Boise Truck Accident Lawyer

You’ll regularly see truckers travel in and around Boise delivering goods to local businesses in our city and throughout Ada County. Some of our area’s busiest roads include Eagle Road, Front Street, Chinden Boulevard, Glenwood Street, State Street, and Ten Mile Road. However, you’ll note a significant uptick in the number of tractor-trailers on our roadways when you venture onto the main interstates that transect Boise, including I-84 and I-184. These interstates are particularly filled with 18-wheelers traveling from southern Oregon into Idaho and on into our downtown area and beyond.

Boise overall is known as a low traffic congestion area and prides itself on having overall low accident rates, as is evident from Idaho Transportation Department data that shows that there were 207 total reported crashes here in the most recently reported year (2021)—78 which involved injuries, 9 which were fatal. However, when injuries do get reported with this data, it’s often because they’re serious. The premature passing of a loved one is never easy to come to terms with.

While it’s unclear from the data how many of those statistics are attributable to a truck accident involving a passenger vehicle, it’s likely that at least some are. Why do we make such an assumption? It’s because our Trucking Injury Law Group Super Team has made a name for itself out of standing up for the rights of truck accident victims injured or deceased in Boise.

What sets us apart from the pack is that we truly care about our clients and their wellbeing, and that’s evident in the way each Boise truck accident lawyer on our team provides competent and attentive service to every client they represent. We are eager to be your advocate at this trying time in your life. Reach out to our law group to schedule a free initial consultation to discuss your case.

Common Causes of Truck Accidents Near Boise

Negligence is generally what causes truck crashes and can be attributable to the actions of many of the potentially responsible parties we highlight in the section below. Some examples of negligence that may result in Boise truck collisions include:

Driver error: Fatigue plaguing overworked truckers, alcohol or drug use, distractions, and reckless driving (like speeding in adverse weather conditions or tailgating) are all examples of ways in which a trucker’s operation of their truck may give way to the occurrence of a crash.
Maintenance issues: It takes potential earnings or revenue out of a trucker or trucking company’s pocket each time they put their 18-wheeler in the shop, so they might hold off on doing so, even if it puts the driver oneself and the motorists they share the road with at risk of harm.
Loading issues: People have a tendency to only worry about the task at hand, as is often the case with those loading a trailer, without worrying about the implications of their actions—such as if they fail to properly distribute a load’s weight or strap it in place—both of which can cause a crash.

Sorting out what type of negligence resulted in a crash can be challenging, but is essential to recover fair compensation in your case. Our Trucking Injury Law Group attorneys don’t leave any leaf unturned when trying to determine liability for a crash.

We hire crash scene investigators to visit the scene of truck accidents if necessary to use their professional knowledge of how these often-catastrophic events unfold so that when an insurance company inevitably denies liability, we’re armed with a qualified professional’s opinion to rebut their claims.

The Difference Between Collisions With Privately vs. Company-Owned Trucks

There are two primary types of truck drivers that you tend to find you’re sharing the road with in Boise, which include:

Private 18-wheeler operators: Also known as owner-operators or truckers for hire, these commercial drivers own their actual tractor. They make themselves available to carry loads for different clients on a contractual basis.
Company-owned truck driver employees: These individuals are employed directly by a trucking company to haul whatever loads they arrange for them. The tractors they haul are wholly owned by their employer.

Anytime an auto accident occurs in Boise warrants you requesting law enforcement to come to the scene to prepare a police report. This allows for an exchange of contact and insurance information, a way for what appears to have occurred to be documented, including whether anyone necessitated medical aid, witness statements to be notated, and more.

The police report serves an even more critical role in semi-truck accident cases, though. It may provide insight into whether a trucker is also the owner of record of the 18-wheeler they’re operating, as these reports generally contain driver and vehicle owner information.

Even if there’s no apparent difference noted on that end, other documentation contained in that report, including insurance information, can be utilized by a Boise truck accident lawyer like ours at Trucking Injury Law Group to make sense of which parties can potentially be pursued for liability following such a collision, which we discuss more thoroughly below.

Who Are Potential Liable Parties for a Truck Accident?

Many people wrongfully assume that a truck crash is not all that different from a car accident, aside from the vehicles involved often being unequally yoked. That couldn’t be further from the truth, though. One big difference that sets truck accidents apart from other types of collisions is potential liability for them.

When a truck crash happens in Boise, there are a number of parties that could be deemed liable for what occurred, starting, of course, with the most obvious at-fault party, which is the trucker oneself.

