Mandeville Truck Accident Lawyer

Trial-tested truck accident lawyers committed to thorough preparation in every matter.

A collision with a commercial truck can leave you with injuries far more severe than a typical car accident, and the legal process for pursuing compensation in these cases is more involved than most people expect. If you have been hurt in a truck accident, a Mandeville, LA truck accident lawyer at Kiefer & Kiefer can evaluate your claim at no cost and explain how Louisiana law applies to your situation.

Our firm brings over 40 years of experience to truck and 18-wheeler accident cases. Our attorneys previously represented insurance companies in the defense of commercial truck claims. We now use that perspective exclusively on behalf of injured clients, and we handle every case on a contingency fee basis. You pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.

Truck Accident Lawyer Mandeville, LA

Truck accident cases arise when a commercial motor vehicle is involved in a collision that causes injury or death. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration classifies any vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating over 10,000 pounds as a large truck. Tractor-trailers, flatbeds, tanker trucks, box trucks, and other commercial haulers all fall into that category, and many of them travel through Mandeville daily along I-12, US-190, and LA-22.

What makes these claims different from a standard car accident is the number of parties who may share responsibility. The truck driver could be at fault. But the carrier that hired them, the company that owns the vehicle, the broker who arranged the load, the maintenance provider, and even the cargo shipper can all bear some degree of fault depending on the facts. Federal regulations add another factor. Trucking companies are required to maintain records on driver qualifications, hours of service, vehicle inspections, and drug testing. When those records reveal violations, they become powerful evidence.

Types of Truck Accident Cases We Handle in Mandeville

The circumstances surrounding a truck accident shape both the investigation and the legal strategy. Below are the types of truck accident claims our attorneys handle in Mandeville, LA and throughout St. Tammany Parish.

• Rear-end collisions. Stopping distance is the issue. A loaded commercial truck needs far more room to come to a full stop than a car or SUV, and when a driver is fatigued, distracted, or following too closely, the result is often a high-speed rear-end crash. These are common along congested sections of I-12.
• Jackknife accidents. When a trailer swings out and folds against the cab, it can sweep across multiple lanes with little warning. Sudden braking, wet roads, and uneven load distribution are the most common causes, and these crashes often involve multi-vehicle pileups.
• Underride collisions. A smaller vehicle sliding beneath the rear or side of a trailer is one of the most dangerous types of truck crashes. The roof of the car absorbs the initial impact, and the injuries to occupants are frequently catastrophic. Whether the trailer had a compliant rear-impact guard is a central question in these cases.
• Wide-turn accidents. Large trucks swing wide to complete right turns, and drivers who misjudge the space can strike vehicles, cyclists, or pedestrians in adjacent lanes. Visibility limitations and intersection design both play a role in determining fault.
• Delivery truck accidents. Not every truck accident involves an 18-wheeler. Local and regional delivery vehicles operate throughout Mandeville’s residential and commercial areas, and the liability analysis depends on whether the driver is an employee of the delivery company or an independent contractor.
• Overloaded cargo accidents. Federal weight limits and cargo securement standards exist for a reason. Improperly loaded or overweight trucks are more prone to rollovers, tire blowouts, and brake failure, and the company responsible for loading the cargo can be held liable alongside the carrier and driver.

Why Choose Kiefer & Kiefer as My Truck Accident Lawyer in Mandeville, LA?

Defense Background, Plaintiff Results

Most personal injury firms have only ever worked one side of a trucking case. We have worked both. Our attorneys previously defended insurance companies in commercial truck and 18-wheeler accident claims. That means we know how carriers investigate crashes, how adjusters evaluate injuries, and what defense counsel looks for when building a case to reduce or deny a claim. We now use that knowledge for the people sitting on the other side of the table, and it has produced multiple seven-figure results in trucking matters.

Megan Kiefer leads the firm as a partner and has handled more than 3,000 accident and injury claims over the course of her career. She earned her J.D. from Tulane University Law School with Order of the Coif honors and served on the Tulane Law Review. She has been recognized as a Best Lawyers in America honoree and a Super Lawyers selection, and she was inducted into the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Her work has been covered by Fox, WWLTV, WDSU, and CBS.

Nat Kiefer Jr. graduated from Tulane University Law School in 1982 with honors and received the Walter Sutton Award. He was inducted into the Order of the Coif that same year. For more than 40 years, he has tried and negotiated personal injury cases in Louisiana’s state and federal courts, and he has handled truck accident and commercial vehicle matters throughout the region.

Chris Short earned his J.D. magna cum laude from Tulane University Law School. Before law school, he graduated from California State University Maritime Academy, and he is now licensed in both Louisiana and Florida. His approach to commercial vehicle litigation is methodical and detail-driven.

