How Can an Experienced Norfolk Truck Accident Lawyer Help You?

An experienced lawyer in Norfolk, Virginia knows the roads, highways hazards, and courts in your area — comprehensive local knowledge can help strengthen your case for the best possible outcome.

Selecting the right lawyer for your family means finding a proven attorney who has successfully handled cases like yours before. You only have one chance to file a claim and secure a payout that can cover all your past and future care needs — experience matters.

Not all personal injury lawyers have experience in 18-wheeler and commercial truck accidents. Not all truck accident attorneys will have a unique track record with specific types of injuries like brain and spinal cord injuries. At the Smith Law Center, our case results cover all of these areas.

Not only do we have extensive experience in litigating truck accident cases, our firm’s skill set includes catastrophic injury to the spine or brain, and wrongful death cases that involve the irreplaceable loss of a loved one.

We represent families who have been injured by buses, cement trucks, garbage vehicles, RVs, tanker trucks, and utility vehicles. We offer services to Norfolk, Hampton, the state of Virginia, and neighboring states like North Carolina, West Virginia, and D.C. For those traveling through Virginia from anywhere in the United States, our firm is here to help. 

Contact the Smith Law Center at (757) 244-7000 for a free consultation. We can provide specific legal advice based on your circumstances and needs, and help your family secure the recovery you deserve. Read on for more information on Norfolk area semi-truck accidents and lawsuits.

What Can a Norfolk Tractor Trailer Accident Lawyer Do For You?

A qualified tractor trailer or semi-truck accident lawyer can help you by:

✅ Investigating your crash and all potential parties involved

✅ Gathering the documents and physical evidence needed for settlement or trial

✅ Researching the state and local statutes and laws relevant to your case

✅ Building a strong legal strategy with verifiable facts and expert witnesses

✅ Negotiating pre-trial or litigating in court for the most beneficial remedy for your future

The Smith Law Center is a multi-generational family-run firm, and we understand what Norfolk families need to heal and move on after a devastating 18-wheeler truck accident. 

We handle the deadlines and paperwork for your case so you can focus on healing. We keep you and your family up-to-date so that you can feel secure in the progress of your case. We hire medical and financial experts who can accurately describe your injuries and the cost of your treatments. All of this helps ensure the settlement or verdict you receive realistically covers what you need. 

Contact our Virginia offices at (757) 244-7000 — our Norfolk truck accident attorneys do the litigating so that you can focus on living a life of dignity after the difficult experience of a crash.

What Kind of Settlement Can a Norfolk 18-Wheeler Accident Lawyer Secure?

Every personal injury accident settlement or verdict is different, because each case is awarded based on the needs of the injured person and the responsibility of the liable party. That being said, the amounts in truck accident cases are often in the six- and seven-digit figures due to the extensive cost of severe injuries to a person’s body, earning capacity, and quality of life.

Settlements and verdicts for Norfolk 18-wheeler truck accidents may cover:

• Medical bills for ambulance transport, surgeries, medications, doctor’s visits, and follow-up care like physical therapy
• Lost wages due to lost employment, missed work, or an inability to generate future income
• Pain and suffering damages for physical pain and emotional anguish such as PTSD or depression
• Counseling services for family members and adaptive medical equipment for the injured person’s mobility needs
• Wrongful death damages for the loss of a loved one, including lost income support and the loss of their unique and irreplaceable companionship

The long-term costs of tractor trailer accidents could include an entire lifetime of care. An experienced Norfolk semi-truck accident lawyer can help calculate those projected expenses and rises in inflation to make sure you’re able to maintain access to high-quality and dignified care for as long as necessary.

Our firm’s case results include a truck accident settlement for $10,220,668 against Werner Transportation for a woman with a mild TBI. It is believed to be the largest personal injury verdict in Norfolk, Virginia history. The tractor trailer accident lawyers at The Smith Law Center will seek the maximum amount of compensation for all that you’ve suffered.

What Injuries Can a Norfolk Semi-Truck Accident Lawyer Sue For?

