On Your Side: How to Choose the Right Lawyer for Your Trucking Accident Claim

If you think of the size and weight of a truck, you can quickly tell how traumatic a trucking accident can be. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, trucks weigh 20-30 times more than passenger vehicles. Smaller cars can slide beneath, resulting in fatal consequences. Many ask what you should do when involved in a truck accident that was someone else’s fault. Like with other auto accidents, you need to hold the party accountable for the accident and receive the compensation you deserve. To do all this, you need a legal expert. The challenge is finding the right lawyer. 

How to Find the Best Truck Accident Lawyer

With so many attorneys using online channels and even truck advertising to market their services, how do you find the best one? You could ask friends and family to recommend a legal professional they have worked with before. Alternatively, search your local bar association website or do a simple Google search for ‘truck accident lawyer near me.’ After compiling a list of lawyers, call them and arrange a consultation meeting. During the initial meeting, ask each lawyer questions to determine who is a perfect match for your truck accident case. 

Questions to Ask Trucking Accident Lawyers

1. Do You Specialize in Truck Accidents? 

Dealing with a truck accident can be overwhelming. You need an experienced attorney to offer legal guidance at every step. However, your focus should be on something other than years of experience in general law when dealing with a trucking accident claim. You want someone who has experience handling cases similar to yours. 

According to Cohen, Feeley, Altemose & Rambo, you can ask your attorney how many truck accident cases they have handled and won. You can also ask how many of those cases were recent. A lawyer with specialized experience in trucking accidents will know the statutes of limitations linked to trucking accident cases. They are also familiar with trucking regulations and how they can affect the outcomes of a case. 

2. What is Your Success Rate with Similar Cases? 

How do you identify a successful lawyer? Ask them how many truck accident cases they have won versus those they lost. For instance, if they have won 8 out of 10, they are an excellent choice for your claim. But do not be confident about the number of cases they have won. 

Ask about their strategy for each case and how much they won as a settlement. Did they win these cases in or outside the court? While settling a truck accident claim out-of-court saves you time and money, you might receive a low payout. 

It is also crucial that your lawyer has litigation or trial experience. An attorney with litigation experience will fight for justice with your best interest at heart, meaning they will not settle for low payouts out-of-court to avoid trial proceedings before a jury.

3. How Will You Determine Liability? 

Determining who is liable for damages caused during a crash can be challenging because multiple parties are involved. You must factor in the truck driver, trucking company, vehicle manufacturer, and maintenance company. For this reason, ask your lawyer how they plan to determine liability. An experienced attorney will conduct thorough investigations, interrogate expert witnesses, and collect evidence to clarify who or what caused the accident. 

Typically, driver-related factors like fatigue, drunk driving, and fast speeding cause a bigger mess. If your lawyer identifies the truck driver was at fault when the accident occurred, then the trucking company may take liability. Why? The trucking company may have provided inadequate driver training or violated trucking laws by asking the driver to work overtime. If the truck caused an accident because of defective parts, the manufacturer takes liability.  

4. What Damages Can I Claim? 

You are hiring a lawyer to ensure you get compensation for your injuries and losses. As reported by AP, truck accidents cause catastrophic injuries that leave victims with hefty medical bills, stress, and depression. It is only fitting that your attorney fights for a settlement you deserve. According to Forbes, damages you can claim following an injury caused by someone else include:

• Medical bills
• Disabilities caused by the accident
• Future medical expenses for injuries that cannot heal
• Loss of income for time spent in recovery
• Property damage caused by the accident
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress

Note that a skilled lawyer will evaluate your case and calculate all the damages incurred to determine how much your claim is worth.

Conclusion

Choosing the right lawyer for a truck accident claim is not simple, but it is not impossible. Asking the right questions can help determine if an attorney is right for your case. While searching for a legal representative, focus on specialized experience in trucking accident claims. Find out the lawyer’s success rate, how they approach cases like yours, and how they determine liability. Also, find out what damages they will seek compensation for and how much your case is worth. A good lawyer will provide all the information you need clearly.