# Covington Truck Accident Lawyers | Morris & Dewett ## Truck Accident Attorneys in Covington, LA Big rigs are involved in some of the most damaging and deadly wrecks in Covington, LA, and across the U.S. When you're in one of these crashes, the answers and representation you get can play a significant role in what comes next. Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers handles 18-wheeler and tractor-trailer accident cases in Covington. Our attorneys are backed by two decades of experience in commercial truck accident claims, including cases involving trucking companies and their insurers. We handle big rig accident cases and are available 24/7 for new clients. [View our case results](/case-results/) to see our track record. ## What Are the Leading Causes of Truck Accidents? Avoidable errors, failures, oversights, and other types of negligence cause most 18-wheeler accidents. With tractor-trailer wrecks, several forms of negligence are often present in a single crash. Driver errors, mechanical failures, and violations of federal trucking regulations can all contribute simultaneously. Here is a closer look at some of the leading causes of truck accidents in Covington, Louisiana, and the U.S. (sources: [FMCSA Large Truck Crash Causation Study](https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety/research-and-analysis/large-truck-crash-causation-study-analysis-brief) and [FMCSA Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts](https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety/data-and-statistics/large-truck-and-bus-crash-facts)). ## Driver Negligence and Truck Accidents Trucker error is a factor in about 1 in every 3 truck wrecks involving an 18-wheeler and a passenger vehicle. Speeding, distraction, and impairment are the leading trucker errors that contribute to big rig accidents. ## Trucking Company Negligence and Tractor-Trailer Crashes Motor carriers are responsible for putting safe drivers and vehicles on the roads. They are also required to comply with [federal trucking regulations](https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations). When they fail those obligations, or when their policies or scheduling creates unsafe conditions, trucking companies can be at least partly at fault for the resulting crashes. With motor carrier negligence and 18-wheeler accidents, it's important to note that: * About 13,000 truck crashes a year (9%) involve truckers who say they were under some type of work-related pressure at the time of the accident. * About 5,000 wrecks a year (3%) involve truckers who say they felt pressured to drive even though they were fatigued. * Uncovering motor carrier negligence usually demands deeper investigations into records, policy documents, and a lot more. ## 18-Wheeler Wrecks Caused by Faulty Equipment When big rigs experience mechanical failures, drivers may lose control of the truck, resulting in wrecks. Every year in the U.S., about 6% of all fatal 18-wheeler accidents are caused by defective and malfunctioning vehicle equipment. In fact: * Faulty equipment causes about twice as many truck crashes as car accidents. * Tires and brakes are the most common types of trucking equipment to fail and cause deadly big rig wrecks. Equipment failures are not always obvious factors that leave behind clear evidence at the scene of a crash. With faulty equipment, various parties may be liable, including: * Manufacturers who make and distribute trucking equipment that is innately dangerous or faulty * Motor carriers who fail to properly maintain their 18-wheelers * Truck drivers who fail to properly inspect and/or maintain the big rigs they're responsible for * Technicians who fail to properly fix or maintain trucking equipment ## Cargo Problems and Truck Accidents Shifting cargo on trucks causes about 4% of all 18-wheeler accidents a year. Cargo securement failures are involved in about 3% of these wrecks. That adds up to roughly 10,000 tractor-trailer wrecks from cargo issues each year. Unsecured and shifting cargo can destabilize 18-wheelers, increasing the risks of jackknife and rollover truck wrecks. Cargo problems can also lead to the spillage of hazardous materials. More than 50% of all hazardous materials spills caused by truck accidents involve the release of volatile or flammable materials. Loading dock workers, truck drivers, motor carriers, and others can be liable for tractor-trailer accidents caused by cargo issues. ## Other Truck Accident Causes: Weather, Road, and Traffic Conditions Weather is a factor in more than 14% of the big rig crashes that happen each year on America's roads. More than 1 in 4 of these crashes happen during cloudy, foggy, raining, or hailing conditions. Adverse weather can also leave behind unsafe road conditions. Nearly 16% of all deadly truck accidents a year occur on wet, icy, or snowy roads. Beyond weather, traffic conditions can also make roads dangerous: * About 28% of 18-wheeler accidents occur when there's congestion or right after a previous crash. * At least one tractor-trailer is involved in about 30 of all fatal work zone crashes. For injury-only work zone wrecks, at least one big rig is involved about 10% of the time. * Various parties can be liable for unsafe roads, depending on the specific factors involved in a crash. ## Covington and Louisiana Truck Accident Statistics The latest truck accident statistics for Covington