Flatbed Accidents

Truck Crash Lawyers Helping People Throughout the Schaumburg and Wheaton Areas

Flatbed accidents can lead to lifelong injuries. In the most serious cases, these truck accidents can result in death. If you have been injured in an accident involving a flatbed, you may be entitled to compensation for your harm. At Therman Law Offices, our skilled Schaumburg and Wheaton truck accident attorneys can examine the circumstances of your accident and help you try to establish fault. Truck accident claims can be complicated, but with decades of combined experience, we understand the nuances of this area of law.

Pursuing a Claim for Compensation Based on a Flatbed Accident

Of the approximately half a million truck accidents that take place in the United States each year, many involve flatbed trucks. A flatbed truck is a type of truck that has a flat load-carrying area. As the name suggests, its bodywork is an entirely flat, level “bed” with no sides or roof. While this allows for quick and easy loading of goods, it also creates risks if the cargo is not secured properly. The heavier and higher the load of cargo, the higher is the risk of the truck becoming unstable due to the high center of gravity. This is why truckers transporting materials on flatbed trucks are required to use due care, including making periodic stops to check on the load.

If you have been injured in an accident caused by a flatbed truck driver’s negligence, you can likely recover compensation through a negligence claim. Negligence law is designed to hold individuals accountable when they act carelessly or with little regard for the safety of others. In the context of truck accidents, negligence takes place when a truck driver causes an accident and injuries by failing to adhere to the duty of care that a reasonably prudent truck driver would have used in the same situation.

To win a negligence claim, the plaintiff’s attorney bears the burden to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that the truck driver owed the plaintiff a duty of care, the truck driver breached the duty of care owed to the plaintiff, and the plaintiff suffered injuries or other harm as a direct result of the truck driver’s breach. As mentioned above, the duty of care is an implicit obligation to act as a reasonably prudent person in the same circumstances would act.

Truck accidents can range from minor to catastrophic. Victims who are injured badly may require lifelong medical care, medications, and assistive devices such as wheelchairs. Dealing with truck accident injuries can be extremely costly for many families. This is why Illinois allows victims of these accidents to recover compensation for expenses such as medical costs, rehabilitation costs, pain and suffering, lost wages, and any other losses arising out of the accident.

Under Illinois law, personal injury lawsuits such as car or truck accident claims must be filed within a legal deadline known as the statute of limitations. Generally, the lawsuit must be filed in civil court within two years of the date of the accident, or the plaintiff will permanently lose his or her right to take legal action. Of course, there may be limited exceptions, but we would need to examine your case thoroughly to determine if any apply.

Get Assistance from an Attorney Following an Accident in Schaumburg or Wheaton

If you have been injured or your loved one has been killed in a flatbed accident, we can assist you in figuring out your next steps. At Therman Law Offices, our injury lawyers know how to navigate complex truck accident claims. We will make every effort to get you a full and fair settlement. However, if that does not work, we are not afraid to zealously advocate for you at trial. We represent people from a number of cities in Illinois, including Schaumburg, Wheaton, Elk Grove Village, Mt. Prospect, Arlington Heights, Hoffman Estates, Streamwood, Elgin, Bartlett, Hanover Park, Bensenville, and Wood Dale. For a free case evaluation, call us at 312-588-1900 or contact us online.