Heartland Express Truck Accident Lawyers

Heartland Express is a freight delivery company located in Iowa. Founded in 1955, Heartland Express began by hauling appliances in the midwest. They expanded into a fleet of 16 trucks in the late 1970s. The business eventually grew into one of the country’s largest trucking companies. They provide short-to-medium truckload services throughout the U.S. While much of their shipping is concentrated in western Pennsylvania and New York, they serve all regions east of the Rocky Mountains, including North Carolina.

With such a significant presence in the United States, Heartland Express truck accidents occur every year. If you or your loved one have been injured in a truck accident involving Heartland Express, you have options to recover compensation for your injuries. Under North Carolina law, victims of truck accidents have a right to seek compensation from the person or company whose negligence or recklessness caused the accident.

In other words, if a truck driver’s negligence caused the accident that resulted in your injuries, you may be able to successfully obtain damages from the truck driver and possibly the trucking company. You will need to file a personal injury lawsuit within three years of the truck accident’s occurrence. The purpose of awarding damages through a personal injury lawsuit is to allow the victim to seek recovery so their life can be restored to as close as possible before the truck accident. Successful personal injury plaintiffs are entitled to the following types of damages in North Carolina:

• Medical bills
• Surgery and other medical treatment costs
• Rehabilitation procedures and fees
• Nursing home or additional long-term care costs
• Lost income due to injuries from the accident
• Loss of future earning capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Mental and emotional suffering
• Permanent scarring or disfigurement
• Loss of enjoyment of life

Because of semi-trucks’ immense size and weight, truck accidents tend to cause severe and catastrophic injuries. Those lucky enough to survive a truck accident often have to struggle with permanent injuries that can be painful, just figuring, and life-changing. We will discuss some of the most common types of injuries people involved in truck accidents suffer below.

The force of a truck accident can cause brain injuries in several different ways. The victim could suffer direct trauma by slamming his or her head against the dashboard or windshield. Alternatively, the jerking movements caused by the truck accident could cause the victim’s brain to slam into the hard skull, causing bruising or bleeding. Traumatic brain injuries involve damage to the brain that can cause physical and cognitive issues that can last a long time. Types of traumatic brain injuries include diffuse axonal injury, brain contusions, and contrecoup injuries.

Spines are also at risk in truck accidents. The trauma inflicted on the spinal column can harm the vertebrae that make up the spinal cord. The spongy fibrous nerve tissue that runs through the spinal cord is vulnerable to damage. A truck accident can damage these sensitive nerves when a vertebra fractures or the spinal column becomes impacted by a hard object. Spinal cord injuries range in severity, but a victim can become paralyzed from the site of the injury downward. If this occurs, they may need ongoing and expensive medical care.

The impact of the truck accident has the potential to cause serious fractures in multiple bones at once. Dealing with one broken bone is difficult enough. However, some truck accident victims suffer numerous fractures, making them immobile. Sometimes they suffer permanent disability and ongoing pain from their bone fractures. When a fracture is complex, the victim may need to undergo surgery that involves a lengthy recovery time.

There are two main ways for truck accident victims to recover compensation. They can pursue compensation through an insurance payout with the commercial truck companies insurance policy. Victims can also seek damages through a personal injury lawsuit in civil court.

If you or your loved one have been seriously injured in a North Carolina truck accident, you need an experienced and aggressive lawyer on your side. At Arnold & Smith, PLLC, we have a proven track record of success in obtaining compensation for our clients. Contact us today to schedule your free initial consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer.