Speak With a Personal Injury Lawyer After a Truck Accident
Jan. 3, 2017
Trucking accidents are more common than you may think and if you are injured in one, I encourage you to call my office for a consultation with a personal injury lawyer. Given the sheer size difference between a big truck and personal vehicle, injuries can be severe and so can the cost of treatment. You should not have to pay for the negligence and actions of someone else. Filing a lawsuit may be the best way for you to receive financial compensation to pay for your medical care and your pain and suffering.
Trucking accidents are complicated
When you file a personal injury lawsuit, it is critical that you prove the other party was negligent or at fault for your injuries. Otherwise, you cannot collect compensation. This takes time, effort, and investigative resources. Difficult in any case, it is far more complex when you are in an accident or collision with a big truck. More than one party can be negligent for your accident, making it in your interest to work with an attorney such as myself.
During the investigation, I need to first determine what happened, what caused the accident, and what factors played into it. For example, where you hit due to faulty brakes, speeding or distracted driving. Next, I need to find out if the truck was owned and operated by the same person, or if the driver was a contractor or even an employee of a trucking company. These distinctions must be made because they determine who should be sued.
For example, both the driver and the trucking company may have joint responsibility and suing them both will increase the likelihood of you receiving a favorable settlement offer or verdict. Since some of the information I need is not always forthcoming, it may be necessary to conduct depositions and ask the driver or trucking company questions under oath. This is all part of the discovery process and will help prepare your case to go to court.
Taking a case to court
Generally after or in conjunction with the discovery process, the focus will be on valuing your claim by determining how your injuries have impacted you physically, mentally, emotionally and financially. A personal injury tends to create significant medical bills. Some covered some not, but can also lead to lost wages from work, the expense of rehabilitation, hiring caregivers, paying for medication and more. If you do not include all of these costs in your claim, you may be leaving money on the table and selling yourself short.
Most cases also warrant requesting non-economic damages, in which the jury awards money to pay for the overall impact of your injuries without the funds being tied to a direct expense. While not awarded in certain cases, including them can help to maximize the overall value of your claim.
As a personal injury lawyer, I can discuss the process right after an injury through the filing of a lawsuit; your legal rights and options; and potential outcomes in greater detail during a consultation. Just remember that trucking accidents are more complex than being in a wreck with an individual driver. Having an attorney on your side is highly advantageous.
NOTE: This is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice