Virginia Truck Accident Wrongful Death Attorneys

Fight to recover damages caused by negligence

There is perhaps no type of accident potentially more catastrophic and devastating than an accident involving a, 80,000-pound tractor-trailer and a 3,000-pound pound passenger car. Such a collision can cause devastating injuries or loss of life, as well as put an intense emotional toll on surviving family members.Trucking companies and their insurers often act quickly to take advantage of families in mourning in order to minimize their bottom-line costs.

At the metropolitan Washington D.C. offices of Karp, Wigodsky, Norwind, Kudel & Gold, P.A., our compassionate Maryland truck accident attorneys are dedicated to helping families during these intense emotional times. We have more than 150 years of combined experience aggressively pursuing negligent parties causing the death of a loved one, and supporting surviving family members during the litigation process.

What is a wrongful death action?

In a personal injury claim, a plaintiff who can show that he or she was injured as the result of a defendant’s negligence is entitled to recover damages resulting from that injury. A wrongful death action is very much like a personal injury claim, in that it is the surviving next of kin who seeking the damages on behalf of the deceased and the family.

As tractor-trailers and commercial vehicles are subject to an entirely separate body of state and federal laws and standards regulating the trucking industry, proving negligence in accidents involving trucks is a specialized area of law practice. While certain types of driving negligence are potentially common to all highway collisions, such as speeding, reckless driving, distracted driving (such as texting while driving), or driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol, negligence in trucking accidents can include:

• Failing to properly inspect the truck
• Failing to properly maintain the truck
• Overloading a truck
• Failing to properly secure the cargo being carried
• Driving while fatigued—Federal law regulates the amount of time truckers spend driving, as well as mandating driver minimum rest periods.

An experienced Virginia truck accident wrongful death attorney is knowledgeable about exactly which of these many laws apply or do not apply to a particular accident, and can quickly gather the evidence necessary to determine whether a truck driver or trucking company complied with all relevant statutes.

What compensation can surviving family members seek from negligent truckers and trucking companies?

Once again, wrongful death actions are very similar to personal injury claims, in that parties found negligent can be held liable for costs arising from an accident, including:

• Lost wages, as well as the deceased’s future lost wages and income
• Medical expenses, including projected future costs of treating injuries
• Pain and suffering endured by a loved one prior to death
• Emotional and mental hardship caused by the loss
• Funeral costs
• The surviving next of kin’s loss of love and companionship, as well as the loss of services, such as provided by a stay-at-home parent
• Although these awards vary by jurisdiction, courts in Maryland and Virginia allow punitive damages awards in applicable cases.

The process of attempting to determine the amount of these costs can be an emotionally challenging process for family members. Our knowledgeable Virginia truck accident attorneys have the skill and experience to calculate the actual amount of compensation necessary to cover the losses and damages, both past and future, that your family needs to begin the process of recovery.

Trust a skilled Northern Virginia truck accident attorney to help ease the stress and burden of losing a loved one

Very often following a deadly truck accident, representatives of the trucking company or their insurers approach surviving family members and try to coerce them into accepting a settlement. These offers are deliberately offered to families during times of great stress and emotional turmoil and generally fail to provide compensation for the full amount of damages suffered, and include a waiver clause absolving the negligent party from any further liability claims.

At the law offices of Karp, Wigodsky, Norwind, Kudel & Gold, P.A., our trusted Virginia truck accident attorneys represent families in mourning on a contingency fee basis, which means you don’t pay unless we win. Our goal is to provide compassionate support for our clients and aggressive representation at all stages of the litigation process. We urge you to contact us today for a free initial compensation. We have five offices in the metropolitan Washington D.C. area, including Rockville and Alexandria, if you cannot travel to visit us, we can visit you at your home or in the hospital. Call us today at (800) 229-7026, or contact us online.