It is common for car accident victims to feel overwhelmed by their situation and not know what steps to take next. This is particularly true of victims of accidents involving commercial trucks. One of the best ways you can protect yourself in this scenario is to get a lawyer for a truck accident as soon as possible.
Commercial trucks commonly cause significantly more damage than other vehicle accidents. If you were injured in your accident, you may be entitled to financial compensation. You should act quickly to get legal representation from a dedicated attorney with experience in commercial trucking accidents. They will be able to help you file a claim through the trucking company's insurance company, negotiate a fair settlement for your injuries and damages, and represent you in court if you file a lawsuit.
These types of accidents can be particularly daunting for accident victims, but our Denver truck accident attorneys are available to help you navigate the legal process surrounding your case, help you make important decisions, and ensure that your rights are protected while you focus on your recovery. Call us today to get a lawyer for a truck accident and schedule a free initial consultation online to find out how we can help you.
Why Truck Accidents Are More Serious Than Other Accidents
Large trucks are defined by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as medium or heavy trucks with a weight of over 10,000 pounds. These vehicles were found to have been involved in crashes that resulted in the deaths of over 5,000 people in the year 2019, with over 3/4 of those fatalities having been in the other vehicle or vehicles.
Commercial truck drivers undergo a significant amount of training in order to be legally permitted to operate these machines on public roads. The majority of the drivers involved in the 2019 accidents mentioned above had on aggregate, fewer moving violations or other penalties assessed to their licenses. In fact, commercial trucks are involved in fewer than 10% of vehicle accidents nationwide but account for over 10% of fatal car accidents. Why then do collisions involving commercial vehicles cause significantly more damage than your average car accident?
The short answer is that the size of these vehicles simply makes them far more dangerous in any collision. Their weight, particularly when hauling a load makes stopping much more difficult in emergency situations. In ideal driving conditions at highway speeds, it can take a fully loaded truck may require twice the distance or more to come to a complete stop as compared to the average road car. When you factor in the possibility of poor maintenance on the truck, road conditions that are not ideal, and the real possibility of driver fatigue, these vehicles can be incredibly dangerous.
As a driver or passenger in a car, you are far more likely than your counterpart in a truck to suffer major injuries. A number of factors can impact your chances, including the speed of each vehicle, the location of the impact, and the safety features of your vehicle.
In addition to fatal truck accidents there are those that cause severe injuries which can commonly include:
- Spinal cord damage
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Massive damage to extremities leading to amputation
- Permanent disfigurement as a result of severe lacerations, burns, or necessary surgeries
- Severe damage to internal organs
The Insurance Company Might Not Offer You Enough Compensation
Insurance companies will frequently send lowball offers for compensation to victims of trucking accidents in the hope that they jump at the chance for a quick payout over negotiating for a fair settlement. The best move you can make is to hold off on signing anything from an insurance company until you have had a dedicated lawyer with extensive experience in truck accidents review the offer. There is an excellent reason that "do not sign" is used as a mantra by personal injury lawyers across the country.
Following your accident, the insurance carrier for the trucking company will conduct an investigation. This will include gathering information from the police report, interviewing other drivers who were present at the accident scene, reviewing photos of the accident, etc. Once they have determined who was at fault for the accident, they will send you a letter with a settlement offer. Avoid signing this until you have had it reviewed by an experienced lawyer. It is common for injuries sustained in an accident to appear and if you sign this initial offer, you will forfeit your chance for future compensation to cover these injuries, as well as your right to take the case to trial.
An insurance carrier representing commercial trucking companies will have a team of lawyers at their disposal. This can be intimidating for anyone attempting to negotiate a settlement or file a lawsuit on their own, and rightly so. Working with a qualified accident attorney will give you the best possible chance to get fair compensation for your accident. They will help you navigate the insurance claims process, negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf, and represent you in court should you file a lawsuit. If you have been involved in a truck accident you should hire a lawyer as soon as possible to give them the time to help you build a strong case.
What Is the Average Settlement for a Truck Accident?
Many victims of truck accidents want to know what they can recover for damages. It is common to hear questions about the average settlement received in a truck accident. This is difficult to answer because there really is no average that can be applied to cases.
Each truck accident case has unique factors. From the road conditions that day to the damage sustained by each vehicle, to the injuries suffered by the victims, no two truck accidents are identical. These types of collisions frequently involve significant property damage and serious injuries, which will see the amount of compensation you receive climb much higher. Your vehicle could easily be totaled, and you or a loved one may have sustained severe or even life-ending injuries. While financial compensation will never be able to replace lost loved ones or fully make up for life-changing injuries, these factors and more will all be weighed when determining your financial compensation.
Be sure to seek medical attention for injuries sustained in a truck accident, even if you feel fine in the short term. Accident injuries can take days or sometimes even weeks to fully materialize, and having a medical professional examine you after the crash can help you catch them early. This will both help in your recovery and help your lawyer create a better assessment of your damages to use in negotiations.
While it is not possible to give an exact figure for what you can recover from a truck accident lawsuit or in insurance negotiations, an attorney with experience dealing with cases involving insurance coverage for the trucking industry may be able to give you a rough estimate based on the information you provide.
Is It Worth Hiring a Truck Accident Lawyer?
One of the most commonly asked questions after any auto accident is whether it is worth it to hire an attorney. The answer is almost always a "yes", even more so for truck accident victims. An attorney will help you through all of the steps in handling your claim and will bring their knowledge and experience handling similar personal injury lawsuits and insurance claims to your case, helping you secure the maximum compensation for your unique situation.
Some of the most significant benefits of hiring legal representation include:
- Information gathering to identify the liable party or parties
- Securing evidence, witness testimony, accident reports, and medical records
- Working with medical experts to evaluate and assess your damages from both physical and psychological injuries
- Serve as your legal advocate to protect your rights and begin the process of taking legal action if it proves necessary
All of this adds up to free up more of your time, which will allow you to focus on healing from your injuries while your skilled attorney handles your personal injury claim and, if needed, represents you in a court of law to get you compensation for your damages. Personal injury law can be convoluted and difficult to fully understand for those without the training and experience needed to win cases. That's why you should call and speak to a Denver injury lawyer rather than risking your health and financial well-being attempting to handle your case alone.
Get a Free Consultation With an Experienced Truck Accident Lawyer Today
If you have been involved in an accident with a truck one of the best things you can do is to find legal counsel with experience handling commercial truck accident claims. These types of accidents often cause severe property damage and serious injuries. The last thing you will need while you recover under medical care is the frustration of dealing with insurance claims. This is where a personal injury attorney with experience in truck accident cases can be invaluable.
At Denver Car Accident Lawyers, our expert legal team is ready to help you recover financial compensation for your property damage, physical injuries, emotional pain, and other financial losses. We will handle the day-to-day minutiae of your case while aggressively fighting to get you the maximum compensation possible, allowing you to focus on your recovery. Call us today or book a no-cost legal consultation online to find out what we can bring to your case.