Any accident on the road is a traumatic, frustrating, and scary situation. Even for those who weren’t directly involved, seeing and hearing a truck accident take place can make a person feel intense emotions.
If you’ve been directly involved in a truck accident, your problems aren’t usually limited to just the rehabilitation and car repairs that need to take place afterward. Rather, you will have to deal with insurance companies, lawyers for the trucking company, and tons of other factors that can make getting your life back on track a huge ordeal.
In this article
Who is Responsible During a Truck Accident?
While it seems like it should be straightforward and clear-cut to determine liability during a truck accident, it is often very difficult to do so. Truck accidents have many interested parties, all of whom may bear total or partial responsibility for the accident.
For instance, all of the following entities may be involved in some capacity during a truck accident:
- The truck driver.
- The trucking company.
- The loading company.
- The truck owner.
Each of these groups and more will have legal representation in these cases, which will further complicate what tends to be very tricky situations.
What Causes Truck Accidents?
Needless to say, the same issues that can lead to car accidents, can lead to truck accidents. The main difference is the sheer size and weight of trucks as compared to smaller cars.
Truck accidents may be caused by a distracted or impaired truck driver, a faulty truck, difficult road conditions, or even another driver.
Regardless of what caused the truck accident, the responsible party needs to be identified in order to resolve the case.
How Can a Truck Accident Lawyer Help You?
If you’ve been involved in a truck accident and have decided to go forward without a lawyer, you may want to reconsider.
Again, these accidents involve many different people and many different legal interests. Lawyers for all of the people involved along with insurance companies will begin immediately applying pressure on you. They may attempt to get you to take the blame for the accident or even to get you to accept an unfair settlement.
Your truck accident lawyer will be in your corner throughout the entire process. He or she will ensure that you are seen by a doctor as soon as possible after the accident. The documentation from your doctor’s visit will likely prove valuable, especially if your case should need to go to trial.
Furthermore, your lawyer will ensure that you don’t accept any unfair deals or sign away your rights before you’ve been fairly compensated. You’ll have plenty of bills to deal with such as those related to fixing your car and your medical payments.
Truck accidents are expensive situations, to be sure.
Conclusion
While you are not obligated to have a lawyer represent you during a truck accident case, you should strongly consider hiring one. These legal professionals will have your best interests in mind and will protect you against any other parties who attempt to keep you from getting what you deserve.
