You’ve probably seen plenty of huge eighteen-wheelers motoring down the highways. These are enormous vehicles, and they could be carrying all kinds of goods either locally, or maybe they’re about to travel across the country.
Either way, you need to watch out for them since they’re likely so much bigger than your vehicle. They owe you that same courtesy. As long as both truck drivers and smaller vehicle operators are aware of each other and obey all traffic laws, there is no reason why they should not be able to coexist.
However, accidents do happen, and when they involve large commercial trucks, vehicle damage and injuries are likely. If you’ve collided with a commercial truck you need to find a lawyer and prepare for your case.
Let’s go over several of the things you might need them to do for you if you’re ever in this situation.
They Might Conduct an Independent Investigation
According to Brian White & Associates, PC, conducting a thorough investigation is one thing that the lawyers will do. If your vehicle collides with a commercial truck, it might be difficult for you to reconstruct the event sequence. Maybe it happened quickly, and if the crash injured you, that might make things even more confusing.
The issue is that if you can’t figure out what took place, with physical evidence to back it up, you might not be able to get the compensation you deserve. That’s going to matter a great deal, particularly since you’ll likely have medical bills, lost wages, and other expenses about which you’ll have to worry.
They Can Identify the Liable Party or Parties
When you get in the average car accident, one of the first things you need to do is figure out whether you caused it or the other driver did. That will matter because if the crash was clearly the other driver’s fault, you can collect it from their insurance company. If you’re not able to get the proper compensation that way, you can also bring a lawsuit against them.
You still need to identify whose fault it was if you hit a commercial truck. The difference is that you’ll need to determine whether you can sue the truck driver, their company, or some other entity.
This can be a dizzying process if you try to tackle it on your own. Lawyers can help you get to the bottom of what happened so that you can hold the correct entity responsible.
They Can Gather Evidence on Your Behalf
Next up, the law firm you hire can gather any material evidence that exists that demonstrates the crash happened like you say it did. They might take pictures of skid marks that show when and how the commercial truck’s driver tried to apply the brakes. They might get any traffic camera footage that shows the actual crash.
They can use this evidence to determine whether human error or negligence caused the accident. They might also use it to show that a mechanical issue caused the driver to lose control of the truck.
If that happened, you’ll probably have to sue the company. They should have checked to ensure the vehicle was in perfect condition before they allowed the driver to operate it.
They Can Produce Experts to Back Up Your Story
Often, the physical evidence will demonstrate that the accident happened just like you said. That might not be enough to convince a jury, though, if you do have to bring a suit against the truck driver or their company.
Law firms know how to produce expert witnesses who can confirm your event version. They might bring forth medical professionals who can say how the crash caused your injuries.
They might utilize an accident scene reconstructionist. These are individuals who are experts at reconstructing crash scenes. They can use their expertise to show a jury that what you said happened actually occurred.
They Can Do Some Insurance Company Negotiations
At this point, if you’re in the midst of a trial, the trucking company’s insurance provider might decide that they don’t want any further bad publicity. They might also think that based on the evidence that you and your witnesses have provided, there is no way the jury will not find in your favor.
If that’s the case, your lawyers can negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf. They can talk hard numbers with them and get you the largest possible settlement.
The reason you need them to do that for you is that you don’t realistically know how much your injuries, pain and suffering, and so forth, are worth. An experienced law firm knows this because they know about precedent. They will realize when the insurance company is trying to lowball you, as they so often do in these cases.
They Can Convince a Jury
Maybe the opposite happens, and the trucking company and their insurance provider decide that they don’t want to cave. Perhaps they feel like what you said on the stand was not credible, and the experts your lawyer brought in won’t convince the jury either.
At that point, you’ll need an experienced trial lawyer to argue your case. They can break down the opposing counsel’s defense and give you the best chance to ultimately win your lawsuit.
The reality is that you never know how these lawsuits are going to go. A jury can always decide against you, and when that happens, it’s unfortunate, particularly if you’re sure that you did not cause what happened.
While no lawyer or firm can ever guarantee victory, you certainly want to go with the one that provides you with the best shot at winning your truck accident lawsuit.
