After being in an accident that was caused by someone else’s negligent actions, you’re probably in pain from your injuries and in shock from what you’ve experienced. And understandably so. You’ve just gone through a potentially life-altering event and may face the upcoming weeks and months dealing with a difficult recovery from your injuries and mental trauma from the accident. The last thing you’re probably thinking about is what you should and shouldn’t do about your ability to obtain compensation in an insurance claim or lawsuit.

If you weren’t to blame for the accident, you should be compensated for what you’ve suffered and what you may continue to go through for some time. While it may be difficult to consider, it’s important that you protect your right to be compensated by the person who harmed you. You don’t want to inadvertently do anything that can negatively impact the compensation you may be owed.

One thing you should be mindful of after you’ve been injured in an accident is posting on social media.

How Your Social Media Posts Can Compromise Your Claim

You should try your best to refrain from posting on social media after an accident. Anything you post on social media could be used by insurance companies, defense lawyers, or the party responsible for the accident to state that you were more responsible for the accident than you claimed, your injuries weren’t as severe as you claimed, or to question the veracity and validity of your claim.

For example, if the insurance company finds that you posted something on social media that is contrary to what you stated in your claim, the insurance company may use your post to try to show that your claim wasn’t valid. Or if you claimed to suffer a severe neck injury in the accident, but post a video of you dancing, the responsible party may use that as evidence that your injury was not as severe as you claimed.

Seeking Compensation for Your Injuries

You can pursue compensation for the injuries you sustained in an accident if the accident was entirely or partially caused by the actions of someone else.

After the accident, one of the first things you should do is hire an attorney. An attorney can help you navigate the process of filing a personal injury claim – and if necessary, a lawsuit – to help you potentially obtain compensation for your injuries. Once you hire an attorney, your attorney will investigate the accident to help determine what caused it and your injuries and who was at fault. Determining who injured you and finding evidence that demonstrates that you were harmed in the accident are vital to the validity and strength of your claim or case.

In most cases, you or your lawyer can file a claim with your own insurance company to apply your PIP (personal injury protection) benefits to your accident-related medical expenses.

After that, you and your attorney can turn to the insurance company of the at-fault party. Your lawyer will negotiate with the insurance company for you to get compensation that is equal to the value of your claim. The value of your claim is a total of the objective and intangible losses that you’ve suffered as a result of the accident.

If the insurance company does not agree to compensate you fully and fairly for your injuries, then your attorney may move forward to try to get you the compensation you deserve by filing a lawsuit on your behalf.

Insurance Companies’ Investigation into Your Claim

To understand how your social media posts can hurt your personal injury claim for compensation, it’s helpful to know the true purpose of insurance companies and the tactics they may use to deny you fair compensation for your injuries.

Insurance companies care about their profits and their bottom lines. It’s profits that drive insurance companies when they are handling claims. Their objective is to reduce the amount of money they have to pay out in claims while holding onto as much profit as possible.

So, when insurance companies investigate accidents after receiving claims for injuries their policyholders have caused, their goal is to limit their financial liability. They want to pay you the least amount of compensation possible. Insurance adjusters (insurance company employees who handle accident investigations and claims) will try to find evidence that they can use to either deny your claim or reduce your compensation.

Kentucky is a pure comparative fault state, meaning that your compensation is reduced by the percentage of fault you had in the accident. Insurance adjusters seek to find evidence that you were more responsible for the accident to reduce how much they may have to pay you or to claim that you aren’t owed compensation at all. This is why they will be reviewing all your social media accounts. They’ll try to find anything they can use to reduce the value of your claim.

Call the Personal Injury Lawyers at Sampson Law Firm for Help With Your Claim or Case

If you were injured in an accident that wasn’t your fault, contact the Louisville personal injury lawyers at Sampson Law Firm for help pursuing compensation that you may be entitled to. Call us today at (502) 584-5050 or contact us online for a free consultation.

Injuries and fatalities can occur in any type of motor vehicle accident. However, when a collision involves a large truck, the consequences can be catastrophic. Even if a small car and commercial truck crash into each other at low speeds, the smaller vehicle occupants can sustain severe injuries requiring emergency medical care.

According to statistics from 2019, 4,119 people died in large truck accidents, but only 16 percent of the fatalities were the occupants of a large truck. The occupants of passenger vehicles made up 67 percent of the deaths that year.

Despite wearing your seatbelt, following all traffic laws, and taking the precautions necessary to keep yourself safe, you could cross paths with a dangerous truck driver. Avoiding an accident is nearly impossible if someone else behaves recklessly at the wheel.

