Truck accidents can change your life in seconds. After a crash, you might feel lost and scared. Medical bills pile up, you can't work, and your body hurts. But you don't have to face this alone. At Shunnarah Truck Accident Lawyers, we know how bad truck accidents can be. As a experienced North Dakota truck accident lawyer, we are here to fight for you and get you the money you deserve.
Why Choose Our North Dakota Truck Accident Attorneys?
When it comes to truck accident cases in North Dakota, you want lawyers who know what they're doing. We've won big cases before. We got $25 million for someone with a brain injury. Shunnarah Truck Accident Lawyers obtained $18 million for another brain injury case. We even recovered $15 million for a family who lost a child. We've won lots of truck accident cases too, getting over $5 million for many of them.
But it's not just about money. We care about each person we help. One of our happy clients, M. Owens, said we really care about getting the best result for our clients. Our office is right in the middle of Bismarck, close to the State Capitol. We know the local courts and judges, which helps us win cases.
Getting Money After a Truck Accident
If you get hurt in a truck accident in North Dakota, you might be able to get a lot of money. The law says you can ask for different types of money. You can get money for your medical bills, lost wages, and damage to your car. There's no limit on how much you can get for these things.
You can also get money for pain and suffering. This means money for how the accident has hurt your life. In most cases, North Dakota doesn't limit this money. Sometimes, if the truck driver or company did something really bad, you might be able to get extra money to punish them.
Where Do Truck Accidents Happen?
Truck accidents can happen anywhere in North Dakota, but some places are more dangerous than others. Interstate 94, especially the long stretch between Bismarck and Fargo, sees a lot of crashes. This busy highway is often filled with trucks carrying goods across the state, and the high speeds combined with heavy traffic can lead to serious accidents.
U.S. Highway 85 in the western part of the state is also a risky road. It has become much busier because of all the oil field work in the area. More trucks use this road to carry equipment and supplies to and from the oil fields, making it more crowded and dangerous.
State Highway 23, which people call the "New Town Road," is another spot where accidents happen a lot. This road connects important oil towns and sees heavy truck traffic. The road wasn't built for so many big trucks, which makes it more likely for accidents to happen. In the cities, intersections are often where trucks and cars collide.
For example, in Bismarck, the corner of State Street and Century Avenue has seen many truck accidents. This busy intersection has lots of cars and trucks passing through every day, and sometimes drivers make mistakes or don't see each other in time.
The oil boom in the Bakken area has made the problem of truck accidents even worse. This part of North Dakota has seen a huge increase in truck traffic over the past few years.
More trucks are on the roads than ever before, and many of these roads weren't built to handle so many big, heavy vehicles. This has led to more wear and tear on the roads, making them more dangerous for everyone. It's also caused more accidents in counties like McKenzie, Williams, and Mountrail, where much of the oil work is happening.
Rural roads in North Dakota can be especially dangerous for truck accidents. These roads are often narrow and don't have much shoulder space. When big trucks need to pass each other or a car needs to get around a truck, there's not much room for error. Plus, many of these roads have sharp turns or hills that can be tricky for large trucks to navigate safely.
Weather is another factor that makes some places in North Dakota more dangerous for truck accidents. In the winter, roads can get very icy and slippery, especially in open areas where the wind blows snow across the highway. This can make it hard for truck drivers to control their vehicles, leading to more accidents. During the spring thaw, some roads can get soft or develop potholes, which can also cause problems for heavy trucks.
Areas near the Canadian border, like the roads around Pembina and Portal, see a lot of truck traffic from international trade. These areas can be hotspots for accidents, especially when drivers from other countries might not be familiar with North Dakota's roads or driving laws.
In the eastern part of the state, the intersection of I-29 and I-94 in Fargo is known for truck accidents. This is where two major highways meet, and there's always a lot of truck traffic moving in different directions. The complexity of this interchange can lead to confusion and accidents.
Overall, while truck accidents can happen anywhere in North Dakota, these high-risk areas require extra caution from both truck drivers and other motorists. Understanding where accidents are more likely to occur can help everyone be more alert and careful on the roads.
Types of Truck Accidents
There are many kinds of truck accidents. Sometimes the trailer swings out sideways, called a jackknife. Trucks can roll over if they're loaded wrong or go too fast around curves. Small cars can slide under trailers in underride accidents.
Rear-end crashes are really bad because trucks are so big and heavy. Wide turn accidents happen when trucks swing wide to make tight turns. Tire blowouts can make the driver lose control. And trucks have big blind spots, which can cause crashes.