Truck Driver Liability for Accidents

As referenced above, truck drivers are often held liable for truck accidents that occur in Boise, ID due to some of the driver errors and other types of negligence they engage in, whether:

Unsafe driving practices behind the wheel of their semi-truck (e.g., drowsy driving due to violations of hours-of-service regulations), or
Before they even take off on their trip (e.g., not performing a pre-trip inspection to verify the roadworthiness of their semi-trucks).

Other Parties That May Be Liable for Truck Accidents

While truck drivers may be wholly to blame for an accident, they may be only partially responsible for what happened or even not at all. Other prospective liable parties for Idaho truck accidents include:

The carrier: This is also referred to as the fleet or trucking company. It may be the party that hired or arranged the trip for the trucker and also owns the tractor-trailer that they’re operating. The filing of negligent entrustment claims may be warranted if there’s evidence to suggest that the employer permitted the use of an object (a truck) that they knew could cause harm to a tractor-trailer operator that wasn’t really fit for the role (i.e., they had a very poor driving history).
The truck and auto parts manufacturer: Products like automobiles and their components may have design, manufacturing, and advertising defects, each of which can put users at risk of getting hurt.
The cargo shipper: Truckers will often haul trailers packed by third parties. They may have little control or knowledge over how they are packed. There’s a potential for such loads to shift in transit, making truck drivers liable for causing a crash.

Filing a Claim After a Truck Accident in Boise

If you were hurt in a preventable truck accident in Boise, it’s understandable how you’d want to seek maximum compensation to not only cover your outstanding medical bills but enough to also pay for future care you may need and also lost wages if you’ve been forced to miss work.

If the crash claimed your relative’s life, then you may wish to request more damages than just those to cover medical expenses associated with them being transported to the hospital for care and attempts doctors took to save their life at the hospital before their demise. There may be funeral and burial costs and future lost wages as well.

Filing a truck accident claim can help you recover fair compensation that will allow you to repay your mounting medical bills if you suffered a serious injury in a semi-truck collision. Taking the initiative to file a wrongful death claim is appropriate when an accident claimed someone’s life.

Questions To Ask a Boise Truck Accident Lawyer

There are a lot of attorneys who you may see advertised on local billboards, on the radio and television, and elsewhere offering to represent you if you’ve been hurt in a Boise truck accident. However, if there’s one area of Idaho personal injury law in which you don’t want just anyone representing your interests, Boise truck accidents are it.

It’s far too complex of an area of the law to allow just any lawyer to help you fight against the aggression launched by truck companies and their representatives, like insurance companies. Despite the fact that the trucking industry makes billions annually, they defend themselves aggressively in any injury claim case. Truck accident claims need to be dealt with sternly. That’s why an experienced truck accident attorney like ours at Trucking Injury Law Group needs to help you navigate the legal system.

So, what should you ask a prospective accident lawyer in Boise that you’re considering having handle your case? Some good questions include:

Introductory Questions

The following questions may be ones you ask early on during your initial consultation to initially verify they have the necessary expertise in the practice area that you’re expecting them to have:

How long have you been practicing personal injury law?
Have you previously handled truck accident cases and, if so, how many during your career?
What’s your track record in handling trucking injury cases?
Do you typically find you’re able to settle the truck accident cases you handle out of court, or do you have to take them to trial to resolve them?

Questions About Your Specific Case

Next, you may want to ask the following questions to assess whether the legal representative you’re speaking with is ideal for handling your Boise truck accident case:

Do you believe pursuing a claim or lawsuit in my truck accident claim is warranted?
Do I still have time within Idaho’s statute of limitations to file a claim?
Have you previously handled a truck injury case similar to my own?
Is it a problem that I already spoke with an insurance company adjuster about my case? Should I speak with them if they reach out again?
Is there anything I need to do to help you build my case or protect the integrity of it?
Do you anticipate my case being resolved outside-of-court or will going to trial be necessary?
How much do you estimate my case is worth?
How long do you anticipate my truck accident case taking to settle?

Questions About Wrongful Death Claim

There are questions that are unique to wrongful death cases that you may want to ask in addition to others in this section if you’re filing a claim on behalf of a deceased loved one who perished in a truck accident in Boise, including:

Am I eligible to file a claim or lawsuit on my deceased relative’s behalf per Idaho law?
What evidence do I need to produce to establish my relationship with the deceased?
Do I need to secure statements showing my loved one’s final medical expenses, pay stubs or tax records to substantiate lost wages claims and funeral bills, or will you take care of that for me?

