Being Prepared Goes a Long Way: 4 Questions You May have After a Truck Accident

If you are ever in an accident involving a truck, get every bit of useful information you can at the scene or as soon as possible. It is important to be prepared to file a claim that is well supported by facts and observations. Commercial trucking companies are in business to make money, and they might try to pay you less in damages than you deserve. This is one time when hiring legal representation might be necessary.

A Truck Accident with Damage and Injuries

When an accident happens, and there are injuries as well as damage, it might be hard to get all the information right away. But, if anyone in the car is able, they should try to get witness statements and contact information, the truck driver’s information, truck license plate, insurance information, and more. Taking photos with a phone is also a good idea.

If you need to find a law firm to help, starting the search with https://www.boohofflaw.com/ may be a good place to start. Meeting with a lawyer to determine if there is a case for a lawsuit is the first step in getting justice for the injured party. Who was at fault? How did the accident happen? How did the accident happen?

How to Choose a Law Firm

When shopping for a law firm, you can make calls to several local firms asking a few questions such as where they are licensed to practice law, what are their legal fees, have they handled many truck accident cases, and do they think your accident merits bringing a lawsuit and all that involves? Ask for references or check their online ratings.

Some Common Types of Truck Accidents

• Rollovers. The truck driver puts on the truck brakes and the trailer wheels catch, causing the truck to roll over.
• Underride accident. This is caused when the protective bar at the lower back edge of the trailer fails and a car travels underneath the trailer.
• Jackknife accidents. The truck driver engaging the brakes making the cab stop while the trailer keeps going.
• Tractor-trailers and their drivers fail to stop and rear end a car or they can go over the center line hitting a car in the next lane.
• Truck drivers can drive carelessly during adverse weather conditions resulting in the truck sliding out of control.

Because these trucks are so large and pull trailers full of merchandise, they can weigh up to 80,000 pounds and be 75 feet in length. If they hit a smaller vehicle, the damage can be serious.

Questions to Ask After A Truck Accident

1. What should you do right after an accident? Is calling the police, checking on everyone’s condition, taking photographs, getting the car out of traffic, and obtaining information from the truck driver enough?
2. Why are commercial trucks more dangerous than other vehicles?
3. What are time limitations for filing a lawsuit or an insurance claim?
4. Should you hire a lawyer, and what type of damages can be recovered in a lawsuit?

Once you hire a law firm and give them all the documents and information you have gathered, they will investigate the accident, file the necessary papers and deal with the truck owner and their insurance company. The best law firms keep their clients informed of the lawsuit progress. When a law firm is doing the work, you can handle recovering from injuries and getting your vehicle repaired.