Allen Law Group Senior Partner Bryan L. Bradley is one of three attorneys in the Hoosier State achieving certification in truck accident law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA) in partnership with the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys (ATAA).
This achievement may be important to those seeking justice after a catastrophic commercial truck crash on an Indiana roadway.
Large truck crashes are notorious for the risk of permanent and life-altering bodily harm or sudden death to all those involved in a truck accident involving a semi, big rig, tractor-trailer, reefer, tanker, 18-wheeler, etc., all across the country. However, the danger is much greater for those of us sharing the roads with them here in the Hoosier State. See, Huge and Growing Freight Truck Traffic in Northern Indiana: Increasing Danger of Semi-Truck Crashes.
After all, there a significantly higher number of commercial trucks hauling freight through our “Crossroads of America,” as Indiana serves as a national transportation hub for the country. The more truck traffic, the greater the risk of a truck crash.
There are also other complications, from the hazards that come with driving through our harsh winter weather conditions, to the congested interstates these big rigs have to take on their routes, like I-80; I-94; or I-65. Northwest Indiana traffic will also have lots of 18-wheelers and special types of large trucks serving local steel mills and manufacturing concerns.
For more, read: Semi Trucks and Big Rigs: High Indiana and Illinois Commercial Truck Traffic Creates Dangerous Conditions.
Personal Injury Claims After a Catastrophic Truck Crash in Indiana
For those who suffer bodily harm in a horrific truck crash within the Indiana state lines, from truckers and their rig occupants to drivers and passengers of other vehicles in the collision, state personal injury law provides civil claims for damages against third parties shown to be legally liable for the crash and its aftermath. There can be several different defendants in these cases, and lots of insurance carriers.
These large truck crash matters are usually very complicated. The monetary damages can be extensive not only in amount, but in the types of damage claims that can be asserted not only by the crash victims but their loved ones. Liability determinations may be intricate, too. Extensive investigations into the incident may reveal several third-party companies and individuals may be financially responsible for the civil damages under the law.
It is true that the accident victim can settle the matter without having representation of any legal counsel, or the help of any accident reconstruction or damage calculation experts. It is also true that there are lots of lawyers in Indiana, many of whom practice personal injury law and who may be willing to take on the case. Maybe the victim’s family has had past dealings with that attorney, or law firm. Maybe there are personal or professional connections that lend themselves to building a lawyer-client relationship in the truck crash case.
Choosing the right lawyer or law firm for their specific case, or settling without representation, is entirely the personal decision of the victim of that truck accident. See, Questions To Ask When Choosing A Personal Injury Lawyer In Illinois Or Indiana.
However, given that these 18-wheeler accidents are often catastrophic and have on-stand-by defense teams at work almost immediately, working hard to find arguments to deny liability as well as to diminish damage claims, it may be wise for the truck crash victim to consider a consultation with an experienced truck crash attorney with a history of dealing with these types of complex lawsuits and legal claims.
And in the Hoosier State, the lawyers at the top of that pyramid of representation choices are the very few who have achieved Board Certification in Truck Accident Law from the National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA).
What is So Unique About Truck Accident Law Board Certification?
According to the demographics of the American Bar Association (ABA), there are 15,485 lawyers residing within the state in the active practice of law. Of these Indiana attorneys, only three of them (yes, three) have met the standards required to be board certified in truck accident law by ABA through its National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA) in partnership with the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys (ATAA).
From the ATAA:
The Legal Specialization program was created to provide a method for attorneys to earn the designation of certified legal specialist in particular areas of law for the purposes of increasing public protection and encouraging attorney competence. As part of the certification process, an applicant must pass a written examination in the specialization area. Certification is the process that is designed to identify the highly qualified attorneys in the practice area.
It is not an award that can be bought. It is not ceremonial recognition by colleagues or peers. It is a difficult process designed by the ABA and the ATTA to spotlight those who have dedicated their legal careers to a specific focus with a proven level of competence and skill.
Earning Board Certification in Truck Accident Law
Board certification comes after an independent, objective evaluation that has been accredited by the American Bar Association. The attorney decides to apply for the certification. They not only have to provide authentication that at least 30% of their legal practice exclusively involves truck accident matters, but they have to take an examination with comprehensive topics detailed in facets of semi-truck crash facts and law.
It is designed to verify the applicant’s basic knowledge of the usual legal procedure, core substantive law (including recent changes in law and regulations) and litigation skills necessary to specialists in the area of Truck Accident Law. Truck Accident Law deals with the procedural, substantive and practical issues unique to collision cases involving commercial tractor trailers, buses and other commercial motor vehicles and all of the people and entities in the transportation cycle.
An applicant is expected to demonstrate the ability to identify and resolve the issues, state and apply the applicable law, analyze and apply law to the facts given, show knowledge and understanding of the pertinent principles and theories of law, their relationship to each other and their qualifications and limits as well as understand and properly apply the unique legal, regulatory and industry standards to factual situations.
Of primary importance in the essay questions will be the quality of analysis and explanation. It is recognized that the subject areas below may overlap, which may require incorporation of more than one substantive or procedural area in Truck Accident Law which may apply to several skills in responding to a single question.
