Automobile and Trucking Accidents

Tens of thousands of people are hurt or killed each year in automobile accidents. If a tractor-trailer is involved, the likelihood that a motorist will die or sustain serious, permanent injuries in a car crash substantially increases. 
 

Some of the most frequent causes of vehicle and trucking accidents are:

• Inattention
• Text messaging
• Cell phone use
• Speeding
• Driving too fast for weather conditions
• Fatigue
• Intoxication
• Drug use
• Aggressive driving

Victims who have been hurt in an automobile or semi accident may be entitled to damages for the physical, financial, and emotional losses they have suffered as a result of another’s negligence. These damages include past, present, and future medical bills; lost income; and pain and suffering. Punitive damages may also be available if the injury was the result of intentional or reckless actions.

The family members of a person who has been killed in a motor vehicle or 18-wheeler accident may also be entitled to file a wrongful death claim. In addition to damages for the loss of the society and companionship of a loved one, relatives may seek compensation for medical expenses, economic loss, and funeral expenses.
 

The attorneys of Paul J. Passanante, PC have recovered multimillion-dollar verdicts and settlements in cases involving automobile accidents and truck accidents. Notable verdicts and settlements include:

• A verdict of nearly $12 million won on behalf of the family of a mother and son who were killed by a drunken driver. In addition to intoxication, the evidence supporting the aggravating circumstances included erratic driving on the part of the defendant, just before the accident, prior alcohol-related offenses committed by the defendant and the fact that the defendant knew that drinking and driving was dangerous because his twin brother had been involved in a drunken-driving accident that left 12 people injured.
  

• An employer settled a case for $600,000 after a worker’s fifth on-the-job auto accident resulted in injury to a motorist. 
   
• A $600,000 settlement was obtained on behalf of the son of a woman who was struck and killed by a tractor-trailer as she crossed a parking lot. 
   
• A $500,000 settlement was obtained on behalf of the parents of a man who was killed when his car was rear-ended by a salesman who was delivering a motorcycle for his defunct former employer. 
   

If you or a loved one has been hurt or killed as a result of another’s careless driving, the attorneys of Paul J. Passanante, PC can help. Fill out our online contact form or call 314-621-8884 for more information.