Truck accidents cause critical injuries, sometimes resulting in death. If a truck accident injured you, you may feel distressed.
You need a truck accident lawyer.
A truck accident lawyer can help you navigate the incredibly complex, frustrating legal process and get the compensation you deserve.
Determining Liability: How a Truck Accident Lawyer Can Protect Your Interests
To determine liability, you need a lawyer to investigate the accident.
Special Rules and Regulations
Federal and state agencies regulate the trucking industry. Accidents usually occur when the trucking industry fails to follow these regulations. An experienced truck accident lawyer knows these regulations.
Some common reasons for crashes are:
- Truck drivers lacked the training required by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.
- The company made truck drivers work more than the hours of service regulations.
- The company did not perform background checks that could reveal the substance abuse record of the truck driver
If you do not understand these special rules and regulations, you won’t identify the cause of your crash and make a strong claim.
Multiple Parties Involved
You may believe only one party caused your crash: the driver.
You can hold many parties accountable for a truck accident, including:
- Truck drivers
- Trucking companies
- Truck manufacturers
- Government entities
- Loading companies
- Insurance companies
If any part of the truck breaks down during transportation and causes an accident, the court may hold the truck manufacturer responsible for the crash.
Gather Crucial Evidence
To make your case strong, a lawyer will collect:
- Police reports
- Accident videos
- Truck company data
- Witness statements
- Medical bills and other expenses
Even a minor detail can change your case. Thus, you need a lawyer to get all the information about your case.
Experienced truck accident lawyers know how to investigate. They can determine the liability of a responsible party and build a strong case on your behalf.
Beyond Medical Bills: Recovering Non-economic Damages After a Truck Accident
You may recover damages for non-economic losses along with the cost of treatment.
Non-economic losses (take out link, federal law would not apply in a trucking case that happened in Virginia, even if in federal court) means:
- Physical and emotional pain
- Suffering and inconvenience
- Physical impairment
- Mental anguish
- Loss of society and companionship (wrongful death)
Generally, courts award damages for these losses based on subjective evaluations.
To pursue these damages, you must prove your crash injured you and the impact the crash had on your life.
For example, a traumatic crash may cause flashbacks, anxiety, and depression. Thus, you cannot keep up with your daily life as you did before the crash.
A truck accident lawyer can prove your intangible losses to the court and get the compensation you deserve.
Dealing With Insurance Companies
Insurance companies protect their interests.
After an accident, insurance companies gather all the information about it to look for reasons to avoid liability. If they cannot ignore your case, they try to reduce your compensation.
After the accident, they send you a settlement offer. Always review any settlement offer with a lawyer, as you may deserve far more. If you accept the settlement, you lose your right to obtain further compensation.
Sometimes they can drag your claim out, so you settle it for less than it is worth.
Truck accident lawyers can assess your claim and negotiate with insurance companies for the compensation you deserve in a reasonable time.
Standing up for Your Rights: Representation in Court
If the insurance company does not settle your claim for what it is worth, you may need to file a lawsuit. Trucking companies often have big budgets that allow them to hire the best legal representation.
Filing a Lawsuit
Experienced truck accident lawyers can draft all the necessary documents and file them with the court to start a lawsuit. The court notifies all responsible parties about the impending lawsuit and asks them to file their responses. After these initial steps, the lawsuit starts.
The Discovery Phase
Although it is the most time-consuming part of a lawsuit, discovery is the most pivotal. Both parties collect evidence to build their cases. Experienced truck accident lawyers make your case strong at this stage to maximize your compensation.
Negotiation of Settlement
Truck accident lawyers can again attempt to settle your claim with the responsible parties. They re-engage in better-informed negotiation talks since they know your position after the discovery phase.
Most parties settle their case at this point, as it costs them less money and time.
Trial
If they cannot settle your claim, your lawyer may proceed to the trial to get you the compensation you deserve. During trial, both parties present evidence and arguments to a judge and jury. The judge and jury review them before rendering the final decision.
Protect Your Rights and Secure Fair Compensation With a Truck Accident Lawyer
Trucking and insurance companies know the many trucking regulations that others don’t. They take advantage of your lack of knowledge to undervalue your claim. Don’t let them take advantage of you.
A personal injury attorney understands how to build a compelling case to get you fair compensation. With a truck accident lawyer on your side, you can maximize your compensation and focus on your recovery.