Trucks Are Massive

One of the biggest differences between an accident between two cars and one with a commercial truck and a compact car is the size and weight. The typical passenger car can weigh around 3,000 to 5,000 pounds. A tractor-trailer can weigh as much as 80,000 with a fully loaded cargo container. When the two vehicles collide, the entire weight of the truck is behind the force of the impact. It can cause significant property damage and injuries.

Truck drivers can face challenges while maneuvering a long and heavy truck around other vehicles. A greater stopping distance is necessary to bring the truck to a complete stop. “Stopping distance” is the total distance it takes to recognize a perceived danger, step on the brakes, and stop your vehicle. If a truck travels at 65 miles per hour, the driver needs at least 200 yards to bring it to a complete stop.

Bigger Blind Spots

Commercial trucks have larger blind spots than passenger cars. Most non-commercial vehicles have a blind spot on either side. However, a large truck, such as a tractor-trailer, has a blind spot on all four sides.

The blind spot in front of the cab of a truck can extend out as much as twenty feet. The blind spot behind the back of the trailer can be up to thirty feet long. On the left side of the truck is a blind spot that starts at the rear of the cab and extends along the side of the trailer towards the back. The right side of the truck has a blind spot that starts at the back of the cab, extending out two lanes and towards the back of the trailer.

Whenever a trucker needs to merge onto a highway, turn right or left, or change lanes, they’re supposed to check every blind spot. Since commercial trucks sit higher off the ground than small cars, the truck driver could drive over another vehicle in their way while changing lanes or pin someone between their truck and another car while taking a turn.

Obstacles Created by the Cargo

Many people store personal belongings, such as clothing or cell phone chargers, in their vehicles. However, the items they keep in their cars aren’t usually as hazardous as the cargo truck drivers transport on the back of their commercial trucks.

Some large trucks contain massive items, such as machinery and furniture. Others carry flammable materials and hazardous waste. Cargo could fall off the truck during a collision, injuring the driver and occupants of other vehicles.

Sharp objects can become projectiles, loose cargo can end up in the middle of the road, creating obstacles for motorists, and toxic substances can cause burn injuries or spark a fire.

Truck Accidents Cause More Devastating Injuries

It’s possible for the victim of a car crash to suffer severe or even life-threatening injuries. However, accidents involving commercial trucks can be much worse.

The most common injuries include:

• Traumatic brain injury
• Crush injuries
• Broken bones
• Psychological and emotional trauma
• Paralysis
• Loss of limb
• Burn injuries
• Permanent disability
• Spinal cord damage

Proving Fault Can Be a Time-Consuming Process

Typically, with other auto accidents, one of the drivers involved in the collision is at fault.

It can be an uphill battle to determine who should be held liable for a truck accident. That’s because multiple parties can be involved in the case. Although the truck driver was at the wheel when the crash occurred, another person or company’s actions could have contributed.

The trucking company could be at fault for knowingly hiring an unqualified driver or failing to maintain all trucks adequately. The cargo loading company could be responsible if employees exceeded the maximum weight limit allowed on the trailer.

Contact Us

If you were involved in an accident with a commercial truck and believe the truck driver or another party’s negligent actions caused it, contact Sampson Law Firm right now to discuss your case and learn about your legal options.

Our legal team can determine who should be held liable and help pursue the maximum compensation possible in your case. We will fight by your side for the justice you deserve.

Call (502) 584-5050 today for your free consultation.

A new season can bring dangerous conditions and various hazards motorists didn’t face during the summer months. Autumn can present a range of obstacles for drivers.

Although many people think the conditions faced during winter in cold climates are the most dangerous, the fall can create unique challenges. Multiple factors can increase the risk of a car crash when summer turns to autumn.

You might know traffic laws and follow them explicitly. However, it’s often difficult to avoid potentially dangerous situations if you don’t know about them. If you encounter hidden hazards, you could end up in an accident and suffer severe injuries.

It’s necessary to take the appropriate precautions to keep yourself and others safe on the road. Follow the tips below to prevent an autumn car accident.

Perform Routine Maintenance on Your Car

Maintenance is crucial to the upkeep of any vehicle. If you don’t bring your car in for an oil change, tire rotation, or inspection to locate potential problems, a part or system could cause the entire vehicle to malfunction. If you lose control, you can end up on a collision course with another driver, pedestrian, or stationary object, such as a telephone pole.

