Have you recently been involved in a commercial trucking accident and are unsure of what steps to take next? Are you fearful of the financial setback that this accident (which wasn’t your fault) might cause you and your family? If so, then you need to learn all you can about getting compensated for a commercial accident.
There are several questions that you can ask yourself if you ever find yourself in this situation. You shouldn’t have to experience a setback due to the negligence of the truck driver.
See below for an in-depth guide listing several questions that you should ask following a commercial trucking accident.
1. Who Was Responsible?
For some of you, the answer to this question is obvious. For others, there’s a bit of gray area with the crash that you were involved in. No matter which situation you find yourself in, you need to hire a truck accident lawyer right away.
Even if the truck driver was responsible for the crash, it’s important to ask who will be held liable for the damage and injuries that you experienced.
The first instinct would tell you that the truck driver is liable for the damage. That could certainly be the case. The truck driver is liable for any acts of negligence on the open road, which includes speeding, reckless driving, driving while intoxicated, driving while being overly tired, and so forth. They have the responsibility of carrying heavy cargo loads, and they need to take it seriously.
Believe it or not, the fault doesn’t stop there. A carrier (the trucking company) can also be held liable for your accident. They are partially responsible for the crash if they carelessly hired a truck driver with a record of driving violations or if they put off on repairs to the truck that led to the accident you were involved in.
Thankfully, you don’t have to get to the bottom of this yourself. By hiring a truck accident lawyer in Georgia, you’ll have an experienced attorney who can determine liability for your case.
2. Am I Injured?
Far too many people that are involved in commercial trucking accidents never seek compensation for the injuries that they sustained.
Keep this in mind: without pursuing compensation, you’ll be paying thousands of dollars in medical bills for an injury that wasn’t your fault. There’s also the potential that you start to suffer from long-term injuries from the crash, such as a meniscus tear, whiplash, cervical injuries, herniated discs, etc.
You might also become a victim of long-term disabilities such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), chronic injuries, or severe spinal cord injuries.
The injuries that you sustained from the commercial trucking accident might result in lost wages, pricey medical bills, and more. You need to pursue compensation to ensure you and your family’s financial future is protected.
Be sure to inform your truck accident lawyer of any injuries that you’ve suffered. They can help you calculate how much compensation that you’re entitled to, then build your case to back the commercial vehicle insurance provider into a corner.
3. How Can I Build Evidence for My Case?
This is another reason why hiring an experienced commercial accident attorney is so essential. They can use their network and resources to continuously build evidence to support your case. The more evidence that you have, the higher likelihood you’ll receive the settlement amount you’d hoped for.
You can do your part as well. That said, a bulk of the evidence that you can gather is at the initial scene of the crash. Be sure to get the contact information from the truck driver, as well as contact information from any witnesses that stayed behind.
Then, pull out your smartphone and take as many photos as possible. You can take pictures of things like:
- The truck’s license plate
- The truck driver
- The damage to your car and the truck
- Any injuries you sustained
- The street/highway you were on
- The time of day & more
4. Who Do I Search for Compensation From?
This question goes hand in hand with the first question of this article: “who’s responsible?” Generally, whoever is held liable for the crash will be financially responsible for the damage.
Typically, the driver and the trucking company that they work for are both covered by some form of commercial vehicle insurance. You and your lawyer will seek to either reach a settlement with their provider outside of court or take it to trial.
Insurance providers are generally very stern in their approach to settlements. They’ll try to get you to settle for as little as possible, which your lawyer can help you avoid.
5. What Should I Do Next?
If you haven’t already hired a commercial accident lawyer, that’s your next step. You can reach out to them right away and tell your side of the story.
As soon as you’ve told them your story, they’ll give you step-by-step instructions that you can follow, then they’ll get to work on building evidence for your case.
Attorneys do an incredible job of keeping you in the loop on your case, yet not bothering you with every little detail. Be sure to hire one with the experience and communication skills you need.
Hire a Commercial Trucking Accident Lawyer Today
Now that you have seen 5 solid questions that you should be asking yourself whenever you’ve been involved in a commercial trucking accident, be sure to use this information to your advantage.
Be sure to read this article for more information on the 7 questions you should be asking your potential truck accident attorney.
To get started, please reach out to us by phone at 404-662-4949 and we will be happy to assist you further.