Beaumont Jackknife Accident Attorneys
Did you suffer severe injuries or was your loved one killed in a jackknife accident in the Beaumont area? You should speak with a truck accident attorney at Portner Bond, PLLC as soon as possible.
A tractor-trailer jackknifes when it skids and the trailer swings out at a 90-degree angle similar to the way an actual jackknife folds. Trailers often weigh several thousands of pounds, so the possible wreckage a swinging trailer can cause is often immense.
The actual causes of jackknife accidents can be very hard to determine, as truck drivers may be responsible for causing such crashes in some cases, but many others involve some kind of mechanical issue with a tractor-trailer. Jackknife crashes most often occur on major highways where trucks are traveling at high speeds, so there are increased chances of people suffering devastating injuries.
Portner Bond, PLLC will fight to hold every negligent party accountable so you can receive all of the compensation you are entitled to. Call (409) 838-4444 or contact us online to take advantage of a free consultation.
Do I Need A Jackknife Accident Lawyer?
You need an attorney so you can get answers about the causes of the accident. As soon as you hire a lawyer, they will conduct their own thorough and exhaustive investigation of your crash to determine why the tractor-trailer jackknifed.
An attorney can enlist important resources to get answers in these cases, such as accident reconstruction specialists who can assist and provide explanations for court. After all liable parties are identified, the lawyer can begin negotiating a possible settlement to your case.
You don’t want to try to handle your settlement negotiations on your own, because insurance companies are will try to use your lack of legal knowledge and experience to get you to accept a lump sum settlement that is considerably less than an attorney will be able to negotiate for you.
Do not say anything or give a recorded statement to an insurance company about the accident until you retained legal counsel because the insurance company could misconstrue your statement as a confession of your negligence that contributed to the accident.
Why Choose Portner Bond, PLLC To Handle My Case?
Portner Bond, PLLC has more than seven decades of combined experience. Chris Portner and Trent Bond are both members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, which includes less than one percent of practicing attorneys in the United States.
Chris Portner was recognized in Texas Monthly in 2007 and 2008 as a rising star by Texas Super Lawyers (a Thomson Reuters service). He is also a member of the American Association for Justice, Jefferson County Young Lawyers Association, Jefferson County Bar Association, and State Bar of Texas.
Trent Bond is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, which only about 10 percent of lawyers in Texas can claim. He was recognized in Texas Monthly in 2011-2018 as a Texas Super Lawyer by Texas Super Lawyers and is the vice president of the Jefferson County Bar Association.
Tom Kiehnhoff is AV Peer Review Rated by Martindale Hubbell. He was also Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of Texas from 1990 to 2001.
Types of Jackknife Accident Cases We Handle
Jackknife accidents may or may not stem from driver negligence. Mechanical issues beyond a driver’s control could also be responsible for causing these types of crashes.
Some of the most common causes of jackknife accidents include, but are not limited to:
- Reckless driving
- Inadequate training
- Mechanical issues
- Distracted driving
- Lack of familiarity with roadway
- Driving under the influence (DUI) of drugs or alcohol
- Driver fatigue
- Inclement weather
- Sudden braking
People who are involved in jackknife accidents may experience a wide range of very serious injuries. Some of the more common injuries in these cases include, but are not limited to:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Neck injuries
- Paralysis
- Muscle strains
- Spinal cord injuries
- Burn injuries
- Lacerations
- Fractures
- Sprains
- Internal organ injuries
Jackknife crashes can very easily result in fatal accidents. Families of individuals who die in jackknife accidents are often able to file wrongful death lawsuits to recover various damages caused by the sudden loss of a loved one.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Jackknife Accidents
Who can be held liable for a jackknife accident?
Liability for a truck accident is often complicated because a number of different parties could be responsible for various aspects of a crash. In many cases, the truck driver is directly responsible for causing an accident and is personally liable, but many truck drivers do not have the kinds of personal assets or wealth needed to satisfy the kinds of awards sought by most victims.
Fortunately, other possible liable parties could include the truck owner, trucking company, shipping company, a part manufacturer, and possibly even drivers of other vehicles. Another possible wild card in the liability area could be a jackknife accident that stems from a defective roadway, in which case a governmental entity could also bear some liability for your injuries.
What kinds of damages could I be entitled to for a jackknife accident?
You could be entitled to significant damages for your jackknife accident. Settlements are frequently how most truck accident cases end up being resolved because the insurance companies handling the cases simply do not want to pay to take them to trial.
There may be situations in which a fair settlement can’t be negotiated, and your lawyer will file a lawsuit on your behalf. When a victim is able to prove their case in court with overwhelming evidence of liability, they can be awarded different kinds of economic damages and non-economic damages.
Economic damages are awards for a victim’s monetary losses, such as medical expenses, lost wages, and property damage. Noneconomic damages are more subjective and usually apply to kinds of emotional or psychological harm, such as pain and suffering, mental trauma, and emotional distress.
A victim of a jackknife accident may be awarded punitive damages in a limited number of cases where there is clear and convincing evidence that harm resulted from a defendant’s fraud, malice, or gross negligence. Punitive damages are rare, but they may be possible in cases involving intoxicated truck drivers since these awards are usually geared more toward punishing defendants for reprehensible conduct than they are to awarding claimants.
How long does it take to resolve a jackknife accident case?
Portner Bond, PLLC will usually begin negotiating a settlement to your case after you have completed your medical treatment relating to your injuries. Settlement negotiations often take a number of months, and a settlement will continue to be negotiated even if a case does go trial.
If your case goes to trial, then it could be a year or two before your case is resolved. Every case is different, so there are some jackknife accidents in which settlements are reached quickly, while there are also others where it can take considerable time to arrive at a suitable resolution.
Contact a Jackknife Accident Attorney in Beaumont
If you sustained catastrophic injuries or your loved one was killed in a jackknife accident in Beaumont or a surrounding area of Jefferson County, it is important for you to preserve all of your legal rights. You need to start working with Portner Bond, PLLC right away.
Our firm is committed to helping you get justice. We can examine your case as soon as you call (409) 838-4444 or contact us online to set up a free consultation.