Schedule an appointment with a mechanic or dealership. They can top off your fluids, put more air in your tires, and check for faulty parts or defects. If there’s damage to your vehicle, they can repair it immediately. They can also replace a part recalled by the manufacturer.

Reduce Your Speed in Dangerous Conditions

Temperatures stay mild in Kentucky during the fall. Typically, you don’t see snow or ice until the winter months. However, you can still face dangerous conditions.

Motorists can face hazards during heavy rain and severe thunderstorms. The roads can become wet, making the pavement slippery. If you exceed the speed limit or drive recklessly, your car could skid out of control and crash into a nearby vehicle or ditch. Heavy rainfall can lead to flooding, causing a car to hydroplane. Downpours can also cause visibility issues.

Leaves can fall to the ground when the seasons change, covering up defects in the road. A pile of leaves can hide a pothole, tree branch, and other debris. If you’re driving too fast and run over any of these hazards, you could get a flat tire or swerve into an occupied lane or oncoming traffic.

Stay Alert Near Other Cars

The roads become more congested during autumn. That’s because residents return from summer vacation and children go back to school. When there are more vehicles on the road, the likelihood of an accident increases.

Commuting each day means you can cross paths with an inattentive or distracted motorist. Although you can take precautions to remain safe, there’s nothing you can do to prevent others from behaving recklessly at the wheel.

You should focus on your surroundings at all times, even if you’re driving only a couple of miles from home. If you encounter a speeding driver, get out of their way and try to maintain some distance from them. If you see someone drifting towards your lane, try to merge into a different lane or slow down so you can avoid an accident.

Proceed with Caution Near Schools

School is already back in session when fall comes around. You will likely encounter more buses on the roads if you drive anywhere in the morning or afternoon. Instead of taking the bus, some kids walk, which means you’ll see an increase in pedestrian traffic.

Thoroughly check for children crossing the street at every crosswalk. You should always slow down and proceed with caution. If you’re not paying attention, you may not see a kid already in the middle of the street.

Traffic laws require every motorist to reduce their speed when approaching a school zone during specific times of the day. If you see flashing lights, slow down and observe the area carefully for children. If you speed through the school zone and lose control of your car, you could crash into a child pedestrian on the sidewalk.

Nighttime Driving is Safer with Headlights

Turn on your headlights whenever you drive at night. The end of Daylight Saving Time means it gets dark earlier in the day. Your lights can help you see pedestrians, other vehicles, and hazards on the road.

If your headlights stay off, you won’t be able to see what’s happening around you. Additionally, other drivers won’t see your car.

Contact an Experienced Car Accident Attorney from Sampson Law Firm

Since 1997, our legal team has represented accident victims needing guidance and support during the most difficult times in their lives. We understand how traumatic it can be to suffer injuries because another person chose to drive recklessly. You can depend on us to fight by your side until the end and seek the compensation you deserve.

If you were injured in a car accident in Kentucky due to someone’s negligent actions, call Sampson Law Firm at (502) 584-5050 for a free consultation.

A West Virginia resident and construction worker Michael Perschitti, 47, lost his life on Friday, January 13 around 11 a.m. at the construction site of the new University of Kentucky Student Center on the Avenue of Champions in Louisville, Kentucky.

Perschitti was involved in an accident at the construction site and died as a result of multiple blunt force trauma following the accident. Perschitti was employed by Lexington-based Kalkreuth Roofing and Sheet Metal, a press release stated. In a statement issued by UK Police Chief Joe Monroe the same day, he said, “UK Police currently has an open investigation into the incident that appears to have been an accident. We are conducting interviews of individuals who were on the roof with the worker in addition to working with the Fayette County Coroner’s Office.”

The Sampson Law Firm knows how painful construction accidents can be for families, especially those who lose a loved one. Our thoughts are with the family of the victim as they recover from their loss.

Kentucky reported that it recorded 810 fatalities due to vehicular accidents in 2016. Seven individuals lost their lives in vehicular accidents all over Kentucky over the New Year’s eve weekend.

Kentucky State Police troopers said among the biggest factors of fatal vehicular accidents in the state were driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs and distracted driving, mostly because people used cell phones while driving. Trooper Bernie Napier noted the importance of “Paying attention to your surroundings and to what other drivers around you are doing, because if you’re driving along and paying attention, you might see the guy next to you who’s on his cell phone and you might know to be a little more cautious because you don’t know what he’s going to do.”

Napier encouraged parents to install an application on their children’s phones that automatically shuts down the texting features of a cell phone if the cell phone is inside a vehicle going beyond a certain speed. Over 200 of the 810 people who died in car accidents were between the ages of 16 and 29, troopers said.

Our attorneys at the Sampson Law Firm provide legal services in Louisville and other areas of Kentucky. We help our clients pursue personal injury accident claims against individuals or parties who have caused harm because of their negligent or reckless actions. Call our offices today at (502) 584-5050.

A single vehicular crash that transpired on Blackwater Road (Kentucky Route 1803) in Laurel County, Kentucky on Thursday, December 15 at around 7 a.m. resulted in the death of 66-year-old Marydell Road in London resident Donnie Ray Smith, who was considered the county’s 13th fatality of the year.

Investigators have suggested that the man had been traveling east on Blackwater and left the road briefly while on a curve, overcorrecting and going into the opposite ditch, rolling several times. He was pronounced dead on the scene.

A Barbourville woman who was killed on November 30 along Kentucky Route 229 during a single vehicular accident had been the last fatality for the year until Smith’s death. Other fatalities included a pedestrian getting struck by an oncoming vehicle, three that involved an all-terrain vehicle, and one that involved a motorcycle. The fatality count was nearly double that of the previous year.

Our most sincere condolences from Sampson Law Firm go out to the victim and his loved ones.

Two people lost their lives during a deadly two-vehicle collision that happened on Monday, November 28 before 2 p.m. at Taylorsville Road and Betty Lane near Louisville, Kentucky.

According to preliminary investigations, as reported by Louisville Metro Police spokesman Dwight Mitchell, a sedan driver attempted to make a left turn from Dutchmans Lane towards eastbound Taylorsville Road and crashed into a pickup truck that was headed west on Taylorsville Road.

The driver and the passenger of the sedan were declared dead at the scene of the accident. The driver of the pickup truck, on the other hand, was brought to the University of Louisville Hospital to receive immediate medical attention for his minor injuries.

Our most sincere condolences from the Sampson Law Firm go out to the victims and their loved ones, as well as hope for the speedy recovery of the surviving driver.

Two people lost their lives after a two-vehicle collision occurred near Bowman Field on Taylorsville Road. The accident, which occurred near Betty Lane in Louisville, Kentucky, happened last Monday, November 28.

According to preliminary investigations made by local police, a white pickup truck was traveling west on Taylorsville Road when it collided with a green car that was trying to turn onto Taylorsville Road. The passenger and the driver in the car died at the scene of the accident, police said. On the other hand, the driver of the pickup truck was brought to a nearby hospital for the immediate treatment of his non-life-threatening injuries. Police are still investigating the cause of the accident.

At the Sampson Law Firm, we see the aftermath of tragic car accidents far too often. Our sincerest thoughts and condolences are with the family and friends of the victims as they mourn the sudden loss of their loved ones.

McCracken County Sheriff’s Department deputies reported a single-vehicle accident, which occurred around 11:16 p.m. on Friday, November 11 in the 5700 block of Old Mayfield Road, caused injuries to four teenagers.

According to preliminary investigations, 16-year-old Paducah resident Jacoy-ce Hunt was driving along Old Mayfield Road when he lost control of the vehicle by swerving to avoid an animal standing in the middle of the road. The swerve caused the vehicle to hit a culvert before flipping over. Hunt and three other teenagers between the ages of 14 and 16 sustained non-life-threatening injuries. They were all taken to Lourdes Hospital to receive medical attention.

A personal injury accident does not cause only emotional and physical trauma, but also forces victims to undergo a painful recovery process involving expensive medical bills as a result. If you were the victim of a personal injury accident due to the negligent actions of other people in Louisville and other areas in Kentucky, get in touch with our attorneys at the Sampson Law Firm by calling our offices today at (502) 584-5050 so we can help you file the appropriate lawsuit.

Two residents of Louisville, Kentucky lost their lives in a vehicular accident in Hebron on Saturday, October 22. The Boone County accident killed 27-year-old Benkat Prashant Kommu and 25-year-old Raja Sakar Reddy Yarmala.

According to preliminary investigations made by police investigators, the driver of the vehicle veered off the roadway, went airborne, and then crashed into a tree. Although Kommu and Yarmala were killed because the vehicle lost control, a third passenger and the vehicle’s driver remained unharmed during the incident. Police investigators are currently conducting further probes into the matter to find out what factors might have contributed to the crash in the first place.

At the Sampson Law Firm, our attorneys handle tragic and fatal cases such as this one far too often. Our thoughts and condolences are with the friends and family of the victims in this accident as they mourn the loss of their loved ones.