Truck accidents are a serious and growing problem in the United States. Every year, there are an estimated 500,000 truck accidents, with more than 130,000 people injured. These crashes can cause devastating physical injuries and emotional trauma with long-term consequences on victims’ lives.
If you have been involved in such an accident, consider Bengal Law attorneys – a team with decades of experience offering a personal touch to every case. Let’s discuss the various ways these legal professionals can help you.
1. Valuing Your Claim
Following a truck accident, your primary objective should be to seek treatment. But while at it, it’s easy to lose sight of everything else, especially given that you’re most likely in pain.
Your truck accident attorney can help sort through all the paperwork and calculate your economic and non-economic losses. These include:
- Medical bills
- Physical pain and suffering
- Lost wages
- Potential loss of consortium
- Loss of earning capacity
- Property damage
The attorney uses this information to determine a reasonable settlement. That way, you won’t be caught flat-footed by insurers or overwhelmed by the process. This could also mean you can access crucial funds to cover these expenses. Plus, it offers you peace of mind as you know you have a legal partner looking after your affairs.
2. Investigating Your Case
A knowledgeable truck accident lawyer provides valuable insight into your case. This could mean collecting evidence from the scene, examining medical records, evaluating vehicle damage, reviewing footage of the accident, and interviewing witnesses to build a stronger claim against the liable party. The idea is to determine fault and liability issues.
The attorney also understands the laws regulating the trucking industry, including traffic laws that may come into play, and use their knowledge to create a robust legal strategy. Thus, they can help you determine if you have sufficient grounds for a lawsuit.
3. Proving Negligence
When people get involved in an accident with a large truck, they often have no idea where to begin. This explains the need for a truck accident lawyer to help them prove negligence and build a strong case. The lawyer must prove various aspects of a personal injury case, including:
- Showing that the other driver owed you a duty of care.
- Demonstrating the defendant breached their duty of care by driving unreasonably or unsafely.
- Showing you sustained injuries and other losses as a result of the other driver’s negligence.
Your legal representative can examine the driver’s speed, behavior before the accident, road, vehicle condition, and other variables. They then use the evidence they gather to help you file a lawsuit or claim.
4. Handling Insurers
You may find yourself in a challenging position when dealing with truck accident insurers. Most insurers often try to minimize the value of your claim so they can pay out as little as possible.
Without legal help, you might not know the actual value of your claim, let alone navigate the process. More importantly, chances are you don’t have the skill or knowledge necessary to negotiate effectively.
A truck accident lawyer handles all communication and negotiations with the insurer on your behalf. They have deep expertise in trucking law and leverage their negotiation skills from previous experience in such cases. Thus, you can look forward to a fair settlement by enlisting a competent truck accident lawyer.
5. Taking Your Case to Court
Most cases typically settle before they end up in court. However, if an insurer is unwilling to offer a fair settlement, it may be necessary to pursue justice through the courts. An experienced truck accident lawyer handles all legal proceedings. These include:
- Filing a lawsuit
- Appearing in court on your behalf
- Researching case law
- Filing necessary motions and petitions
- Negotiating with the other party’s lawyer in court
Their familiarity with the court process helps them handle your case efficiently. Thus, no matter how far things proceed through the legal process, you’re well-prepared.
When you’ve been in a truck accident, it might feel like the odds are stacked against you. Besides, taking on a powerful party or navigating the justice system alone can be an anxiety-inducing proposition. Thus, it pays to have a partner who can fight for you. Fortunately, your attorney can shift the odds dramatically in your favor.
Case in point, they understand the application of comparative fault laws. In states that follow this rule, an injured person can still recover damages even if they were partly responsible for an accident. Your lawyer can ensure you’re not short-changed when the court determines redress based on your percentage of fault.
A truck accident lawyer’s understanding of the law and its application can shift the scales in your favor when fighting for justice. And given their input, as we’ve discussed, it’s no wonder most people seek their assistance when involved in a truck accident.