The order of the subject areas does not reflect their relative importance, nor does the sequence represent an implied order of their application in practice. Knowledge of the following fundamental lawyering skills may be assessed.
Test topics include: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations; Theories of Liability (14 are listed); Present and Object to Evidence; Hearsay and Non-Hearsay; Other Practice Issues (like on-board technology; underides; FOIA requests; out of service standards; Carmack amendment); and Professional Responsibility.
That’s not enough. They must then confirm their extensive courtroom trial experience, which must include not only their trial histories, but recommendations from judges as well as lawyers on the other side of the case (opposing counsel).
So, when someone is considering hiring legal counsel to help them in pursuing justice after a commercial truck accident in Indiana, looking into someone with Board Certification in Truck Accident Law comes with three things: experience in trials not only (1) in past courtroom matters but (2) with recommendations from judges and opposing attorneys; passing an in-depth examination in the facts (like how all the gizmos like dashcams and black boxes work as evidence) and the law (think FMCSA regs) pertaining to truck crashes; and confirmation that they spend at least one-third of their time helping victims of truck crash accidents.
Indiana Truck Accident Board Certified Attorney: Allen Law Partner Bryan R. Bradley
Senior Partner Bryan R. Bradley practices in Northern Indiana, based out of Chesterton, with the entirety of his legal work dedicated to helping people harmed in accidents who suffer catastrophic injuries or wrongful death. Mr. Bradley’s primary focus is upon complex commercial truck and bus crash litigation.
During his career, he has secured seven- and eight- figure settlements and verdicts not only in Indiana, but in other states (Illinois; Michigan; Ohio; Wyoming; and North Carolina). Mr. Bradley is a Life Member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum (“fewer than 1% of U.S. lawyers are members”).
Moreover, he is not only one of the three Indiana attorneys that are ATAA Board Certified in Truck Accident Law, he also serves on the Board of Regents for the ATAA, as well as being a contributing author to Truck Accident Litigation, 2nd & 3rd Editions (published by the ABA).
Because his practice is centered directly in Northern Indiana, his casework understandably entails all those things that make Indiana truck crashes particularly challenging: from the unique mechanical and technological evidence issues, to the state and federal regulatory applications, and the weather-related variables that can exacerbate the horrific aftermaths of large truck accidents here on Indiana’s dangerous industrial freight corridors.
He is the only Indiana attorney that is Board Certified in Truck Accident Law practicing in Northern Indiana.
For more details, see Bryan R. Bradley’s biography on our website.
5 Reasons Truck Crash Victims May Decide Upon an Attorney Board-Certified in Truck Accident Law
Once again, choosing a legal advocate is one of the most important decisions someone can make in their lifetime, and it is an extremely personal choice. There are the tangibles as well as the intangibles: personal camaraderie and trust are invaluable in these situations. Legal battles can be intense, and overwhelming, and take years to conclude. No one should be pressured to make their call.
And when choosing legal representation after a serious 18-wheeler accident, especially in Indiana, there are some considerations that the injured victim and their loved ones may find to their advantage when making their choice in counsel that come with Board Certification in Truck Accident Law:
- These attorneys have proven not only their willingness but their ability to fight for right in front of a jury. It can make a difference not just in a courtroom, but in a settlement negotiation, when the defense team (think insurance carriers) understand that the victim’s lawyer is experienced in the courtroom, and will not hesitate to take the case to a jury.
- They had proven their proficiency with understanding how the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR) work in a truck crash case, from HOS violations to vehicle maintenance schedules, and subtle distinctions that may demonstrate corporate negligence on the part of carriers, brokers, shippers, etc.
- With their understanding of the ever-changing trucking industry, they will know how fast some evidence must be gathered before it is lost and what these types of things are, like digital evidence inside Electronic Control Modules (ECMs) (“black boxes”); dash cams; GPS tracking systems, and electronic logging devices (ELDs).
- Both sides will hire various experts to sort out the accident itself and all the things that contributed to what happened. The Board Certified in Truck Accident Law attorney will have lots of experience in working with all sorts of truck crash experts (think not only reconstructionists but biomechanical engineers, etc.) that will be invaluable when cross-examining the other side’s defense experts.
- They are accustomed to both state and federal courtrooms. Sometimes, truck crash matters will be removed from an Indiana state court to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana. Federal rules of procedure and evidence are different that those of the State of Indiana. Deadlines are different, too. Past work in federal litigation can be important in an Indiana truck crash case.
For more, read:
- Why a Lawyer who is a Trial Attorney Is Important for Accident Victims in Personal Injury Cases
- Semi-Truck Crash Evidence: Spoilation Letters and Things Not Covered by FMCSA Retention Deadlines, The Need to Act Fast
- Truck Crash Injury Claim Evidence: ELDs, EDRs, and FMCSA Regulations to Show Liability
- Accident Reconstruction Experts and Injury Claims.
Board Certification in Truck Accident Law can be an important consideration to those seeking legal counsel after a severe 18-wheeler accident on the roadways of Indiana. It may be an invaluable factor in seeking justice after a truck crash where the injured victim must protect their future and hold negligent third parties accountable for their wrongdoing. Please be careful out there!