Our Norfolk, Virginia semi-truck accident lawyers have represented victims of truck crashes who have sustained a wide range of injuries, including:

• Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and concussion
• Spinal cord injuries as well as herniated discs or whiplash
• Internal bleeding, broken bones, and loss of limb
• Open and closed head wounds
• Paraplegia or quadriplegia
• Permanent disability and disfigurement
• Loss of life

Truck accidents are a significant source of brain and spinal cord injuries. This is because these massive vehicles weighing up to 80,000 lbs nearly always overpower the smaller cars, SUVs, and motorcycles on the road in any collision. Occupants of passenger vehicles are the most vulnerable to severe injury in a commercial truck accident. 

The complexity of these injuries deserves the attention of skilled attorneys with a high degree of knowledge regarding highway and truck safety regulations, insurance matters, and the physics of vehicle collisions. The Smith Law Center is one of the oldest law firms in Virginia and is widely recognized for the groundbreaking results we’ve achieved on behalf of our clients. 

Testimonial: My accident changed my life drastically. My cognitive function was hugely impaired. The headaches were quite severe. There was a ray of hope when I contacted The Smith Law Center. Every one of my phone calls was met with reassurance; I felt supported beyond measure. […] Now that I possess the final settlement check, I can put this event behind me. I have a sense of closure and peace of mind. If I ever need an attorney again, the Smith Law Center will be my one and only contact. I remain eternally grateful. – Marybeth, former client

The Top 4 Common Causes of Norfolk Truck Accidents

Driver error on the truck driver’s part causes an overwhelming number of truck accidents in Virginia and across the United States. A study by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reveals that more than half of all truck collisions could be traced back to one of four causes:

• Non-Performance: Driver fatigue, driving while under the influence, or a medical emergency while driving (suffering a seizure or heart attack)
• Lack of Recognition: Not recognizing the dangers on the road due to distractions of any kind, inside or outside of the truck cab
• Poor Decision: Speeding, following too closely, or poor judgment of surroundings
• Inappropriate Performance: Freezing, panicking, losing control of the vehicle, or overcorrecting leading to a collision, rollover, or jack-knifing

Vehicle maintenance issues like brake problems and disallowed behaviors like intoxicated driving were also listed among the top ten associated factors of truck crash causes. Additionally, all professional long-haul truck drivers are at risk of experiencing highway hypnosis while driving, dangerously lowering their reaction times.

Whether a trucking company failed to properly train its driver or a mechanical failure triggered the crash, many truck accidents can be traced back to negligence. By proving the causes of negligence, your Norfolk truck accident lawyer builds a case for maximum compensation for your injuries.

A recent crash report from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) shows a rise in crashes and fatalities in the state. Norfolk City had 28 deaths and over 2,200 injuries due to motor vehicle accidents in just one year. By filing a lawsuit, you help hold dangerous drivers accountable before more individuals and families are harmed.

Who Can Be Sued in a Norfolk Trucking Accident Lawsuit?

Determining who can be sued for a truck accident involves investigating who is responsible for the various factors that caused the collision. There are often multiple defendants, insurance companies, and highway safety agencies for your attorney to investigate. 

Liable parties could include the:

• Truck driver
• Trucking company
• Cargo company
• Truck manufacturer of a defective part
• Maintenance company

Because so many parties are involved, truck accident investigations are frequently far more extensive than those for non-commercial vehicles like cars and motorcycles. However, your Norfolk truck accident lawyer will assign professional investigators to your case in order to determine all potential defendants for your lawsuit. 

Contact Experienced Norfolk Truck Accident Attorneys

The benefit of hiring a Norfolk truck accident attorney for your case is two-fold: on one hand, you get peace of mind knowing a professional is handling the precise legal work on your behalf; on the other, you’re far more likely to receive a significant result. 

You are 91% likely to walk away with a settlement if you have a lawyer, instead of only 51% likely without one. A represented settlement amount is also 300% higher on average than payouts agreed to without professional legal help. Put simply, a car accident attorney is going to protect your best interests while you recover in peace. 

We are more than just your attorneys, we are your neighbors and your advocates.

A semi-truck accident lawsuit settlement can help relieve the financial stress that often ensues after a wreck, upgrade the quality of the healthcare you can afford, and improve your future opportunities and comfort. Contact us at (757) 244-7000 — we will put the full power of our experience at your service. 

Norfolk Truck Accident FAQs