How To Choose The Best Truck Accident Lawyer 2023
How To Choose The Best Truck Accident Lawyer: Accidents involving trucks can result in severe injury and trauma due to their size and weight. This is why you should hire one of the best truck accident lawyers you can find to represent you and help you get the best settlement or trial result possible. Having someone on your side will not only help you get the most money for your case but it will also relieve a lot of the frustration and aggravation that comes with handling the case on your own.
Finding the Best Truck Accident Lawyers
When looking for assistance you may hear the term “personal injury attorney” thrown around. A personal injury attorney handles injury cases but they also have certain types of cases that they handle on a regular basis. Finding someone with the necessary trucking experience is critical.
Experience With Trucking Accidents
Look for a lawyer who has handled trucking accidents before. This is more than someone with car accident experience would do; the injuries and damage from trucking accidents are far worse than the damage from most car accidents. The trucking industry is governed differently than the passenger car industry. Trucks present a unique set of risks and multiple parties may be involved including drivers trucking companies maintenance facilities and owners. In particular, inquire about the attorney’s experience with trucking accidents.
Contingency Fees
Personal injury cases are typically handled on a contingency fee basis by lawyers. Instead of charging you an hourly rate the lawyer will take a percentage of the amount you receive in a settlement or at trial. The lawyer’s percentage typically begins around 33% but will increase if the case proceeds to a lawsuit or trial to reflect the additional work the lawyer does on your behalf. You do not owe any legal fees if your lawyer is unable to recover any money.
Out-of-pocket expenses such as court filing fees expert witness fees and copying costs are also likely. In many cases, the costs will be deducted from any recovery you receive at the end. You may be required to pay costs even if you lose depending on the lawyer and the case.
The majority of personal injury attorneys provide a free consultation to discuss your case and explain their fee structure. After you’ve decided on a lawyer you should be given a written contingency fee agreement to sign. Read it carefully and ask as many questions as you need to in order to fully comprehend what you’ll be paying.
Compatibility
It is critical that you feel comfortable speaking with the attorney. Your lawyer will be a member of your recovery team and will have access to a great deal of personal information. You want someone you can tell everything to and trust that they will understand and be on your side. If you feel like the attorney is talking down to you during the consultation this is a good sign that they aren’t the right attorney for you.
Trial Experience
Find a lawyer with trial experience. Some attorneys will concentrate on obtaining quick settlements from insurance companies. This requires the least amount of effort from them. You want someone who is willing to invest the resources necessary to get you what you deserve and has the experience to fight for it and win in court if necessary.
Communicates Well
You should have a good understanding of what is going on when speaking with the lawyer. Lawyers who use legal jargon and fail to simplify the language may not be a good fit for you.
Also, inquire about the procedure for keeping you updated on the status of the case. Many attorneys use paralegals and assistants to handle routine aspects of the case such as document collection so you’ll most likely be interacting with the office staff as well as the lawyer. While it may not be necessary to notify you of every detail you want an attorney who makes it a habit to keep clients up to date on the status of the case.
Setting the Right Expectations
Of course, you want as much money as possible for your settlement. You want your medical treatment to give you the best chance of a complete and quick recovery. Simultaneously you should have realistic expectations about your case. This is something you should discuss with the attorney as you begin working together.
If it appears that the attorney has lower expectations than you inquire as to why. They should be able to cite professional experience cases similar to yours and the outcomes. Don’t be surprised if the lawyer doesn’t promise you anything—lawyers are bound by ethical rules that forbid them from making such promises.
Why You Should Hire a Truck Accident Lawyer
Truck accidents are complex with numerous potential causes and responsible parties. Was it because the driver fell asleep or because the steering failed that a truck swerved into your lane? Was the driver drowsy as a result of drugs alcohol or working too many shifts? Was the steering failure due to a manufacturing flaw a lack of maintenance or poor workmanship at the maintenance facility? How do you figure out your future medical expenses and lost income as a result of the accident?
Truck accident attorneys excel at getting to the bottom of these issues. It is extremely difficult to navigate the system understand the full extent of your losses and negotiates the best settlement without the assistance of a lawyer.
FAQs
What does a truck accident lawyer do?
Your case will be handled by a truck accident lawyer throughout the settlement or trial process. They identify the responsible parties, collect evidence, and interview witnesses. They negotiate with the insurance company once they have enough information. If negotiations fail, they will take your case to trial on your behalf.
Why do lawyers take so long to settle a case?
It can take some time to gather the necessary documentation. The attorney must then negotiate with the insurance company, which is notoriously slow in this process. If the case goes to trial, the parties must be served and court dates must be set. All of this takes time and involves many parties’ calendars.
How often should I hear from my attorney?
When there is important information to share, such as a settlement offer, you should hear from your attorney. In general, your attorney should keep you updated on the status of your case every few weeks. Each attorney is unique and has their own communication style.
Should I get a lawyer for an accident that was my fault?
When you are not at fault in an accident, it is best to hire a lawyer and seek a settlement or judgment from the other party’s insurance carrier. If you believe your own insurance company is not handling your case properly, you may hire an attorney to represent you.
