Treating your claim for compensation following a truck accident like a passenger vehicle crash would be a big mistake. Since trucks are so much larger and heavier than passenger vehicles, the likelihood that you will suffer serious injuries or a loved one will die are much greater. This makes the value of your claim worth more and makes it more complex to resolve. Retaining an experienced truck accident attorney should be one of your first steps after a truck wreck if you want to obtain what you deserve.
Five Reasons to Hire a Skilled Attorney With Experience Handling Truck Wreck Claims
You never want to settle a truck accident claim without first consulting with an attorney. You should not hire just any car accident or personal injury attorney. You need an attorney who has substantial experience handling truck accident cases. Here’s why this is so important to receiving the compensation that you are entitled to:
- Thorough investigation. Your attorney should conduct a thorough investigation of the cause of your crash, which includes sending a spoliation letter to the trucking company advising them of your claim and of documents that should not be destroyed. When you retain him soon after the accident, this will enable him to obtain evidence that could be lost, such as witnesses to the wreck, black box data from the truck, and the truck itself. You should expect that the trucking company will start an immediate investigation to try to deny or reduce potential claims, and you do not want to be at a disadvantage.
- Federal laws and regulations. Truckers and trucking companies must follow many federal and regulations regarding driver qualifications, maintenance of the trucks, hours of service rules regarding the number of hours a trucker can drive, and more. In some cases, violations of these rules caused or contributed to the crash. You need an experienced truck accident attorney who understands these regulations and violations.
- Identifying liable parties. In any personal injury case, it is important to identify and pursue claims with all liable parties because it increases the likelihood that you will be fully compensated. In truck wreck cases, there are often more responsible parties than just the truck driver, such as the trucking company, truck maintenance facility, and shipping company. An attorney who has handled these cases before can identify and pursue all your claims for you.
- Complex negotiations. Because of the increased value of your claim and multiple at-fault parties, settlement negotiations in your case could be complex. You want an attorney who has a track record of success in settling these claims.
- Litigation. While many of these cases settle before trial, you need an attorney who is not afraid to go to trial, will thoroughly prepare for trial, and has successfully tried truck accident claims in the past.
Do you need to file a claim for compensation after a truck crash? Call our office to schedule your free consultation with one of our truck accident attorneys.
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