However, you may want to avoid the insurance carriers for the other parties if they get in touch with you, since even an innocuous comment to a savvy adjuster could come back to haunt you.
• Talk to a legal professional – A seasoned Indiana rear-end truck accident lawyer can answer your questions and educate you about what to expect if you are contemplating a case.

How Our Rear-End Truck Accident Attorneys Can Help

A rear-end truck accident can be over in a matter of moments, but its impact can be felt for months or even years to come, deluging you with mounting medical bills while making it harder to earn the money to pay for them.

You need attorneys compassionate enough to support you through your struggles and skillful enough to overcome them. You need the Indiana rear-end truck accident attorneys at Hensley Legal Group, who have been getting justice for injured clients since 1998.

If you decide to hire Hensley, we will launch a comprehensive investigation into the causes of your accident and everyone who may be liable for it within the time allotted by law. Our Indiana rear-end truck accident lawyers will leave no stone unturned in their quest to uncover evidence of wrongdoing, moving swiftly to secure the materials necessary for your claim, such as:

• Police reports
• Tickets and dispositions
• Eyewitness statements
• Dash cam, streetlight, and surveillance footage
• Black box data
• Phone records
• House of Service (HOS) and vehicular inspection logs
• Accident reconstruction and forensic analysis

Once we have put together an airtight case, we will endeavor to negotiate a settlement that reflects the full spectrum of your losses, including:

• Medical expenses
• Lost income
• Pain and suffering
• Psychological and emotional anguish
• Diminished quality of life
• Permanency of impairment
• Loss of consortium
• Punitive and wrongful death damages (if applicable)

And unlike some of our competitors, who seldom, if ever, set foot inside a courtroom, we are more than willing to go to trial if we do not receive an offer that is worthy of your case.

You may be reluctant to agree to more expenditures when you can least afford them, but our firm works on a contingency basis, so you won’t have to pay us anything unless our Indiana rear-end truck accident attorneys win your case.

A single act of carelessness was all it took to turn a short trip into a journey that seems like it will never end, but you can count on Hensley to bring it to a satisfying conclusion.

Reach Out to Our Indiana Rear-End Truck Accident Lawyers

Hensley Legal Group built its practice on staunch advocacy for the innocent victims of negligence. If you have been hurt through no fault of your own, reach out to our Indiana rear-end truck accident lawyers to explore your legal options.

Please call or text us at (317) 472-3333, chat with us online, or fill out our contact form for a no-cost case review with a dedicated Indiana rear-end truck accident attorney today.