Trucking Accident Lawyer

Collisions with commercial trucks can result in devastating crashes that may result in catastrophic injuries. If you or a loved one has been injured in a trucking accident, you may be eligible to recover financial compensation for your injuries as well as your pain and suffering.

One of our associated trucking accident lawyers with the Ed Lake Law Group can help. They can provide you with the support you need during this overwhelming time.

How Can a Trucking Accident Lawyer Help Your Case?

Trucking accidents can leave you feeling disoriented and traumatized. This can make it hard to deal with complex paperwork and legal processes. A trucking accident attorney can take on the work of your personal injury claim, leaving you time to focus on healing and your family instead.

A trucking accident attorney can:

• Communicate with insurance companies
• Gather evidence to help strengthen your claim
• Negotiate for the maximum compensation that you are entitled to receive
• Answer your questions and address concerns you may have about settlement offers
• Keep you updated on the status of your claim
• Represent you in court if needed

What Compensation Can You Recover After a Trucking Accident?

In 2022, there were over 120,000 accidents resulting in injuries in the United States that involved a large commercial vehicle. Truck accident victims may have serious injuries, including:

• Broken bones
• Whiplash
• Spinal cord injuries (SCIs)
• Lacerations
• Burns
• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)

Serious injuries can often lead to expensive medical bills and lost income due to missing work while recovering. In some cases, the injuries may be life-altering, and you may never return to work and need lifelong care in order to accomplish your activities of daily living (ADLs).

Whatever the extent of your injuries, you deserve compensation for the physical pain you’ve suffered as well as the financial losses you’ve experienced. A personal injury attorney can examine your losses, both present as well as ones you may expect in the future, and fight for the compensation that you need.

Some recoverable losses include:

• Medical expenses, such as for surgeries, physical therapy, and emergency room visits
• Lost wages
• Diminished earning capacity if your injuries mean that you are no longer able to work at the same level
• Pain and suffering, including both physical pain and mental anguish
• Lost quality of life
• Loss of consortium
• Assistive devices and accessibility updates to your home if the accident impaired your mobility

If a loved one passed away due to a trucking accident, a wrongful death attorney can help you recover financial compensation for their loss.

Supporting Personal Injury Claims After a Trucking Accident

Personal injury claims rely on being able to prove that someone else’s negligence led to your accident. In trucking accidents, this may be complicated as there could be multiple at-fault parties. For example, some negligent parties can include:

• The truck driver
• The trucking company
• Manufacturers of commercial motor vehicles
• Mechanics who did repairs on the truck

Some reasons they may be liable include:

• The truck driver was inebriated
• The truck driver exceeded speed limits in order to maximize their productivity, resulting in a truck collision
• The trucking company hired unqualified drivers or did not train them adequately
• Manufacturers may be to blame if the truck had faulty or defective parts
• A mechanic may be to blame if they didn’t do repairs properly or missed safety issues, such as worn brakes

In order to prove negligence to an insurance company, you will need to gather supporting evidence. Your truck accident attorney may do so through some of the following ways:

• Taking photos of the accident scene, traffic signs, and physical evidence like skid marks, which can prove useful
• Analyzing police reports and driving records
• Obtaining video footage, such as from traffic cameras, dash cams, or business security cameras
• Interviewing witnesses
• Consulting with experts, such as accident reconstruction specialists

How State Laws May Affect Your Trucking Accident Claim

Depending on the state you live in, there will be specific laws affecting personal injury claims. One of the biggest factors is often a state’s statute of limitations on personal injury lawsuits. These range in years, though two to three years is typical.

These limits essentially mean that you will need to pursue a personal injury lawsuit within the given time frame. A personal injury lawyer can ensure that all state laws are followed and any legal deadlines are met.

Steps to Take After a Trucking Accident

If you’ve been in a trucking accident, there are some steps you can take to help ensure your safety as well as strengthen your truck accident claim. These steps are:

Seek Medical Attention

The first priority after an accident should always be ensuring your safety. If you have been injured, you should dial 9-1-1 immediately. If you decide not to get emergency medical care, it is still important to make an appointment with a doctor. They can properly diagnose your injuries and get you started on a treatment plan. Early diagnosis of injuries can lead to faster recoveries.

Call the Police

Police officers will help secure accident scenes, such as by redirecting traffic, which can make them safer for everyone involved. A responding officer will also fill out a crash report, which includes their observations of the accident, descriptions of evidence and injuries, witness information, and other helpful information that can later support your personal injury claim.

Document the Accident

If you are safe to do so, it can be helpful to have documentation of the accident. This can include photos or video of the accident and your injuries. Make sure to get photos of all involved vehicles, as well as any debris or skid marks.

Avoid Taking Blame

When talking to police officers or insurance adjusters, avoid taking any blame. It’s easy to feel responsible, even when something isn’t your fault. However, you should simply state facts and have the trucking company’s insurance company address any follow-up questions to your truck accident lawyer.

Contact a Trucking Accident Lawyer

The trauma of a trucking accident can be a heavy burden to bear, especially when combined with the physical pain of injuries. A trucking accident lawyer can take the weight of a complicated insurance claim off your shoulders. They will fight for you to recover the fair compensation and the justice you deserve.

Financial worries shouldn’t keep you from seeking legal compensation, which is why many personal injury attorneys operate on a contingency-fee basis. This means that there are no upfront costs to you, and you only pay their fee if they recover compensation for your case.

Contact one of our associated trucking accident lawyers with the Ed Lake Law Group today!