A truck accident requires much more attention because the size and weight of a truck can lead to more havoc than what would occur with other types of accidents. Therefore, you will need help from a truck accident lawyer when seeking compensation for your commercial truck accident.
Factors That Can Lead to a Truck Accident
Trucks are often operated for longer periods of time than other vehicles and must be serviced regularly. Failure to properly service a truck will increase the odds that it will eventually break down. Your truck accident attorney would need to gain access to the commercial truck and study it to determine if the vehicle was not properly serviced. Inspecting a commercial truck can also determine if it might have parts that were defective and contributed to the crash. This may lead to the original truck manufacturer being partially at fault for the crash.
Another factor likely to lead to a truck accident is when the driver is operating the truck in a negligent manner. This often occurs when the driver is not properly trained or when the driver is operating the vehicle for a long period and has become exhausted.
Commercial Truck Accident Investigations Are Time-Consuming
You will need to act quickly to gather evidence for your case. Oftentimes, the commercial truck company or their insurance provider will arrive at the scene of the accident to comb through it for evidence.
Commercial truck accidents can also be complex and require that the case be examined by expert witnesses like a mechanic, a medical expert, an economist, and a host of other professionals who can make sense of the accident and determine who should be held responsible. This is something that is difficult for a layman to pull off and may be more expensive than simply hiring an attorney.
To help you with your case, it may be useful to understand the term "negligence per see." If the driver has broken the law and this leads to you suffering an injury, this is "negligence per se." This is usually a traffic violation or the act of driving while under the influence. You may need help from an attorney who has a thorough understanding of traffic laws to determine "negligence per se."
Settlement Negotiations
To maximize your settlement, you must negotiate effectively with the commercial insurance provider. To do this, you will need help from a truck accident lawyer who has experience negotiating these types of settlements.
