If you are injured in an accident involving a truck, you will most likely need to hire a personal injury attorney if you wish to recover damages for your injuries. Insurance companies aggressively fight personal injury claims in a commercial truck accident case because the damages in this type of accident are typically substantial. Due to the size of a commercial vehicle, the victims often suffer traumatic and permanent injuries; therefore, verdict awards and settlements in these cases can be large.
Victims in a truck accident are entitled to receive compensation for their out-of-pocket losses in addition to compensation for their pain and suffering. In many cases, the victims endure multiple surgeries and years of rehabilitation in addition to the loss of income from the inability to return to work. If the insurance company for the responsible parties refutes the claim or refuses to negotiate in a fair and just manner, an attorney can file a personal injury lawsuit to resolve the matter.
Determining Fault in a Truck Accident
Determining fault in a commercial truck accident is vital in order to receive compensation for injuries. A personal injury attorney with experience in truck accidents understands the importance of a truck accident investigation in establishing liability and fault. In some cases, more than one party may be at fault for the truck accident.
Parties that are often at fault for a commercial truck accident involving a truck include:
- The truck driver
- Companies or individuals responsible for the maintenance of the truck and/or trailer
- Suppliers and manufacturers of faulty brake pads, tires, and other truck components
- Companies or teams who failed to provide adequate driver training
- Teams or individuals who load cargo
In addition to determining the party or parties at-fault for the accident, the attorney often works with experts in the commercial trucking industry to use evidence from the accident scene, the truck and trailer, the other vehicles involved in the accident, the truck’s black box, maintenance records, driver logs, and other information gained during the investigation to reconstruct the accident.
Reconstructing the accident is one of the common ways attorneys prove negligence and fault in truck accident cases in addition to the hard evidence and eyewitness testimony gathered during the investigation.
Have You Been Injured In A Vehicle Accident Involving A Truck?
A personal injury attorney with experience in truck accident cases typically has a team of legal professional and industry experts who work on these types of cases. You need an attorney who specializes in commercial truck accidents to handle your personal injury case.
Truck accident cases are quite different from accidents involving other types of vehicles. Large trucks are subject to complicated federal and state regulations and rules. In order to fight for your legal right to receive compensation for your injuries, you need an attorney who understands truck related law to determine if violations of these laws caused or contributed to the accident.
Therefore, if you are injured in an accident involving a truck, you should consult with a personal injury attorney immediately to discuss your case.
*The content of this article serves only to provide information and should not be construed as legal advice. If you file a claim against Roadway Package Systems, or any other party, you may not be entitled to any compensation.