Trash pickup companies provide a valuable service for communities. Since garbage trucks frequently operate on streets in residential areas, they also pose a risk to people who live in those neighborhoods, to children who may be playing nearby, and to individuals who may be driving or riding bicycles on city streets.
Residents and visitors may be injured when walking or driving in the vicinity of a garbage truck and may experience severe and life-changing injuries.
If you were hurt in an accident involving a garbage truck, you might have had to deal with surgeries, physical therapy, and lost wages. You may be unable to work, care for your children, or manage everyday tasks. All those problems may be leading to financial stress at a time when you should be focusing on recovering.
A Tinley Park garbage truck accident lawyer with Pintas & Mullins Law Firm may be able to help you seek compensation for your injuries by filing a personal injury lawsuit on your behalf.
Contact our office at (800) 794-0444 to discuss your case with a member of our staff.
Determining Liability for the Accident
Before pursuing legal action to seek monetary awards, we will need to figure out who is liable for your injuries. That can be a complicated question to answer, since multiple factors may have contributed to the accident. It may help to have an attorney investigate whether the driver, truck company, or other party behaved negligently.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration imposes regulations for large trucks to keep operators and the general public safe. The FMCSA sets rules regarding driver qualifications, the use of alcohol and controlled substances, and vehicle maintenance and repairs. If the garbage truck company or the driver involved in the accident failed to adhere to those standards, that party might be liable for the accident.
The Tinley Park garbage truck accident legal team at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm might be able to help. We do not shy away from tough and complex cases. Our team can investigate your case and the factors surrounding the accident, and file a personal injury lawsuit to hold the responsibly accountable. We can help you find out whether the driver had been trained properly, met the required qualifications, or was behaving improperly in any way that leads up to the accident.
For example, we may investigate whether the driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol or distracted by a cellphone. Contact our team to get started.
A mechanical failure in the vehicle might have also caused the accident. If the garbage truck was not well maintained, there might have been a problem that created a safety hazard and put the driver and others at risk. If the garbage truck company failed to maintain and inspect vehicles in its fleet properly, or if it overlooked a problem and failed to make necessary repairs, the business may be liable for the accident that caused your injuries.
The garbage truck company and its employees might have acted appropriately, but a mechanical problem beyond their control caused the accident. For example, the garbage truck may have had a manufacturing defect that led to the accident, or an inherent design flaw that the trash collection company and its employees were unaware of may have made the truck dangerous. It is also possible that one part of the truck failed. The part may have been poorly designed, it may have been defective due to a manufacturing error, or it may have been installed incorrectly. In these cases, the manufacturer might be responsible.
In some cases, accidents occur because of hazardous road conditions. Since garbage trucks operate on residential streets, unsafe conditions beyond the driver’s and the company’s control can lead to accidents. For example, if the local government failed to fix a pothole, and the garbage truck driver was unable to avoid it, causing an accident, the city or town may be found liable. If there were other unsafe conditions, and the local government did not post signs to adequately warn drivers, it may be held responsible for the garbage truck accident.
Get Legal Help to Pursue Compensation for Your Injuries
A garbage truck accident can result in devastating injuries to drivers and passengers in other vehicles, as well as bicyclists and pedestrians. You may be suffering from broken bones, head, neck, and back injuries, serious cuts, lost limbs, or even paralysis. Your family may also be facing a pile of bills that you are unable to pay, and a high level of stress, worry, and fear about the future.
A Tinley Park garbage truck accident lawyer may be able to help you seek an award for your injuries so you can get back on track. That way, you can at least have some financial security moving forward as you and your family adjust to a new normal.
However, you have a limited amount of time to act, since the statute of limitations to file a personal injury lawsuit in Illinois (735 ILCS 5/) is two years.
Because multiple factors may have contributed to your accident, our team may need to conduct an in-depth and time-consuming investigation to get to the bottom of what led to the crash and to figure out who was responsible.
The sooner you contact our office, the sooner we will be able to begin. Call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm at (800) 794-0444 today to talk to a member of our team about your legal options.
Call or text (800) 794-0444 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
