Do I Need a Lawyer After a Truck Accident?
Making a careless mistake or acting recklessly is all it takes for you to suddenly find yourself in a truck accident. Whether on a highway or freeway, truck accidents can often devastate other vulnerable drivers in their smaller vehicles the most.
Now comes the aftermath. Painful injuries, medical expenses, and trying to get your car back in shape with costly repairs. Working with a California truck accident lawyer can make a difference in your legal rights to compensation.
Keep reading to learn more about whether you need a lawyer after a truck accident, and how the BD&J law firm can help.
Complete our online form or call 855-906-3699 to connect with a California truck accident attorney.
What Happens if You’re in a Truck Accident?
Trucks are massive, often averaging a weight of 30,000 pounds and up. Smaller four-door cars are no match when it comes to a collision with one of these large trucks in a truck accident.
When you’re involved in a truck accident, there’s a few factors that increase the severity of consequences in the aftermath. These include:
- The weight of the truck
- The speed in which the truck is going
- The cargo the truck is carrying
- Whether you’re in front of the truck, it’s side, or behind it
Types of Truck Accidents
Common types of truck accidents include:
- Jackknife accidents
- Underride accidents
- Head-on collisions
- Rear-end collisions
- T-bone accidents
According to the National Safety Council, California is one of the states with the largest truck accident fatalities. If you need an attorney to fight for your best interests after a serious accident in California, the BD&J team has your back.
Why Do I Need a Lawyer After a Truck Accident?
Having a lawyer after a truck accident can help for the following reasons:
- Compensation
The point of all personal injury claims is to allow injured victims of accidents to recover the necessary damages that the accident cost them. An attorney can help advise you on lowball settlement offers, assign a value to your case, and negotiate with insurance companies when it comes to fair compensation for you.
- Evidence Collection
Truck accidents can have a mountain of evidence; the only problem is, trucking companies may often discard and refresh driver logs, surveillance footage, and black box data, which means you may be left without crucial bits of evidence. Fortunately, an attorney can help with sending spoilation letters, interviewing expert witnesses, and getting access to that solid evidence that can support your case.
- Other Aggressive Representation
A large trucking company will usually have an equally large group of legal representatives for support during a legal claim. An attorney with the same level of expertise, negotiation skills, and knowledge of the legal processes can represent you against any aggressive legal teams.
- Denied Insurance Claims
If you’re going through the insurance company of a big trucking corporation, your claim may be denied for various reasons, including lack of information, the company deeming you more responsible for an accident than you really are, missed deadlines, etc. When an insurance claim is denied, a trucking accident lawyer can help repeal the insurance claim` and take other legal measures necessary.
- Multiple Liable Parties
A trucking accident can be incredibly complex, dealing with driver errors, misloaded cargo, negligent company hiring processes, and faulty equipment. Your claim may involve multiple parties, including third-party drivers or other groups. An attorney can take the proper steps to ensure all liable parties are accounted for, and you don’t lose out on the opportunity for compensation.
Can’t I Just Use AI for Legal Advice Instead of An Attorney?
In this modern age of technology, many people are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) for anything from mundane conversations to medical advice. The thing about artificial intelligence is that it’s not confidential and can often have what is known as hallucinations, which is when the software provides information that is inaccurate, false, or nonexistent.
Your best choice for accurate legal advice is to sit down with an attorney who’s studied and worked in their field, not a software program that predicts patterns.
Questions to Ask a Truck Accident Attorney During Your Consultation
Through an introductory consultation with a truck accident lawyer, you have the opportunity to discuss your case, answer attorney questions, and ask questions of your own. If you’re unsure where to even begin with your own questions, here are a few common ones the team at BD&J often gets:
- Do I have a case?
- How much is my claim worth?
- Do I have to go to court?
- How would you represent my case?
- Could you help me talk to an insurance company?
- Is there anything I should avoid while my case develops?
- How soon can you start working on my claim?
