Truck attorneys who work on truck accident cases have extensive knowledge of liability, maintenance and inspection defects, mechanical issues that may have contributed to the accident, and multiple liable parties. Accidents involving trucks often result in serious, life-changing injuries. Truck accident lawsuits that move to trial require a truck accident lawyer who is confident and skilled in representing accident victims.
What Can a Truck Accident Lawyer Handle?
Lawyers can help people have their medical costs covered and get extra money for physical and mental pain, physical limitations and disfigurements, loss of employment or earning ability, and more. It may not be possible to fully recover all losses from an accident involving a personal motor vehicle. Recovering from a loss is limited by insurance policies and the financial restrictions of the person responsible.
Trucking companies may have additional funds available because commercial vehicles have larger insurance policy limits. The federal government may even require insurance coverage depending on the type of vehicle. Find a truck accident lawyer Houston that can obtain compensation to cover past and future losses and legal expenses.
Why Should Accident Victims Hire a Truck Accident Lawyer?
When accidents occur, it is better to hire the correct type of lawyer. A lawyer that works with trucking accident cases will be the better than hiring a general accident lawyer. When there have been injuries, loss of income, or mental distress due to an accident, hire a lawyer to get the proper reimbursement.
Many lawsuits don’t proceed to trial and are often settled through negotiation or arbitration. Obtaining fair compensation for injuries requires the assistance of a personal injury attorney experienced in negotiating with insurance companies.
What are Things to Look for or Consider When Hiring a Truck Accident Lawyer?
- What is the lawyer’s trial experience?
- What do the attorney’s past settlements look like?
- Does the lawyer have a good reputation online?
- Are there references available from the lawyer?
- What is the attorney’s experience in dealing with insurance?
The driver of the truck or the company he or she works for may be liable for damages related to injuries in an accident. Some injuries that can occur in a truck accident are:
- Head and Brain Injuries. Depending on how severe the accident was, brain damage may have lifelong implications. Traumatic brain injuries have negative effects like a concussion that will go away or effects that last, including personality changes to something as severe as death. These head injuries can be life-altering.
- Broken Bones. Truck accidents often result in broken bones and cause severe trauma.
- Crush or burn injuries may lead to amputations.
- Burns are more common in collisions with commercial trucks. Fire can destroy a vehicle or cause painful and disfiguring injuries.
- Spinal Cord Injuries. The impact of a commercial truck accident can damage or destroy the bones, muscles, or nerves of the spinal cord. This can lead to paralysis. Non-permanent injuries can still be responsible for severe pain and often require significant medical care. These types of injuries usually require imaging to diagnose them and can require surgical treatment.
- Neck and Back Injuries. These types of injuries are common results of vehicle accidents. The neck and back are complex, and injuries to these parts of the body can lead to pain and even paralysis.
- Organ injuries. Blunt force trauma caused by a collision may result in internal injuries that can be very hard to fix and lead to life-long physical and health problems.
- Chest injuries. In addition to being painful, blunt force trauma to the abdomen impacts vital organs, making this type of injury particularly dangerous. Unidentified and untreated broken ribs can result in punctures of the lungs or other severe injuries.
- It may seem like cuts aren’t as serious as internal injuries or head trauma, but they can still have lasting effects. It is possible to sustain minor cuts or wounds as well as permanent ones if glass is shattered, metal is severed, or unrestrained objects are in your vehicle. Disfiguring scars and infections occur as a result of cuts and may lead to serious illnesses or death.
- Safety restraint Injuries. People injured in truck accidents benefit from seat belts and other safety measures, but these tools can also cause injuries. The seat belt confines the chest and abdomen, while airbags may deploy with enough force to cause blunt force trauma to the head or remove skin from the hands of the driver. Additionally, injuries to the chest, neck, or back can result from these types of accidents.
- Wrongful Death. Not everyone may survive a catastrophic truck accident because of the severity of the damage. This would be considered a “wrongful death” and may necessitate a claim on behalf of the victim’s family.
What about accidents involving fatalities?
Accidents with large commercial vehicles can have far more severe consequences than medical bills. These vehicles can cause fatal injuries because of their size and weight. Losing a loved one in a fatal truck accident is likely to cause emotional distress and financial hardship.
These types of expenses may be recovered through a wrongful death claim:
- Expenses associated with burial and funerals
- Loss of income
- Loss of love or companionship
- Loss of inheritance that may have received if the family member had the victim lived a normal expected lifetime
- Medical expenses, physical pain, and mental anguish that a loved one went through before passing away due to the truck accident.
While every case is unique, a personal injury attorney who has handled dozens of truck accident cases has a thorough understanding of both Texas state laws that govern commercial truck operation as well as federal laws that mandate maintenance, inspections, operation, and other aspects of the trucking industry.
It is important to hire the correct lawyer for the job. Trucking accidents often include their own specific set of issues, and hiring the right firm will improve the odds of obtaining maximum compensation. The statute of limitations in Texas is two years following an accident. Take time when deciding on a lawyer, but do not wait too long.