When Their Truck Was Overloaded, They Owe You
An accident with a coal truck can disrupt your life. But coal hauler truck drivers only face small fines for carrying dangerously heavy loads.
It’s enough to make you angry.
If the driver who hit you was too tired, driving an overloaded truck, driving a poorly maintained truck, distracted—or they misjudged the handling of their massive vehicle—you can make them pay more.
After you’re injured in a coal truck crash, the personal injury lawyers of Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer help you secure your financial future and return to living your life.
The mountainous landscape of eastern Kentucky and West Virginia makes driving around big trucks more dangerous. We know coal country. And we fight for our neighbors when they’re hurt.
Coal Trucks Carry Extra Hazards
The coal-hauling business is one of the least regulated industries on Kentucky’s highways.
These factors make coal trucks extra dangerous in an accident:
- Coal trucks can legally weigh up to 120,000 pounds—40,000 pounds heavier than other trucks.
- Many trucks out there weigh even more than the rules allow.
- The heavy loads increase the risk of tip-over crashes.
- Coal trucks are vulnerable to jackknifing accidents with the truck folding on itself.
- Coal trucks can be prone to underride accidents with cars getting caught underneath them.
- Their extra weight damages roads, kicks up more dust and makes driving conditions worse.
At Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer, you can tell us what happened in your coal mining truck accident, and we’ll make an assessment of your personal injury case.
Talk to Us About Your Case!
What You Should Do After a Coal Truck Accident
To preserve your right to collect maximum compensation after an accident, follow these steps:
- Get the driver’s name.
- Get the name of the driver’s company.
- Get contact information for witnesses.
- Notice whether the driver seemed tired or intoxicated.
- Seek medical attention.
- Gather accident reports from police.
- Gather witness statements.
- Gather medical records.
- Work with an accident reconstructionist.
An experienced lawyer knows how to gather all the evidence and investigate whether the truck driver and trucking company were obeying the law. If they were not, you have a strong case for negligence.
Don’t try to negotiate with the trucking company yourself. Their lawyers see these cases all the time and know how to get an advantage over you. Instead, get a lawyer of your own to look out for your needs. Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer pursue every option and makes every effort to win you the settlement you deserve to recover from the accident. We know the trucking industry. We know federal and state laws.
Sometimes it takes courage to fight back. But we see that courage every day in the people of Kentucky and West Virginia. Let us fight for you.