How To Collect Evidence After a Truck Accident
Collecting evidence after a truck accident can help with a potential claim. Do this by:
- Taking photos and videos of the scene. – Document all vehicles involved, the environment where the accident took place, any skid marks on the ground from the accident, the truck driver’s CDL, and your visible injuries.
- Exchanging information with the truck driver. – Be sure to get the other driver’s name, employee number, company information, and license number.
- Seeking medical attention as soon as you can. – Get medical attention to document your injuries and start necessary treatments.
- Speaking with a California truck accident attorney. – A truck accident lawyer can help you collect further evidence through attorney resources, such as expert witness testimony and accident reconstruction evidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Evidence Helps My Truck Accident Lawsuit?
Evidence that could help your truck accident lawsuit includes medical documentation of injuries, repair invoices for your vehicle or other property damages, pay stubs to provide employment verification, the involved truck’s black box data, and driver logs.
What is a Black Box?
A black box, also known as an event data recorder (EDR), is a technology device installed in the truck that records the vehicle’s data and performance. After an accident with a truck, the black box can provide speed measurements of the truck at the time of the accident, brake use, any instances of acceleration or deceleration, route history, hours of the vehicle’s service, and more.
Is There Anything I Should Not Tell My Lawyer About?
No, it is absolutely essential to be upfront and honest about your case and any relevant details to your attorney, including pre-existing conditions, if you had any fault in the accident, and the steps you took afterward to treat your injuries. Remember, every conversation you have with your lawyer is confidential through attorney-client privilege.
Remember, your truck accident attorney is on your side, so being honest is key to establishing a trusting relationship.
What Kind of Compensation Can I Get Working with a California Truck Accident Attorney?
Some of the compensation you can get includes current and future medical expenses, loss of income, repair or replacement of a vehicle, long-term care needs, and pain and suffering.
What Are Non-Economic Damages?
Non-economic damages are intangible objects with no monetary value which are assigned an amount for compensation. Non-economic damages can include pain and suffering, decreased quality of life, and physical disability.
What’s a Lowball Settlement Offer?
A lowball settlement offer means an offer that won’t fully cover the expenses associated with an accident, and undervalues damages like pain and suffering, future medical needs, care, and more. It’s very common for an injured accident victim to get lowball settlement offers, but these should not be accepted.
Should I Settle with Insurance or Speak to an Attorney?
You should definitely speak with an attorney, because insurance companies are known to present lowball settlement offers undervaluing the expenses of a client. Not only do these offers undervalue, but they also don’t take into consideration Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI), which is when an injury has reached the peak recovery stage and may require further care.
How Long Will My Claim Take to Settle?
This highly varies for each case. Some truck accident claims can take a couple months to settle, while more complex cases can take up to a year or more.
Who is Liable in a Truck Accident?
There can be a few liable parties in a truck accident, including the truck driver, the trucking company, another driver, a truck mechanic, or a truck equipment manufacturer.
Does BD&J Provide Free Consultations?
Absolutely! Our law firm is eager to help Californians who have been hurt in an accident.
We’re happy to serve all of California and can come to you if you can’t make it to our offices.
How Do I Connect with the California Truck Accident Attorneys from BD&J?
Give us a call or complete our online form to book your consultation. Our team is available 24/7 to answer your call.
Since our establishment in 2007, we’ve strived to meet clients as soon as possible to discuss their cases and make the legal process of a claim as smooth as can be. With BD&J, you can be confident your case is in the right hands.
BD&J Attorneys Can Fight for You After a Truck Accident
Truck accidents can be terrifying ordeals, but you don’t have to go through the legal process of filing a claim on your own. Working with a lawyer is key to having unmatched representation, help with negotiations, and expert advice on the process of your claim.
With more than $3 billion* recovered in client compensation, BD&J is here to fight for you. You don’t have to pay upfront fees* to have one of our expert attorneys handle your case, and we’ll work tirelessly to get you and your family the compensation you deserve.
Contact BD&J today for help after a truck accident.