A truck accident lawsuit starts by contacting an attorney and sharing information about your claim. The attorney will work to build your case, including dealing with the insurance company on your behalf. The law firm will take care of everything, from collecting evidence to build your case.
Finally, we will secure your compensation, providing you with the assistance that can help pay your bills and provide you with the means to rebuild your life after a semi-truck accident.
Settling a Semi-Truck Accident Lawsuit: A Timeline
Like many other factors related to semi-truck accidents, how long it takes to settle your claim may depend.
Your Claim Starts with a Thorough Liability Investigation
The attorney will start by carefully investigating your case to determine liability. Ideally, the attorney wants to put as much liability on the truck driver as possible in order to maximize your compensation. This includes collecting any evidence related to the claim and going through a full investigation of all factors related to the claim as well as assessing the extent of your injuries and your expenses.
Your attorney will investigate for things such as if the driver who hit you was making dangerous maneuvers, under the influence of drugs, or if poor maintenance led to a tire blowout.
Semi Trucks Often Carry Substantial Insurance Policies
Many insurance companies will fight to defend against paying out the policy. They may attempt to minimize your compensation by getting you to sign an early, fast settlement offer, or the insurance company might attempt to shift liability. An attorney must negotiate and build a case to get the victim the maximum compensation deserved.
Understanding Aggressive Insurance Companies
The insurance company that covers the semi-truck driver may prove highly aggressive, primarily because there is so much money on the line in many of these claims. If you need to ask for a substantial settlement due to serious injuries, the insurance company’s attorneys may do everything in their power to reduce the company’s financial liability. They have access to past jury verdicts and settlements in claims much like yours, and they want to minimize your eventual payout as much as possible.
Your Medical Needs May Impact the Timeline
Until you have fully recovered, you may not have a complete picture of your injuries and how they will limit you long-term. Settlements usually do not happen until you have reached a full recovery since you will need to carefully evaluate the total extent of your medical expenses in order to determine how much you deserve for your injuries.
Insurance Company Negotiations Take Time
The negotiation process depends largely on several factors: liability findings— that is, who is liable for the accident; a summary of medical treatment received; and the amount of available insurance. Within these numbers, you and the insurance company will need to reach an agreement. Each round of negotiation, however, adds time.
Truck Accident Rehabilitation: A Long, Difficult Process
The cost of medical treatment, lost wages, psychological damages, and other expenses related to the accident are often very high after a truck accident. You may find your life heavily influenced by all of those costs and processes. Insurance companies may attempt to pay out as little compensation as possible, but an experienced attorney can help you get the compensation you need.
Truck Accident Injuries and Permanent Damage: A Lifelong Challenge
Many injuries can leave victims with severe, lifelong damages. This includes injuries like traumatic brain injury, amputations, spinal cord injury, or burns.
Not only do they represent a long, expensive recovery, they can leave victims with ongoing psychological and even monetary challenges related to the accident. An attorney can help these victims seek fair compensation for those injuries.