Covington Truck Accident Lawyer

If you were hurt in a truck accident in Covington, we are ready to help you understand your legal options. Truck crashes often cause serious injuries because of the size and weight of commercial vehicles. A fully loaded 18-wheeler can legally weigh up to 80,000 pounds on the interstate, many times the weight of a typical passenger car. We investigate what happened, identify who may be responsible, and work to pursue the compensation you may be entitled to under Louisiana law.

Covington sits at a crossroads for Northshore traffic in St. Tammany Parish. Large trucks regularly travel along Interstate 12, U.S. Highway 190, and Louisiana Highway 21 to serve local businesses, distribution centers, and nearby communities such as Mandeville and Madisonville. Many also cross the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway between the Northshore and the New Orleans area. If you or a loved one was injured in a truck crash, The Chopin Law Firm can help.

Call Chopin Law Firm at (504) 447-8828 for a free case evaluation.

Types of Truck Accidents in Covington

Two of the most serious truck crashes on Covington roads are jackknife and rollover accidents. Both can involve several vehicles and cause life-changing injuries.

Jackknife Truck Accidents in Covington

A jackknife accident happens when the trailer swings away from the truck cab, creating an angle similar to a folding pocketknife. This can block multiple lanes and involve several vehicles within seconds.

These crashes often happen when a truck brakes too hard, loses traction, or travels too fast for road conditions. Rain and heavy traffic can make the risk even greater.

Traffic often backs up near the I-12 exits for Highway 21 (Exit 59) and U.S. 190 (Exit 63), where drivers head to Northshore shopping centers along Brewster Road and Pinnacle Parkway. A truck that cannot slow down in time in that stop-and-go traffic may jackknife.

After a jackknife crash, we gather evidence such as crash reports, electronic driver logs, vehicle inspection records, and available video footage. This information can help determine what caused the collision and who may be legally responsible.

Rollover Truck Accidents in Covington

Truck rollovers can happen when a driver loses control during a turn, takes an exit too quickly, or shifts weight because cargo was not loaded properly. A rollover may block several lanes and create dangerous conditions for nearby drivers.

Commercial trucks traveling between Covington and nearby cities often use Interstate 12 and Highway 21. The large interchange where I-12 meets U.S. 190 has curving ramps that can be risky for a top-heavy truck taking a turn too fast. Over Lake Pontchartrain, strong crosswinds are serious enough that the Causeway restricts some high-profile vehicles during high-wind conditions.

Rollover crashes can leave people with broken bones, head injuries, spinal injuries, and other serious harm. We work to determine whether speeding, poor maintenance, overloaded cargo, or another factor contributed to the crash.

Call us at (504) 447-8828 if you were injured in a rollover or jackknife truck accident in Covington.

Who Can Be Responsible for a Covington Truck Accident?

More than one person or company may be responsible for a truck accident. We carefully review the facts to identify everyone who may have contributed to the crash. This matters because each responsible party may have its own insurance coverage.

The Truck Driver

The truck driver may be responsible if careless driving caused the crash. Truck drivers have a duty to operate their vehicles safely. They must pay attention to the road, follow traffic laws, and drive responsibly in changing conditions.

A driver may be responsible if they were:

• Speeding
• Distracted by a phone or other device
• Driving while fatigued
• Following another vehicle too closely
• Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs

Federal rules limit truck drivers to 11 hours of driving before they must take 10 hours off. Drivers who break these rules may be too tired to react in time. On the Causeway, dense fog can cut visibility so badly that Causeway Police sometimes lead traffic across in convoys, which leaves little room for a driver who is not paying attention.

We review police reports from agencies such as the Covington Police Department, the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, Louisiana State Police, or the Causeway Police Department. We also review electronic logging device (ELD) data, which shows how long the driver was on the road, along with witness statements and other evidence.

The Trucking Company

The trucking company may share responsibility if it cut corners on safety. Companies are expected to hire qualified drivers, maintain their trucks, and follow state and federal safety rules.

A trucking company may be responsible if it:

• Failed to inspect or maintain the truck
• Hired an unqualified driver
• Failed to provide proper training
• Pressured drivers to meet unrealistic schedules
• Ignored known safety problems

Covington’s location near Interstate 12 makes it an important route for commercial transportation across southeast Louisiana. Trucks regularly travel through St. Tammany Parish carrying freight between Baton Rouge, Slidell, and the Gulf Coast region. Under Louisiana law, an employer may also be held responsible for harm its employee causes while doing their job.

Our team reviews maintenance records, company policies, inspection reports, and employment records to determine whether the trucking company played a role in the accident.

Delivery Fleets Including UPS, FedEx, and Amazon

UPS, FedEx, Amazon, or one of their contractors may be responsible for a crash involving a delivery vehicle. The answer often depends on who employed the driver.

These vehicles often travel along Highway 21, U.S. Highway 190, and local roads serving shopping centers and neighborhoods across Covington. Delivery vans make frequent stops in Northshore retail areas and subdivisions, where sudden turns and roadside parking can catch other drivers off guard.

Responsibility for a delivery vehicle accident depends on the facts. For example, many Amazon packages are delivered by independent companies that contract with Amazon. FedEx Ground also relies on separate delivery businesses that hire their own drivers. Determining liability often requires reviewing contracts, employment relationships, maintenance records, and delivery schedules.

We investigate every available source of evidence to determine which parties may be legally responsible for your injuries.

Call The Chopin Law Firm at (504) 447-8828 for a free case evaluation if you were injured in a collision involving a UPS, FedEx, Amazon, or another delivery vehicle in Covington.