If you’re in a car, and you collide with a commercial truck while on the highway, it’s highly likely that you will get the worst end of that. The average family sedan seems tiny when you look at it next to a massive 18-wheeler. The sheer weight of the larger vehicle often comes into play, especially if you’re looking at one that’s loaded up with freight.
Commercial truck accidents can seriously injure motorists, and if you experience one, you may want to contact a lawyer. What can one do for you in this situation, though? Let’s talk about five things that a personal injury attorney might do for you after you experience a commercial truck accident.
They Can File the Paperwork if You Sue the Driver
To start with, you might go and see a personal injury lawyer after your commercial truck accident. Maybe you’re in a state of shock. You might have some injuries, or perhaps even PTSD if the incident traumatized you enough.
You can tell the lawyer what happened. Presumably, you would want to find an attorney who not only does personal injury law, but also commercial truck accidents specifically.
If they feel like you have a case based on what you tell them, then you can hire them. You will need to make sure that they have enough time to dedicate to your lawsuit. If they have several other clients at the moment, and you don’t think they can give you their full attention because of that, then you might choose to go with someone else.
Assuming you feel this lawyer will do a good job for you, then you can ask them to file the necessary paperwork to start the lawsuit. They will know how to do that. They will let the truck driver, the trucking company, or their insurance company know that you’re bringing a lawsuit against them.
Your lawyer can also tell you who you should sue. If it’s not clear on your part whether you should sue the trucking company, the trucker, their insurance company, or some other entity, the lawyer can give you advice about that.
They Can Instruct Their Investigator to Look into the Accident
The lawyer might next instruct their investigator or investigative team to look into the accident and to gather as much evidence as possible that might help to prove your case. What evidence exists will vary.
The investigator or team might ask you if you have a dashboard camera. If you do, then maybe it picked up the accident. It might prove that the truck driver did something illegal or made a mistake.
They might also scour social media to see if anyone else recorded the accident. Even if you don’t have a dashboard camera, then maybe another vehicle picked it up. Many drivers have dashboard cams these days, and they’re not often shy about posting footage of accidents on the highway that they captured.
The investigator or team may also look for any other eyewitnesses. If they can find some and put them on the stand, you have a much better chance of winning your lawsuit.
They Can Negotiate with the Trucking Company
Your lawyer can next negotiate with the trucking company. If you’re suing the trucker or their insurance company, then they can negotiate with them instead.
You might attend these meetings in person, or maybe you can have a Zoom call with the person or entity you are suing. You don’t necessarily have to say anything, though, and maybe your lawyer will instruct you not to do so. They can speak on your behalf.
That way, you won’t accidently say something that might hurt your legal position. That is something you might do without even realizing it if you don’t have a lawyer by your side to help you.
They Can Tell You Whether to Accept a Settlement Offer
The trucking company, trucker, or insurance company might offer you a settlement before the trial begins. Many personal injury cases don’t ever make it to the trial phase. Instead, the two sides settle out of court.
You can talk privately with your attorney about the offer. Maybe they will tell you that it’s a reasonable number and that they think you should take it. They may also say that it’s a lowball offer, and you should turn it down.
Ultimately, you will decide whether or not to take any settlement offer that the defendant gives you. However, if your lawyer says that they think you can get a lot more if you’re a little patient, then maybe you will take their advice.
It’s not about greed. Frequently, you’re just trying to get enough in economic and non-economic damages so that you will feel you balanced the scales of justice.
They Can Stand Up for You in Court
Maybe the person or entity you’re suing says that they won’t settle. If the trucker feels they did nothing wrong, or if that’s what the trucking company thinks, then maybe they’ll dare you and your lawyer to try to settle the matter in court.
That’s when your lawyer can really shine. Maybe they have significant skills as an orator, and they can argue masterfully on your behalf.
They might put you on the stand and ask you questions that paint the trucker or the trucking company in the worst possible light. They may ask you things that will paint you in the most sympathetic light for the jury.
If your lawyer can prove their worth to you in court, then they are probably worth every penny if you can force a large settlement offer, or if the trial goes all the way to a jury’s verdict in your favor. You can pay them the amount to which you agreed out of the damages that you receive.
The best personal injury lawyers in the truck accident niche should have no problems doing any of these things.