Common Truck Accident Injuries
When a big truck hits a small car, people often get badly hurt. You might get a brain injury, which can change how you think and act. Your spine could get hurt, maybe leaving you paralyzed. Bones can break, and organs inside your body can get damaged. Some people get bad burns or lose arms or legs. Your neck might get hurt in a whiplash injury. And even if your body heals, your mind might still be scared and upset after the crash.
Fighting the Insurance Company
After a truck accident, you'll have to deal with insurance companies. They don't want to give you a lot of money. They might try to trick you into taking a small amount of money before you know how badly you're hurt. They might ask you to say things on tape that they can use against you later. Sometimes, they take a long time to do things, hoping you'll give up. They might try to say the accident was your fault. Or they might say you're not as hurt as you really are.
We know all these tricks. We'll talk to the insurance companies for you. We'll make sure they don't take advantage of you. Our job is to get you all the money you deserve under North Dakota law.
What to Do After a Truck Accident
The most important thing after a truck accident is to see a doctor. But there are other things you can do to help your case. Do everything your doctor tells you to do. This helps you get better and shows how serious your injuries are. Write down how you feel every day.
Keep all your bills and papers about the accident. Get a copy of the police report. Don't post about the accident on social media. Don't talk to insurance companies without talking to us first. Keep track of all the money you spend because of the accident. And call us at Shunnarah Truck Accident Lawyers. We'll look at your case, tell you about your rights, and make a plan to get you the most money possible.
Federal Rules and Truck Accidents
There are also federal rules for trucks. These rules are important for your case. Trucks have weight limits. If a truck is too heavy, it's more likely to crash. Companies have to check their trucks regularly. If they don't, it can be their fault if there's an accident.
Truck drivers have to take drug and alcohol tests. If they fail, it can help your case. Trucks have special devices that record how long the driver has been driving. We can use this information to see if the driver was following the rules.
There are rules about how to load things on trucks. If the cargo wasn't loaded right, it could cause an accident. Companies have to keep files on their drivers. We can look at these files to see if the driver should have been on the road.
How We Investigate Your Case
To win your case, we need to do a lot of investigating. We'll go to where the accident happened. We'll take pictures and look at skid marks and other clues. We'll have experts look at all the vehicles in the crash. Most big trucks have "black boxes" that record information about the crash. We'll get that information. We'll talk to anyone who saw the accident.
We work with experts who know about accidents, doctors, and money to help prove your case. We'll look at all the paperwork from the driver and the company. We'll check the driver's history and see if the company has a good safety record. By doing all this, we build a strong case for you.
Why Experts Are Important
In big truck accident cases, we often need help from expert witnesses. We might have someone who can figure out exactly how the accident happened. We might have someone who knows all about the trucking industry and its rules.
We'll have doctors explain your injuries and what kind of care you'll need. We'll have money experts figure out how much money you've lost and will lose because of the accident.
We might have someone plan out all the care you'll need for the rest of your life. We might have engineers look at the truck to see if anything was broken. We might even have experts who can explain why the driver might have made a mistake. All these experts help make your case stronger.
How We Negotiate and Go to Court
We try to get money for you without going to court. But we get ready for court anyway. This often makes insurance companies offer more money. When we negotiate, we have all the evidence ready. We clearly explain all the ways you've been hurt and how much money you should get. We use all the evidence we've gathered to show how strong your case is. We don't rush to take a small amount of money.
We'll keep negotiating as long as we need to. If we can't get a fair amount of money without going to court, we're ready for a trial. Our lawyers know how to explain complicated things to a jury in a way they can understand.
What You Should Do Now: Contact a North Dakota Truck Accident Lawyer
If you've been in a truck accident in North Dakota, you need to act fast. First, see a doctor, even if you feel okay. Some injuries don't show up right away. If you can, take pictures of the accident scene and your injuries.
Keep all papers related to the accident and your medical care. Don't talk about the accident on social media or with insurance companies before you talk to a lawyer.
Call Shunnarah Truck Accident Lawyers at (205) 957-4995 as soon as you can. We'll talk to you for free about your case and explain what you can do. Remember, in North Dakota, you only have a certain amount of time to ask for money. Don't wait too long and lose your chance.
Call us today, and let us fight for the money you deserve.
We have the experience and resources to take on big trucking companies and their insurance companies. You've been through enough already. Let us handle the legal stuff while you focus on getting better.ou deserve.