Commercial trucks are considered to be the most dangerous vehicles on the road today. Approximately 500,000 truck accidents each year result in around 100,000 injuries and 5000 deaths. Most of the accidents they cause are the result of a combination of factors, including the driver’s carelessness and the trucks performance limitations such as braking, acceleration and visibility.
Additionally, trucks can experience accidents caused by tire failure induced by defective or worn parts, overloading of cargo or improperly inflated or mounted tires. Many accidents are also the result of a car driver’s behavior or disregard for the limitations of an automobile.
Given the size of some trucks, even a relatively low impact accident can lead to serious damages with victims dealing with hospital bills, loss of income and mental suffering.
In these cases, instead of taking the minimum compensation offered by a trucking company’s insurance company, a victim may want to consider working with truck accident attorneys who can help navigate through the complicated legal issues that follow serious accidents. Although these attorneys are licensed to practice any area of law, they usually focus their practice on tort law, including civil wrongs and economic or non-economic damages to a person’s property, reputation, or rights.
One of the biggest complications surrounding a vehicle mishap can be discovering who is at fault for causing it. This process can be complicated and require an investigation. An experienced team of truck accident attorneys will use trained investigators and researchers to prepare evidence in support of your claim.
Because of the timeliness of evidence, it can be very important for victims to seek legal help quickly. For example, in truck collisions, the driver’s log may be destroyed after six months if an attorney does not take action such as obtaining a court order for its preservation.
Experienced automobile accident attorneys can also be valuable given the mobile nature of drivers. It is possible for a mishap involving a commercial motor vehicle to be interstate in nature, with the mishap occurring in a different state from which either driver resides in. In these circumstances, an attorney should be able to consult with a network of contacts who can aid them in navigating the various state-specific legal issues.
In most cases, truck accident attorneys will work to settle a case and obtain monetary compensation directly with a trucking company’s insurance company, avoiding the need for a case to go to trial. In general, a claim will take anywhere from a few months up to a year to settle.
