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Hiring a Truck Accident Attorney in Alaska

You may have many questions when you are involved in a truck collision, we are here to help! We have compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions by truck accident victims in the state of Alaska.

Can You Only File A Truck Accident Claim For A Serious Injury?

Accidents involving big rigs such as semi-trucks and other commercial vehicles tend to result in serious injuries, like paralysis or traumatic brain injuries. Yet these are not the only injuries which can be cited on a truck accident claim.

In Alaska, you can pursue the negligent party in an auto accident for any injuries or property damage they may have caused. Whether you suffered a broken bone, lost a limb, or suffered the loss of a family member, you can file a claim for compensation if the accident was caused due to negligence.

Because catastrophic injuries have such a vast impact on accident victims, they may garner larger settlements than more minor injuries. However, it is up to the court to decide on a settlement amount, or the insurance companies, if your claim is settled out of court. Don’t discount your injuries before speaking to a lawyer first.

What Are Common Reasons For Commercial Truck Accidents?

Many large truck accidents occur due to driver error or another form of negligence. When a truck driver is negligent, it means they owed you a ‘duty of care’ which they breached in some way. This breach could occur if they failed to check their mirrors before changing lanes, if they were distracted while driving, if they were speeding, or for many other reasons.

Truckers may not always be responsible for causing truck crashes, however. The semi-truck could have malfunctioned due to lack of maintenance, which may be the trucking company’s responsibility. Or, the accident may have occurred due to faulty road conditions, which would be considered the fault of whatever entity is responsible for managing road repair.

Finally, tractor-trailer accidents may also occur due to unforeseen circumstances, such as unexpected weather conditions. Slippery roads, wet roads, fog, and more may lead to jackknifing of the semi or improper braking.

Who Is At-Fault For Auto Accidents In Alaska?

An Alaska truck accident lawyer can help you determine who was at fault in your accident. In general, at-fault parties must pay for any damages caused by the accident, such as medical care costs and vehicle damage. This is why determining the at-fault party is such an important task.

However, you may be considered partly at fault for the truck accident as well, depending on what you were doing at the time of the crash. For example, if you were texting while driving, this could also be considered negligence, and any settlement offer may be reduced based on your level of fault.

If you were obeying all traffic laws at the time of the accident, you may have no fault. An attorney will work hard to ensure you are not assigned any more fault than is rightfully yours to help you seek maximum compensation for your injuries.

How Do You Prove Negligence In Truck Accident Cases?

An experienced personal injury lawyer will know the state laws that apply to your case. One of these laws is the principle of negligence. Alaska operates on a comparative negligence law. This means parties with partial fault in motor vehicle accidents can still file a claim for damages, but will have their damages reduced. To prove negligence, your lawyer will have to prove three components:

  • The responsible party was negligent, breaching their duty of care to other motorists
  • This breach led to the accident
  • The truck accident resulted in your injuries
What Laws Apply To Truck Accident Claims?

Along with the laws that apply to negligence and fault, you must also pay attention to Alaska’s statute of limitations for personal injury claims. This statute refers to the amount of time you have to file a claim — two years from the date of the truck crash.

This time limit refers to the amount of time you have to file the claim, not the time in which your claim must be resolved. This is often an ample time period, but insurance companies will try to run out the statute with attempts to discredit your claim. For this reason, it helps to work with a reputable truck accident attorney.

What’s The Difference Between A Personal Injury Claim And A Personal Injury Lawsuit?

Personal injury claims are claims which you file to seek compensation that is due to you. You file a claim with your insurance company, for example, when you get into a fender bender or other minor accident. Similarly, when you get into a truck accident caused by someone else, you file a personal injury claim with their insurance company.

In contrast, you file a personal injury lawsuit against the negligent party after a truck accident. You could file both a truck accident injury claim and a truck accident lawsuit, filing a claim for the insurance compensation and a lawsuit for damages not covered or denied by the insurance company.

You may also file a lawsuit against a negligent party for damages that you can’t cite on an insurance claim, such as emotional anguish or pain and suffering. Your truck accident attorney can help you determine which legal path is right for you.

What Damages Can I Claim In A Truck Accident Case, Besides Medical Expenses?

You may be able to file for any damages caused in the truck accident. There are two common categories of damages in personal injury cases: economic and non-economic. Economic damages are those that are easy to place value on, such as your medical bills, recovery costs, and property damage to your vehicle.

Non-economic damages, on the other hand, refer to those which are harder to quantify, such as pain and anguish or suffering over the loss of a loved one. The court may use a number of factors to help determine an appropriate amount for non-economic damages.

In rare instances, truck accident cases may be awarded punitive damages. These are intended to punish the at-fault party in an attempt to deter them from making the same mistake again. However, the court must award these damages — you cannot claim them.

