If you suffered injuries in a truck accident crash in Billings, Montana, dealing with legal headaches is the least of your worries. You’re dealing with physical injuries, emotional trauma, and financial strain, all while trying to recover your life. It’s a battle you shouldn’t have to face alone.
At Shunnarah Truck Accident Lawyers, we understand the complexities of truck accident cases and have the experience to help you get the compensation you deserve. With over $1.5 billion in compensation recovered for accident victims, our team is ready to stand by your side and fight for justice.
Call our experienced Billings truck accident lawyer today at (205) 957-4995 for your free consultation and take the first step toward healing and holding those at fault accountable.
Why Choose Our Billings Truck Accident Lawyers?
After a truck accident, choosing the right law firm can make all the difference. At Shunnarah Truck Accident Lawyers, our track record speaks for itself. We’ve secured over a billion dollars in compensation for truck accident victims, standing up against powerful trucking companies and their insurers who often try to minimize their responsibility.
Our approach is simple: We’re committed to pursuing the maximum compensation available under the law, leaving no stone unturned.
We can easily serve our clients in Billings and the surrounding areas. Whether you’re recovering from a traumatic injury or facing overwhelming medical bills, our proximity ensures you’ll have accessible, personalized legal guidance close to home.
What sets us apart is not just our success but our commitment to clients. Unlike many larger firms, we pride ourselves on being available 24/7 and maintaining a personal connection with each client.
Every case is handled with care, from the first consultation through to settlement or trial, ensuring that you receive the representation you deserve.
How Much Is My Truck Accident Case Worth?
When you've been in a truck accident, one of the first questions on your mind is likely: What compensation do I deserve? Truck accidents often result in severe injuries, leading to a complex calculation of damages that can include more than just immediate medical bills. Here’s a breakdown of the different types of compensation available in truck accident cases:
1. Economic Damages
Economic damages are based on your actual financial losses. This includes:
- Medical Expenses: This covers everything from your initial emergency care to long-term treatments like rehabilitation or physical therapy. Whether you’ve had surgeries, diagnostic tests, or ongoing medication costs, all related medical bills can go toward the compensation you receive.
- Lost Wages: If you’ve missed work due to your injuries, you can seek compensation for the wages lost during recovery. In severe cases where injuries lead to permanent disability or long-term inability to work, future lost earning capacity may also be included.
- Property Damage: This compensates for the repair or replacement of your vehicle and any other personal property damaged in the accident.
2. Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages compensate for the intangible losses that are harder to quantify. Although these damages don’t come with a receipt, they are no less real:
- Pain and Suffering: Truck accidents often cause significant physical pain and emotional trauma. This part of your compensation seeks to make up for the hardship and suffering caused by your injuries.
- Emotional Distress: Along with physical pain, victims of truck accidents frequently experience anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While it’s hard to put a price tag on, you can receive compensation for these.
- Loss of Enjoyment of Life: If your injuries prevent you from enjoying activities you once loved—whether it’s a sport, hobby, or spending time with family—you may be able to seek compensation for this diminished quality of life.
3. Punitive Damages
In some cases, punitive damages may apply to punish particularly reckless or egregious behavior by the truck driver or company. Montana allows punitive damages under certain circumstances, such as when gross negligence or willful misconduct is proven. For example, if a trucking company knowingly allows a fatigued driver to stay on the road in violation of federal hours-of-service regulations set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the court may impose punitive damages.
How Your Lawyer Calculates Damages
We assess each case thoroughly to ensure every aspect of your damages is accounted for. We work closely with medical professionals to evaluate the long-term costs of your injuries.
We ensure that the final compensation package reflects the true impact of the accident on your life, both economically and emotionally.
Where Do Truck Accidents Occur in Billings?
Billings, as a major hub in Montana, is crisscrossed by highways and trucking routes that see heavy commercial traffic daily. Unfortunately, this increased truck presence also means higher chances of serious accidents.
According to the Montana Department of Transportation, Billings saw 2,307 crashes in one recent year, which resulted in 1,788 injuries and seven fatalities.
Certain roads in and around Billings are particularly prone to truck collisions.
High-Risk Areas in Billings
- I-90 and I-94: These interstates are vital corridors for cross-country trucking, but they also see a significant share of accidents. Long stretches of road combined with high speeds often contribute to severe collisions involving trucks.
- Highway 87 and Highway 212: These routes see substantial truck traffic due to the volume of goods transported across the region. Accidents on these highways frequently result from speeding or driver fatigue.
- Local Intersections: Intersections like King Avenue West and Main Street in the heart of Billings are hotspots for rear-end and side-impact truck collisions. The congestion in these areas, combined with large commercial trucks attempting to navigate city streets, poses a high risk to other drivers.
Contributing Factors in Billings Truck Accidents
- Poor Weather Conditions: Montana’s harsh winters often make road conditions treacherous. Snow and ice create challenges for large trucks that require longer stopping distances. Many accidents occur in colder months when drivers lose control on slippery roads.
