Always Hire An Attorney After A Truck Accident
The most important thing everyone should know is that when you are hit by a large truck, the situation is different than when you are hit by a regular car. This includes the legal side of things because there are so many more considerations while the case will involve much more complex considerations.
The key factor to remember is that, in most cases, the insurance company of the commercial business will offer a low sum of money early in the process. The goal with this is to stop the case from reaching larger settlements. Basically, the main desire is to make sure that the party at fault does not have to pay a large amount. As a result, you should always consult a semi-truck accident attorney as early as possible to protect your best interests.
The Heavy Regulations Of Trucking
There are very complicated laws governing the entire transportation industry. This includes laws from the federal and state governments. Also, truck drivers need to be registered, which is a process that requires adherence to strict rules including logbooks, qualifications, vehicle maintenance, and annual inspections.
Because of the numerous regulations, it is sometimes very difficult to understand exactly what applies in your case and what does not. The truck accident attorney knows exactly what to investigate and what regulations were violated when the accident happened. Some examples of violations that are very common in accidents are:
- Lighting violations – Required operable lamps did not work.
- Breaking violations – The truck’s clamp/roto-chamber brake was not adjusted.
- Vehicle defects – This includes maintenance, repair, and inspection violations.
All of these violations can end up causing truck accidents. The lawyer would find the cause so that proper compensation can be obtained.
Trucks Have Different Insurance Policies
One thing you most likely do not know is that the insurance policies used in the trucking industry are different than the regular car insurance policies. Also, there are usually several policies in place, like:
- The insurance of the business that hired the driver or the truck.
- The insurance of the driver
- The truck can be insured
- Cargo can be insured
When you have to deal with so many insurance companies, it is obvious you will end up being overwhelmed. This is because every single one of them will only focus on its interests. It will try to lessen or prevent payouts or possible damages. All of this can easily slow down the entire injury claim process.
If you do not have the help of a good truck accident attorney, you end up having to deal with so many policies. The paperwork piles up and you also have to deal with your injuries at the same time. All of this will overwhelm you and it is common for victims to end up agreeing to smaller settlements than possible simply because of this pressure.
At the end of the day, it should be pretty obvious why it is such a good idea to hire an experienced truck accident attorney to represent you through the entire process. Make sure you do not make the mistake of not hiring one.