Additional Questions To Confirm a Prospective Boise Truck Accident Attorney Is a Right Fit for You

The next set of questions you should ask should aim to ensure attorney-client alignment on such details as communication and attorney fees, to ensure they are in agreement with your expectations. You may ask:

How can I best reach you, and how quickly can I generally expect a response?
Will I be working directly with you or with your legal secretaries or paralegals?
How often can I expect to receive updates on my case?
At what points in my case can I expect you to reach out for my input—only at the time of settlement or in other instances?
What fees will I be assessed for attorney’s fees?
Do I owe anything if you don’t win my case?

How To Expect the Legal Process To Unfold in Truck Accident Cases in Boise

As you may have gleaned from reading the questions you should ask any truck accident lawyer that you’re considering have represent you, all attorney-client relationships begin with an initial consultation.

Preparing for Your Initial Consultation With a Truck Accident Attorney

An initial consultation, which sometimes is referred to as a case evaluation, is an opportunity for you to get to know the person who you might hire to represent your case. While the questions above can help you determine if they’re a right fit, it’s important that you don’t turn up to that meeting empty-handed. You should instead bring the Idaho Vehicle Collision Report (crash report) for your wreck with you as well as:

Your auto insurance policy information
Any photos or videos of the crash scene or your catastrophic injuries
Reports from medical care providers detailing the extent to which you are hurt
Medical bills for the care you’ve received, including ambulance or helicopter transport, the emergency room, surgeries, and rehabilitative care
Any evidence of lost wages

Having that information handy during your initial free consultation will aid the lawyer you meet with in determining who has legal responsibility for the trucking accident that hurt you and in answering questions regarding the strength and value of your case.

Stages in a Boise Truck Accident Case

While each lawyer handles things a little differently, should you hire a legal representative after your initial consultation, you can expect them to:

Send notice to any potentially liable parties, notifying them of their representation of you in the matter
Receiving and responding to any correspondence from insurance company adjusters and others inquiring about the status of the case
Request truck driver and truck company (if different) insurance policy information
Begin accumulating any medical records or bills and any other documentation substantiating your damages, including lost income
Request any truck driver employment, medical, and driving history records (which may show if they’ve previously violated trucking laws)
Hire a crash scene reconstructionist, medical professional, private investigator, forensic accountant, actuary, or other specialists to assist with the investigation into the crash, injuries, or losses
Prepare a demand letter outlining liability, injuries you’ve sustained, your prognosis and the anticipated impact it may have on your ability to earn a living, and the settlement amount you’re requesting
Negotiate with an insurance company adjuster when they respond to your attorney’s demand letter in an effort to settle the case at the pre-litigation stage
Escalate your case for jury trial by filing it with the Ada County Fourth District Court (civil court) if an insurer denies liability or is unwilling to offer full and fair compensation as requested
Taking any awards and ensuring all outstanding debts, fees, and costs are paid in full before distributing proceeds to the plaintiff

As you can tell, there’s a lot of moving parts that go into building a strong truck accident claim that an attorney takes care of. Attention to detail along the way gives a plaintiff the best chance of ensuring a successful outcome in a case.

Why You Should Work With Our Team

As we previously mentioned, when you searched for truck accident lawyers in Boise, you likely found that there isn’t any shortage of them to choose from. However, as you’ve likely seen in reading our discussion of liability and the questions we outlined above, experience matters when it comes to presenting a solid case that motivates insurance adjusters or juries to award the type of settlement your case warrants.

Each Boise truck accident lawyer on our Super Team at Trucking Injury Law Group is strongly committed to advocating for victims who can easily have their voices silenced if they leave big trucking companies and their insurers to their own devices. We don’t back down when a trucking company or insurance company denies liability or wants to settle for less than you deserve for what you’ve been through.

So, if you’re a truck accident victim who’s had your life forever changed by someone else’s negligence, you can count on us to fight against anyone in the trucking industry necessary until the end to ensure you receive full and fair compensation.

Each experienced truck accident lawyer on our team handles cases here in Boise and represents those injured in trucking accidents across the state of Idaho. So, if you’ve suffered one of the common injuries associated with semi-truck accidents or lost a relative in a senseless crash, we’re confident our truck accident lawyers can help you, so give us a call to discuss your case today.

Truck crashes can be catastrophic.