Looking for a reputable personal injury law firm after a truck accident in Alaska? Look no further than LegalFinders, a premier network of legal professionals where you can find top truck accident attorneys in your area. With help from an attorney, you can seek fair compensation for your injuries and the expenses you incurred from the truck crash, such as medical care costs and vehicle damage. You can find out more today by connecting with us for a free consultation.

Find The Best Truck Accident Attorney Near You

Whether you were in a truck accident in Fairbanks, Anchorage, or in another part of Alaska, you may have suffered serious injuries. Before calling your insurance company, you may want to reach out to an Alaska truck accident lawyer to learn your legal options.

Truck accident victims who were injured due to the truck driver’s or another party’s negligence can file a personal injury claim to seek compensation for their suffering. Settlements from truck accident claims can help pay for medical bills, property damage, and more.

People who have experienced catastrophic injuries, or injuries which were life-altering, may receive damages to cover such changes. This could include coverage for long-term medical care costs or payments to atone for the changes to their career if they were unable to return to work. If you lost a loved one in a truck accident, a wrongful death claim could provide compensation for your pain and suffering at the unexpected loss of your loved one.

So, how do you get started on a truck accident case? The easiest way to file your claim is with the help of top-rated Alaska truck accident attorneys. A skilled attorney will know the laws that apply to motor vehicle accidents involving large trucks and how to apply them to your case.

They will know all the ways to fight for your fair settlement, such as proving negligence in the at-fault party and calling on the details of the accident to back up your claim. And they will not be intimidated by the insurance companies or defendant’s lawyers who want to disprove your claim and offer you a hasty settlement that isn’t reflective of the harm you’ve endured.

In short, personal injury lawyers will have the skill set you need to ensure the best possible outcome for your truck accident claim. But how do you find the right lawyer? Enter LegalFinders. We can connect you to the best personal injury attorneys in your area, who know truck accident laws and have years of experience handling cases like yours.

Tractor-trailer accidents can devastate accident victims, but you do not have to settle for the impact the accident has left on your life. Personal injury claims allow you to hold accountable the truck driver, trucking companies, or other parties responsible for the accident.

This is why it’s so important to choose an attorney with ample experience and a targeted skill set — that way, you know you have the best chance at getting compensated for your injuries. With the right legal team, you’ll be able to rest assured that your case is being handled with the utmost care.

 

Alaska Truck Accident Statistics

In 2019, the most recent year for reported traffic crash data, Alaska motorists were involved in 62 fatal motor vehicle crashes, leading to 67 fatalities, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Semi-truck accidents may not be a high occurrence, but they often lead to some of the most severe injuries and fatalities. Statistics regarding commercial vehicle accidents in Alaska include:

Fatal crashes in Alaska involving Semi-trucks

2

decrease from the year before, when commercial motor vehicles were involved in 3 fatal crashes in 2017

The number of fatal auto accidents and the number of fatalities

decrease from the previous year of fatal accidents

Alcohol-related motor vehicle accidents decreased

54%

from 2016 to 2017 in Alaska

Large truck occupants died in motor vehicle accidents in Alaska in 2019

3

or 4% of all fatalities, this is higher than the U.S. average of truck occupants involved in fatal accidents (2%)

Driver fatalities due to confirmed blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels

33

in Alaska in 2019 — the second-highest rate in the nation

Restraint (seatbelt) use was also a factor in many Alaskan motor vehicle accidents in 2019

46%

lack of restraint accounted for of accident fatalities

 

Most Dangerous Alaska Highways

Accidents involving semi-trucks and other commercial vehicles occur throughout Alaska, however. In fact, car accidents can occur in any area of the state, but some roads are commonly considered more dangerous to travel than others. Some roadways to watch for in Alaska include:

Roadways
Sterling Highway, which sees many wildfires and has few routes to take when fires occur
Dalton Highway, which sees many large trucks, often traveling at high speeds
Seward Highway, a popular route for tourists that often sees heavy traffic
Richardson Highway, which sees black ice and other extreme weather conditions, as well as reduced sunlight hours leading to travel in darkness, increasing likelihood of accidents

LegalFinders Can Help You Find Top Truck Accident Lawyers In Your Area

If you are looking for legal representation after a truck accident in Kenai, Juneau, Wasilla, or somewhere else in the state, we’re here to help. Through LegalFinders, you’ll find the legal advice you need to get started on your case during a free, no-obligation case evaluation.

Should you choose to work with one of the law offices in our network, you can secure an experienced, highly skilled Alaska truck accident lawyer. Let us help you find the right attorney for your case, who can offer the expertise that will mean the difference between a rushed settlement offer and the maximum compensation you deserve.

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Published: 26 May 2022

ARTICLE SOURCES

Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, Highway Safety Office — Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS)

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) — Fatality Facts 2019: State by state

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