- Driver Fatigue: Long-haul truck drivers frequently exceed their driving hours. Despite FMCSA regulations designed to prevent fatigue-related accidents, truckers often experience drowsiness behind the wheel, contributing to accidents on Billings’ highways.
Truck Accident Basics
Truck accidents are different from typical car accidents in both complexity and severity. Commercial trucks' sheer size and weight mean that accidents often result in catastrophic damage and severe injuries. Understanding the different types of accidents, common injuries, and legal concepts involved can help you make sense of your case.
Types of Truck Accidents
Truck accidents can occur in many different ways.
Here are some of the most common types seen on Montana’s roads:
- Jackknife Accidents: These occur when the truck’s trailer swings out from behind the cab, forming a 90-degree angle. Jackknifing often happens during sudden braking, especially on slippery roads, making it impossible for the driver to regain control.
- Rollover Accidents: Trucks, especially those carrying heavy or improperly balanced loads, are prone to rolling over when making sharp turns or navigating curves. These accidents can result in major road closures and severe injuries.
- Rear-End Collisions: Because of their size, trucks need more time and distance to stop. When drivers don’t maintain a safe following distance, they risk slamming into the vehicle ahead, causing devastating rear-end collisions.
- Tire Blowouts: Trucks travel thousands of miles each week, and tire blowouts are a common cause of accidents. Blowouts can cause a truck driver to lose control, leading to multi-vehicle accidents.
Types of Injuries in Truck Accidents
Truck accidents often cause severe, life-altering injuries. Common injuries include:
- Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs): The force of a truck collision can cause the brain to strike the inside of the skull, leading to long-term cognitive and physical impairments.
- Spinal Cord Injuries: Damage to the spinal cord can result in partial or complete paralysis, drastically changing the victim’s quality of life.
- Broken Bones: Fractures are common in high-impact crashes, often requiring surgeries and long recovery periods.
- Internal Injuries: The blunt force of a truck accident can lead to internal bleeding and damage to organs, which may not be immediately apparent after the crash.
Relevant Legal Concepts in Montana
A key statute pertaining to truck accidents in Montana is Montana Code Section 27-2-204, which outlines the three-year statute of limitations for filing personal injury lawsuits. This means that if you’ve suffered injuries from a truck accident, you must file your claim within three years from the accident date.
Additionally, Montana follows a modified comparative fault rule, which means that if you are less than 50% responsible for the accident, you can still recover damages. However, your compensation will decrease by your percentage of fault.
Fighting the Insurance Company
Dealing with insurance companies after a truck accident is one of the most challenging parts of your recovery. Insurance adjusters are there to protect their bottom line, not yours, so they often try to minimize payouts.
The trucking companies they represent are often well-prepared with legal teams and large insurance policies, so they’ll fight hard to reduce or deny your claim.
Why It’s Tough to Fight Alone
Truck accidents often involve multiple parties—drivers, trucking companies, insurance providers, and sometimes even manufacturers. Each party may try to shift blame, complicating the process.
For instance, a trucking company might claim the driver was an independent contractor to avoid liability, or an insurance adjuster may downplay the severity of your injuries to justify a lower settlement.
This is where having legal representation makes all the difference. At Shunnarah Truck Accident Lawyers, we understand the tactics these companies use. Whether it’s dragging out the claims process, offering quick but unfair settlements, or disputing the facts of the accident, we’re ready to push back.
Insurance Tactics to Watch For
- Quick Settlement Offers: It’s common for insurers to offer a quick payout, hoping you’ll accept before you understand the full extent of your injuries or long-term costs. These offers are often far below what you are entitled to.
- Recorded Statements: Adjusters may ask for a recorded statement about the accident. This can be tricky, as they may use anything you say to undermine your claim later. It’s best to avoid giving any statements without your attorney present.
- Blaming the Victim: Insurers might try to argue that you were partially responsible for the accident, aiming to reduce your compensation. As Montana uses a modified comparative fault system, your compensation can decrease based on your percentage of fault.
How We Handle the Insurance Companies
We take on the insurance companies directly so you don’t have to. We handle all communication, negotiations, and if necessary, litigation. Our team gathers the necessary evidence—police reports, medical records, witness statements, and expert testimony—to build a strong case. We know the value of your claim and won’t settle for less than what you deserve.
Our goal is simple: to get you the maximum compensation possible while you focus on your recovery. Let us fight the insurance company so you don’t have to face them alone.
Get the Compensation You Deserve with Shunnarah Truck Accident Lawyers
With a proven track record of securing significant settlements for our clients, we’re ready to take on the trucking companies and insurance giants standing in your way.
Call us today at (205) 957-4995 for your free consultation and let us start building your case. Together, we can help you move forward toward justice and the compensation you need to rebuild your future.