If you or someone you love was injured in a truck accident, you need to understand how a truck accident lawyer can help with your case. They will handle all communication with the insurance company and their adjuster on your behalf. Your lawyer will also explain your rights as the injured party. They also explain the at-fault party’s responsibilities, the filing deadline, and additional Texas laws that affect your case.
A collision between a large truck and your passenger vehicle is a serious event. It can leave you with serious injuries and steadily growing medical bills. At the same time, the injuries you sustain can prevent you from earning a living. A Dallas truck accident lawyer will review your case and discuss the best methods of obtaining financial recovery. Your initial review will cost nothing and give you a clearer understanding of your case.
A Truck Accident Lawyer Can Calculate Your Recoverable Damages
Calculating the recoverable damages you can collect for a truck accident can be complicated. On your own, it can be easy to overlook or omit valid forms of compensation. When a personal injury lawyer handles your case, they will request the following damages:
- Economic damages, including current and future medical bills, rehab, therapy, and assistive devices, and medications. They also include current and future income loss and loss of the ability to earn in the future. The costs of repairing or replacing your car are also included, along with its diminished value.
- Non-economic damages, including physical pain and suffering and mental and emotional trauma. They also include compensation for lasting disabilities or disfigurement.
Families who lost a loved one can recover wrongful death damages. They include the costs of your loved one’s final arrangements and your loss of their financial and familial support.
Your Lawyer Can Meet the Statute of Limitations for Truck Accidents
Filing a lawsuit after a truck accident is a time-sensitive legal matter. According to Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.003, you generally have two years from the date of the accident to file your personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit.
If the filing deadline expires, you could be barred from filing your lawsuit at all, or it will be dismissed without being heard. Either outcome will cause you to unintentionally relinquish your right to financial recovery.
Compliance can be complicated on your own, so the best way to handle the statute of limitations is to let a lawyer handle it for you. When a lawyer represents you, they will accurately interpret the filing deadline, explaining the circumstances that cause it to fluctuate.
A Truck Accident Lawyer Can Investigate the Cause of Your Accident
Working with a lawyer versus on your own means you have an entire law firm and their resources behind your fight for compensation. Your lawyer will explain the four elements of negligence and their role in identifying the accident’s cause and the at-fault party or parties.
The legally required elements of negligence include:
- Duty: The at-fault party had a duty to act in a reasonable manner
- Breach: The at-fault party recklessly or carelessly breached their duty
- Causation: The at-fault party’s action caused the accident to occur
- Damages: The accident and your injuries had negative financial consequences
The at-fault party’s negligence is what entitles you to a settlement after a truck accident. To document their negligence, your legal team will compile a collection of evidence that supports your version of events. It will also establish your right to recover appropriate damages.
Your Truck Accident Lawyer Can Build a Comprehensive Case File
Collecting evidence can be challenging on your own since it could be hard to access without legal support. If drug or alcohol use is a suspected cause of your accident, your lawyer will request blood alcohol concentration (BAC) tests and their results. Addition evidence they will add to your case file can include:
- Your truck accident report will contain details, notes, and observations about the accident and its causes and contributing factors
- Statements from lay and expert witnesses, including medical, financial, trucking injury, and accident reconstruction experts
- Medical records and bills that describe your injuries, their impact on your health, and their known and anticipated expenses
- Photos and videos, including smartphone, dashcam, traffic camera, and residential and commercial security footage
- Truck driver records, including their training, hiring, and driving history along with their logbooks describing their hours of service in detail
Your case file will include records and reports on the way the truck was loaded, balanced, repaired, and maintained. Your lawyer will also add your job and salary history records to your case file. They will prove the value of your lost income.
A Lawyer Can Identify All Potentially Liable Parties in Your Truck Accident Case
Trucks are massive pieces of equipment with lots of moving parts which can make truck accident cases can be far more complicated than car accident cases. They can also have more than one at-fault party whose action contributed to the collision.
You can sue the trucking company for damages if the driver was improperly licensed or trained or the truck was not in good repair while on the road. The truck driver could be liable if they are an owner/operator or drove recklessly, including speeding and driving while fatigued or distracted. The cargo loading facility could bear liability if the cargo was loaded improperly or was imbalanced, causing the truck’s weight to shift.
Your lawyer can build a strong truck accident case file for you and use it to steer your case toward a settlement. They will take on all applicable insurance companies on your behalf.
Get Your Free Truck Accident Consultation Today
If you or someone you love was injured in a truck accident, our law firm will help you build the strongest possible case for financial recovery. We will deal with the insurance company so you can concentrate on your physical recovery.
Contact our consultation team today to learn more about how our truck accident lawyer at Loncar Lyon Jenkins can help you recover damages.
