Representing Injured Victims Against Trucking Companies Since 1996
When a commercial truck causes serious injuries, the companies and insurers behind it move fast. The Truitt Law Firm has represented Slidell-area clients in truck accident claims since 1996, pursuing recovery against commercial drivers, motor carriers, and every other party whose negligence contributed to the crash.
You don’t pay attorney fees unless we recover for you. Call (985) 308-9946 to schedule a free consultation, available in person or virtually. Hablamos español.
Why Our Dual-Side Experience Matters to Your Case
Our attorneys have litigated truck accident claims on both sides: pursuing compensation for injured plaintiffs and defending trucking companies against personal injury lawsuits. That experience tells us how carriers and their adjusters build a defense, which evidence they target first, and where their arguments tend to break down. We apply that knowledge directly to the claims we build for injury victims.
Nearly 200 trials to verdict give our team a courtroom record that carries weight in negotiations as much as at trial. We also incorporate AI-powered case evaluation into our preparation process, sharpening how we analyze liability, damages, and litigation risk before a single demand is made.
Common Causes of 18-Wheeler Accidents We Investigate
Truck crashes rarely have a single cause. Our investigation looks at driver conduct, company practices, and equipment condition to identify every responsible party.
Driver conduct issues we examine include:
Fatigue and hours-of-service violations under FMCSA regulations
Speeding, distracted driving, and other careless behavior behind the wheel
Inadequate training before a driver is put on the road
Equipment and cargo failures we investigate include:
Faulty brakes, tires, steering, or lighting from deferred maintenance
Overloaded or improperly secured cargo that shifts during transit
Liability in a truck accident case can extend well beyond the driver. We evaluate potential responsibility among the motor carrier, maintenance contractors, shippers, and loading companies. Federal regulations govern vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating above 10,000 pounds, and many 18-wheelers exceed 80,000 pounds fully loaded, meaning compliance failures can carry serious legal consequences for every company in the chain.
Knowing Both Sides of the Case - It's Why We Win!
See What Sets
The Truitt Law Firm Apart
Dual-Sided Legal Insight
With experience representing both plaintiffs and defendants, our team offers rare, strategic perspective from both sides of the courtroom.
Nearly 200 Trials Handled
We've taken hundreds of cases to verdict, giving us the battle-tested experience to handle high-stakes litigation with confidence.
Embracing Innovation
We leverage modern-day solutions; while legacy firms tiptoe around tech, we’re using it to sharpen our edge and better serve our clients.
Inclusive by Design
We've built a team that reflects the diverse communities we serve, highlighting women and culturally diverse professionals in leadership.
Slidell’s Truck Corridors & the Courts That Hear These Cases
Slidell sits at the convergence of Interstates 10, 12, and 59, one of Louisiana’s busiest commercial freight interchange points. U.S. Highway 190 (Gause Blvd) adds to that volume with steady heavy truck traffic through the heart of the area. The concentration of tractor-trailers moving through these corridors makes St. Tammany Parish one of the more active areas in the state for commercial vehicle incidents. Truck accident lawsuits arising from crashes in the parish are filed in the 22nd Judicial District Court.
Act Quickly: Evidence in Truck Cases Disappears Fast
After a crash, seek medical evaluation even if injuries seem minor, report the incident to law enforcement, and photograph the scene before anything is moved. Don’t give a recorded statement about fault before speaking with an attorney.
Trucking companies and their insurers frequently dispatch investigators to a crash scene within hours. Electronic logging device data, driver qualification files, and maintenance records are time-sensitive. We move quickly to preserve this evidence before carriers can limit access to it, because those records often reveal hours-of-service violations or maintenance failures the company may prefer not to surface.
Louisiana Law & Your Truck Accident Claim
Louisiana’s prescriptive period for personal injury claims is two years from the date of injury for incidents occurring on or after July 1, 2024. Injuries that occurred before that date are governed by the prior one-year period. Missing the applicable deadline can forfeit your right to recover, which is reason enough to contact an attorney promptly.
Louisiana follows a comparative fault system, meaning a defendant’s liability can be reduced in proportion to any fault attributed to the injured party. An employer can also be held vicariously liable for a truck driver’s negligent acts committed within the scope of employment, opening a direct path to the motor carrier’s insurance coverage.
Truck Accident Types & the Injuries They Cause
The physics of commercial trucking create injury patterns rarely seen in passenger-vehicle crashes. A jackknife accident occurs when the trailer swings outward and folds against the cab, typically triggered by sudden or heavy braking, sweeping adjacent lanes in an instant. Because commercial trucks require far more stopping distance than passenger vehicles, rear-end and underride collisions are a persistent danger, particularly at highway speeds on I-10 and I-12. Rollovers, often linked to overloaded cargo or excessive speed on curves, can pull multiple vehicles into the wreck before the truck comes to rest.
The injuries that follow are frequently catastrophic: traumatic brain injury, spinal cord damage, and severe fractures that require surgery and months or years of rehabilitation. These outcomes affect income, independence, and quality of life in ways that demand thorough documentation of both current and future losses.
Compensation Available in a Louisiana Truck Accident Claim
Louisiana law allows recovery of both economic and non-economic damages in personal injury claims. Economic damages cover quantifiable losses: medical bills, future treatment costs, lost wages, and diminished earning capacity if the injury affects your ability to work long term. Property damage is also recoverable. Non-economic damages address pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life.
When a truck accident results in a fatality, surviving family members may be able to pursue wrongful death damages. These claims are separate from the decedent’s own injury claim and compensate family members for their own losses, including grief, loss of support, and funeral expenses. Our attorneys evaluate the full scope of damages from the outset so that no category of loss is left off the table.
Start with a Free Consultation
We represent truck accident clients on a contingency fee basis. You owe no attorney fees unless we obtain a recovery on your behalf. Virtual consultations are available, and our team serves Spanish-speaking clients. (Hablamos español.)
To speak with our Slidell truck accident attorney at The Truitt Law Firm, call (985) 308-9946 today. There’s no cost to get started and no obligation after your consultation. Hablamos español.
