Best Truck Accident Lawyer Because of the size and weight of a truck, accidents can cause devastating injury and trauma. This is why you need to find one of the best truck accident lawyers you can get to represent you and help you get the most in a settlement or at trial. Having someone on your side not only helps you get the most money for your case but will also alleviate a lot of the frustration and aggravation of handling the case on your own.
A personal injury lawyer is a lawyer who provides legal services to those who claim to have been injured, physically or psychologically, as a result of the negligence of another person, company, government agency or any entity. Personal injury lawyers primarily practice in the area of law known as tort law. Examples of common personal injury claims include injuries from slip and fall accidents, traffic collisions, defective products, workplace injuries and professional
If you've been involved in a commercial truck crash through no fault of your own and your insurance claim was denied, you may be able to sue the truck driver’s liability policy and the trucking company for compensation. Often, however, truck accident victims find themselves in court against companies with entire teams of lawyers and large litigation budgets.
To avoid being at a disadvantage from the start, you should know what to look for when interviewing potential law firms for your case. Picking a law firm with insufficient experience or resources may cause you to lose your case. Here are four tips for choosing the best truck accident lawyer.
You may hear the term “personal injury attorney” thrown around when looking for help.
Look for a lawyer who has experience with trucking accidents. This is more than someone with experience with auto accidents; the injuries and damage from trucking accidents are a lot worse than the damage from most auto accidents. The trucking industry is subject to different regulations than passenger cars. Trucks pose a unique set of hazards, and there may be multiple parties involved—including drivers, trucking companies, maintenance facilities and owners. Specifically ask the attorney what their background is on trucking incidents.
Lawyers usually handle personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis. This means that instead of charging you an hourly rate, the lawyer gets a percentage of the amount you receive in a settlement or at trial. The lawyer’s percentage typically starts at around 33%, but will be higher if the case progresses to a lawsuit or trial, to reflect the additional work the lawyer does on your behalf. If your lawyer isn’t able to recover any money, you don’t owe any legal fees.
You’ll also probably be responsible for out-of-pocket costs such as court filing fees, expert witness fees and copying costs. In many cases, the costs will be deducted at the end from any recovery you receive. Depending on the lawyer and the case, you may have to pay costs even if you lose.
It’s important that you feel that you can talk to the attorney. Your lawyer is going to be part of your recovery team and will have access to a lot of personal information. You want someone who you trust and feel that you can disclose all information to and they’ll understand and be on your side. If you feel as if the attorney is talking down to you in the consultation, this is probably a good indication that they aren’t the attorney for you.
Of course, you want as much as you can get for your settlement. You want your medical care to give you the best chance of a full and speedy recovery. At the same time, you want to have realistic expectations about your case. This is something to talk to the attorney about as you start working together.
If it seems that the attorney is setting expectations lower than yours, ask why they feel that way. They should be able to cite from professional experience cases like yours and what the results were. Don’t be surprised if the lawyer won’t guarantee you’ll win anything—lawyers are bound by ethical rules that prohibit them from making these sorts of promises.
Truck accidents are complicated, and there are often many potential causes and responsible parties. If a truck swerved into your lane, was it because the driver fell asleep, or the steering failed? Was the driver sleepy from drugs, alcohol or being required to pull too many shifts? Did the steering fail because of a manufacturing defect, failure to do maintenance or shoddy work at the maintenance facility? How do you calculate your future medical expenses and lost income from the accident?
How much does a truck accident lawyer cost?If your truck accident personal injury attorney is paid on a contingency basis, then they will be paid a percentage of the final settlement. This contingency percentage should be clearly stated and agreed upon in writing when you choose to hire them. Therefore, until the verdict is in, your case is won and you receive the compensation you are entitled to, you will not have to pay your truck accident attorney.
Contingency fees are a type of fee structure commonly used in personal injury cases. Unlike in criminal cases, where lawyers are typically paid on a per-hour basis, in a contingency fee structure, the lawyer is paid a percentage of the settlement after successfully winning the case. Contingency fees usually fall in the range between 20% and 50% of the total settlement.
A truck accident lawyer handles the entire settlement or trial process of your case. They identify the liable parties, gather evidence and talk to witnesses. Once they have enough information, they negotiate with the insurance company. If negotiations fail, they take the case to trial for you.
You should hear from your attorney when there is pertinent information to share such as a settlement offer. In general, your attorney should apprise you of your case’s progress every few weeks. Each attorney is different and follows their own communication protocol.
It’s best to get a lawyer for accidents where you aren’t at fault and seek to get a settlement or judgment from another party’s insurance carrier. If you feel that your own insurance company is not handling your case properly, you may retain an attorney to advocate on your behalf.
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