and Louisiana show how often these wrecks are happening and how severe the outcomes tend to be (source: LSU). These crashes can result in [traumatic brain injury](/louisiana/catastrophic-injury-lawyer/covington/), [spinal trauma](/louisiana/catastrophic-injury-lawyer/covington/), and other catastrophic injuries. The consequences of a single crash can affect a family for years. If you or a loved one has been in a tractor-trailer crash in the Covington area, a truck accident attorney at Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers can explain your options. ## What Should I Do After an 18-Wheeler Accident in Covington, LA? Call 911 and get medical attention as soon as possible if you have been moderately or seriously hurt. Then wait at the scene for help. If you can do so without risking further injury, try to take these steps: 1. Exchange information with the other drivers. 2. Take pictures and video of the damaged truck, other involved vehicles, damaged road features, debris on the road, and people at the scene. Capture every detail you can. 3. Only state facts you know. Do not admit fault or apologize when speaking to other parties, witnesses, police, or your insurance company. 4. See a doctor after the accident if you did not receive medical attention at the scene. Continue medical care for as long as needed to treat your injuries. 5. Report the accident to your insurance company as soon as reasonably possible. 6. Speak with a Covington truck accident lawyer to understand your legal rights and options. ## When Do I Need a Covington Truck Accident Lawyer? As soon as possible after a crash. A Covington 18-wheeler accident lawyer can explain liability, how to start your case, and how to protect your rights. From there, your attorney can investigate the accident, identify liable parties, and gather the evidence needed to support your claim. The alternative is navigating a complex legal process without guidance while managing the physical and financial impacts of a wreck. Our trucking accident attorneys have handled cases involving motor carrier negligence, equipment failures, cargo issues, and driver error. We handle the investigation and case-building from start to finish. ## Filing a Truck Accident Lawsuit in the 22nd Judicial District Court A Covington truck accident lawsuit is filed in the 22nd Judicial District Court, which serves St. Tammany Parish and sits in Covington, the parish seat. Filing suit does not end settlement talks; it opens discovery, where each side exchanges documents and takes testimony under oath, and that process often produces the leverage a pre-suit demand could not. A lawyer who appears in that courthouse regularly knows the local filing conventions and the clerk of court's intake process, which keeps a case moving without avoidable delay. ## How Much Are Truck Accident Settlements and Compensation? The value of a truck accident case depends on the injuries, damage, and losses caused by the accident. It also depends on what evidence can be established after the crash, particularly regarding fault and the extent of your damages. Truck accident cases can include compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other related damages. Compensation cannot undo what happened. But it can address real financial consequences and help survivors and families move forward. [View our case results](/case-results/) to see examples of our recoveries. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How long do I have to file a truck accident claim in Louisiana? For truck accident injuries occurring on or after July 1, 2024, Louisiana gives you two years from the date of the crash to file suit, under [La. C.C. art. 3493.1](https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=1386443). Injuries before that date fall under the older one-year prescriptive period in La. C.C. art. 3492. Miss the deadline and a court dismisses the case no matter how strong it is. The clock runs from the date of the wreck, so it keeps running while you are still treating and while you negotiate with the carrier's insurer. ### What should I do immediately after a truck wreck in Covington? Call 911 and get medical attention if you are hurt, then wait at the scene for help. Photograph the truck, its trailer and any DOT or company markings, the other vehicles, road debris, and skid marks before anything is moved. State only facts you know and do not admit fault to the driver, witnesses, police, or any insurer. Report the crash to your own insurer, and speak with a truck accident lawyer early, because a carrier can overwrite electronic logging device and event-data-recorder records within weeks unless a preservation request goes out first. ### Who pays when the trucker was working at the time of the crash? When a driver causes a crash while acting in the course and scope of employment, the trucking company answers for that negligence under respondeat superior, so the claim reaches both the driver and the motor carrier that put the driver on the road. In practice that means the carrier and its commercial insurer pay, not the driver personally, and commercial policies carry far higher limits than an individual driver holds. A carrier can also be liable on its own for negligent hiring, inadequate training, pressure to skip rest breaks, or poor maintenance, which are company-level failures separate from the driver's conduct.