There is a lot that goes into everything that a truck accident lawyer does for their clients. Although any injury accident can be complicated, truck accidents are especially legally complex. There can be multiple parties responsible for the truck accident, and thus various insurance companies to file claims with.
Truck accident lawyers will handle truck accident cases from start to finish, which may sometimes end in trial. Here are some of the specific things a truck accident will do when working on a case.
Investigating Truck Accident Cases
When a potential client comes to a truck accident lawyer with their case, the lawyer will examine the details and determine whether or not the case is strong and valid.
Since most truck accident lawyers work on contingency, they will want to make sure a case has a good chance of winning before taking it on. “Contingency” means the lawyer only gets paid if they win the client a settlement or award. Their pay is contingent on whether or not they win money and how much money they win.
Gathering Evidence for Each Claim
Once a truck accident lawyer decides to take on a client’s case, they will begin investigating. This may include:
Going to the scene of the truck accident
Looking over pictures from the accident scene (or getting a photographer to take pictures)
Contacting witnesses and getting statements
Reviewing camera footage
Evaluating vehicle damage
Looking over the client’s medical reports and expenses
The lawyer will start building a case based on the client’s total damages and other details of the accident.
Sending Demand Letters
After investigating a truck accident, the lawyer might send a demand letter to the at-fault party’s insurance company. The demand letter will outline the facts of the collision and demand a specific amount of compensation for the victim’s damages.
Negotiating with the Insurance Companies
Negotiation is often one of the most valuable parts of having a truck accident lawyer. The at-fault parties’ insurance companies often try to contact the truck accident victim soon after the crash, and this can be risky. Insurance companies are skilled at finding ways to pay less on a truck accident claim, and they will usually offer a lowball settlement (if they offer anything at all).
Most injury victims will not know how to negotiate or protect their legal rights when communicating with the insurance companies. But experienced truck accident lawyers negotiate and communicate with insurance companies all the time.
A truck accident lawyer will look over the details of the insurance policy, accurately account for all of the victim’s damages, and handle all communication with the insurance companies. They will work to negotiate for a settlement that is actually fair and covers the victim’s damages.
Preparing Complaints
Most of the time, a truck accident lawyer is able to negotiate a satisfactory settlement with the insurance company. The case ends there, and the injury victim receives their settlement.
However, if the insurance company will not negotiate, the truck accident lawyer might send a complaint to the at-fault party. The complaint is one of the first documents filed in a truck accident lawsuit. After the complaint has been sent, the at-fault party typically has 30 days to answer it.
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