Whether you suffered a severe injury or lost a loved one in a truck accident, an attorney who specializes in these accidents can guide the legal process. They will review all relevant information and build a strong case that holds liable parties accountable for their negligence.
Damages
Truck accidents involve a wide range of complex issues, including both economic and non-economic damages. An experienced Dallas truck accident lawyer can help you calculate these damages and ensure that you are fully compensated for your losses.
The most obvious economic damages include the cost of medical treatment and ongoing care associated with your injuries. An attorney can review your medical bills and receipts to calculate the value of these costs. They can also evaluate any future expenses you may incur, like additional surgeries or medication.
Lost wages are a critical component of any settlement as well. Your attorney can review your employment records and contact your employer to establish your earned amount since the crash.
Liability
There are a wide variety of ways that truck accidents can occur. Due to these vehicles’ size and associated regulations, determining liability can be more complex than a typical car accident case. A skilled lawyer can gather evidence from various sources to comprehensively understand the crash and its contributing factors.
They can identify and consult subject matter expert witnesses, including accident reconstruction specialists and trucking standard of care experts, to build a strong case on your behalf. They can also locate dashcam footage, security or residential surveillance video, and smartphone photos from eyewitnesses.
If they can prove that the at-fault party breached their duty of care by acting negligently and this breach caused the truck accident, they will be liable for your damages. Economic damages compensate victims for past, current, and projected costs for long-term medical care, lost earnings, and more. Your attorney will help you document and estimate your losses to recover the appropriate compensation amount.
Statute of Limitations
The state statute of limitations places strict time limits on victims’ abilities to hold negligent parties accountable for a truck accident. An injury victim must file a lawsuit within the statute of limitations window, or they risk losing their ability to pursue compensation for their damages.
Defining liability in a truck accident case can be more complicated than in other personal injury cases, as multiple parties may be responsible for the crash. For instance, the truck driver and the trucking company, load-hauling entities, parts manufacturers, and service or maintenance teams could be sued.
The right lawyer can help determine all potential parties to sue in a truck accident case and when the statute of limitations “clock” starts ticking. Under certain circumstances, the statute of limitations can be paused or tolled to allow for a longer period to file a lawsuit.
Negotiation
An experienced truck accident lawyer can evaluate your damages and build a strong case file to support your compensation claim. They can work with medical providers to document your injuries and establish the cost of your losses, such as medical bills, lost wages from time off, property damage, and pain and suffering.
Insurance companies often try to lower the amount of your potential settlement right from the start. A knowledgeable truck accident lawyer can recognize evasive tactics and provide documentation to support the value of your claim.
They can locate dashcam footage, security video, and photographs from eyewitnesses. They can also use their connections with subject matter experts, including accident reconstruction engineers and medical professionals. They can help you document your financial and non-financial losses, such as pain, suffering, and loss of quality of life. They can then prepare and negotiate a demand letter to the insurance provider and, if necessary, file a lawsuit.