Kiefer & Kiefer has recovered millions of dollars for clients injured in truck accidents, car accidents, and other personal injury matters. Our personal injury lawyer in Mandeville, LA takes every trucking case on a contingency basis. There are no upfront costs and no fees unless we recover for you.

What Is Important to Understand About a Truck Accident Case?

Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Truck Accident Cases

According to NHTSA crash data, over 5,400 people were killed and more than 153,000 were injured in large truck crashes across the United States in 2023. The occupants of passenger vehicles bear the overwhelming share of those injuries and fatalities, which reflects the basic physics involved when a 4,000-pound car collides with an 80,000-pound truck.

Louisiana law provides several categories of recovery for truck accident victims. Under Civil Code Article 2315, a person who causes damage through fault must repair it. Economic damages cover medical expenses, lost wages, diminished earning capacity, and costs of future care. Non-economic damages address pain, mental anguish, and the ways the injury has changed your daily life. In cases where the truck driver was intoxicated, Louisiana law may permit enhanced damages beyond standard compensatory amounts.

One factor that separates truck accident claims from car accident claims is the insurance structure. Commercial trucks carry significantly higher policy limits, and how insurance applies often depends on the ownership arrangement, the lease agreement, and whether the driver was operating under the carrier’s authority at the time of the crash. Multiple policies may cover a single accident, and sorting through them requires a close review of the contracts involved.

What Are Important Aspects of a Truck Accident Case?

The factors that influence the outcome of a truck accident claim are different from those in a standard vehicle collision. Fault is rarely limited to the driver.

• Trucking companies can be held liable when they fail to properly vet, train, or supervise their drivers. 
• Negligent hiring is a frequent basis for corporate liability. Carriers are required by federal law to maintain driver qualification files, administer drug and alcohol testing, and enforce hours-of-service limits. When records show violations, they become central to the case.
• The maintenance provider may also bear fault if a mechanical failure contributed to the crash. And if the cargo was improperly loaded or overweight, the shipper or loading company may share responsibility.

What Is the Truck Accident Case Timeline?

No two truck accident cases follow the same timeline, but most move through a recognizable sequence.

• We begin with an immediate investigation. Electronic data from the truck’s onboard systems, including the engine control module and electronic logging device, must be preserved quickly.
• Carriers are not required to retain this data indefinitely, and some of it can be overwritten within 30 days. We also secure surveillance footage, obtain the driver’s qualification file and inspection reports, and, when possible, arrange an independent inspection of the vehicle.
• While the investigation unfolds, your medical treatment continues. We coordinate with your providers to ensure the injuries and the treatment course are documented thoroughly enough to support the claim.

After treatment stabilizes, we calculate the full value of the case and submit a demand. If the carrier’s insurer does not offer a fair resolution, we file suit. The prescriptive period in Louisiana is two years from the date of injury under Civil Code Article 3493.1. But waiting anywhere near that deadline in a trucking case is risky because the physical and electronic evidence that matters most can disappear long before the filing deadline arrives.

What Should You Bring to Your Truck Accident Consultation?

If you do not have all of this, that is not a reason to wait. We can start with what you have and work to obtain the rest. The consultation itself is free, and it gives us an opportunity to review the facts, identify the responsible parties, and explain how the process works from that point forward. If you can, bring the following:

• Police report or the report number
• Photographs of the vehicles and the scene
• Medical records and bills from any treatment you have received
• If you have been contacted by the trucking company’s insurer, bring those communications along with names and contact information of those who saw the crash

What Are Important Louisiana Legal Resources for Truck Accident Cases?

Truck accident claims in Louisiana are governed by a combination of state tort law and federal motor carrier regulations. If you are researching the laws that apply to your case, the following resources provide a starting point.

• FMCSA: Maintains annual crash data for large trucks and buses, including statistics broken down by crash type, severity, and contributing factors.
• Civil Code Articles: Louisiana’s foundational negligence and damages provisions are found in the state’s obligations arising from fault.
• Civil Code Article 3493.1: The prescriptive period for filing a personal injury lawsuit provides a two-year window from the date of injury for claims arising after July 1, 2024.
• Civil Code Article 2323: Louisiana’s comparative fault framework bars recovery when the claimant’s share of fault reaches 51% or more for incidents occurring on or after January 1, 2026.

Reach Out to Kiefer & Kiefer to Schedule a Consultation

Kiefer & Kiefer represents injured clients in truck accident cases throughout Mandeville, LA and the surrounding parishes. We work on a contingency basis, which means there are no upfront costs and no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you. If you have been hurt in a collision with a commercial truck, we are available to review your case promptly. Contact us to schedule a free consultation.