Truck accident claims generally fall under the category of personal injury law. In theory, any personal injury lawyer can deal with truck accident claims. However, in practice, truck accidents can become extremely complicated. They require a lawyer who has a firm understanding of the legal issues and regulations that trucks and trucking firms must follow.
Not all personal injury lawyers have the necessary expertise to handle these types of claims successfully. A general personal injury law firm or lawyer may not have the resources to deal with truck accident cases. It is best to look for a lawyer who has handled truck accident claims before and achieved positive outcomes for the victims (called “plaintiffs” in a court case).
As you seek a personal injury lawyer who deals with truck accidents, you should make sure that they have a successful track record with truck accident claims.
Truck Accidents vs. Car Accidents
Truck accidents differ from car accidents in many ways, and a dedicated truck accident lawyer might prove your best choice when it comes to filing a claim. First, getting into an accident with a truck typically ends horribly for a car driver and any occupants. Trucks are heavy and unwieldy vehicles that can cause significant damage in an accident, including fatalities and severe injuries to other road users.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) found that over 4,600 fatal crashes involved large trucks in 2017, with another 102,000 in injury accidents. While a truck driver may walk away from an accident unhurt, car occupants usually suffer the most serious injuries or die.
Determining Fault in Your Accident
Truck accidents also differ from car accidents in other important ways. In a car accident, you can typically identify the at-fault party quickly: another driver. However, in a truck accident, you might have several at-fault parties:
- The driver
- A truck company
- A truck mechanic
- A truck manufacturer
A truck accident attorney can identify all potential at-fault parties, which could help you recover compensation from various sources.
Analyzing a truck accident can involve technical issues such as looking at the truck’s black box for clues, examining the truck for any part failure or mechanical problems, or reviewing company maintenance logs. A truck accident lawyer knows where to find expert witnesses to analyze your case thoroughly and testify in a court of law, if necessary.
Settlement Negotiations
Finally, a truck accident lawyer can defend your interests while pursuing an insurance claim. Potentially, with several at-fault parties, you might also have several insurance companies involved in your truck accident case, which could make any settlement negotiations quite tricky.
However, a truck accident lawyer knows how to handle these complicated cases and will fight for the best result for you. They also know how to assess and calculate your damages appropriately so that you do not leave money on the table in negotiations.
Injuries and Compensation in Truck Accidents
If you suffered severe injuries or a loved one died in an accident with a truck, you might want to have a truck accident lawyer by your side as you pursue justice and compensation. They can help you with all aspects of filing a claim and proving the at-fault party’s negligence. Truck accident injuries could include:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Bone fractures
- Soft tissue injuries
- Amputated limbs
- Facial disfigurement
You might suffer permanent injuries that completely change your life. You might never return to the life you enjoyed before an accident, whether in your career or private life.
However, you might recover compensation that can go a long way to help you handle the expenses and challenges that come with your “new normal.” If you can prove that the truck driver or company acted negligently in causing your accident, you could receive awards for:
- Medical expenses
- Lost income
- Property damage
- Medical devices
- Transportation expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Reduced life enjoyment
- Disfigurement
- Future costs connected to your accident-related injury
The exact amount and types of compensation you could receive will depend on your specific case and include other compensation types. You could even receive punitive damages if the defendant acted intentionally or egregiously recklessly in causing an accident.
Contact a Truck Accident Lawyer for Help Today
If you or a loved one suffered severe injuries in a truck accident, you could hold the responsible party to account. Pintas & Mullins Law Firm can help. We know how to approach complex truck accident claims. We work with lawyers who regularly deal with truck accident claims and can fight for justice and compensation on your behalf. You pay no upfront attorney’s fees; we only get paid if we win your truck accident case.
Contact Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today at (800) 223-5115 for a free, no-obligation case review with one of our team.