Going to court can be an intimidating experience. Thankfully, if you suffered injuries in a truck accident and are seeking a recovery for your losses, most of the time, you do not have to go to court for a truck accident.
There is no law that says you must go to court to collect compensation. Filing a lawsuit is typically reserved as a last resort option when you are unable to collect a fair settlement from the at-fault driver and his or her insurance company.
Taking a Personal Injury Case to Court Can Be Costly
Going to court can be expensive for both sides. Among the costs of civil litigation, a simple car accident claim with $10,000 in attorney’s fees can jump to $100,000 in fees on each side if the case goes to court.
The insurance companies know this and probably want to avoid going to court just as much as you do. The difference between your motivations and theirs, of course, is keeping their costs down and paying you as little as possible in recovery for your injuries.
A Truck Accident Attorney Can Help, Despite Expenses
Despite expenses and having no obligation to hire one, an attorney can be quite beneficial when you are trying to collect compensation for your damages while healing from your injuries.
With truck accident cases, you are probably dealing with severe injuries, possibly life-changing injuries. Also, truck accident cases typically have multiple liable parties. Negotiating under those conditions can be quite difficult.
When you hire a truck accident attorney, their goal is to take the burden off your shoulders and resolve your claim as quickly as possible for the fairest settlement possible. Your goal is to heal and get your life back. Your attorney will only go to court if a fair settlement cannot be reached.
In addition, most attorneys work on contingency. An attorney working on a contingency fee basis only receives payment if he or she is able to collect a negotiated settlement or court award in your favor. Again, your attorney wants to take the stress off you, so you can heal and not worry about whether you need to go to court or not.
How a Truck Accident Attorney Can Build a Strong Case
One of the ways you can avoid going to court is building a strong claim from the start. When you hire an attorney, they can do more than just represent you in court. They can provide you several services to build a strong case. Those services include:
- Gathering all documentation and reports
- Investigating the accident scene
- Speaking with eyewitnesses
- Consulting with experts
- Identifying all liable parties
- Calculating your losses, both present and future
- Filing your claim
- Negotiating on your behalf with the insurance companies
Possible Recoverable Damages from a Truck Accident
During your negotiations with the insurance companies, you will need to know an actual value for all your losses. A truck accident attorney can help you account for all your current and possible future losses. Those losses could include:
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning potential
- Medical expenses, such as medications, surgery, rehabilitation, and mobility equipment
- Property damage
- Mental distress, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety
- Diminished quality of life
- Permanent disability or disfigurement
- Pain and suffering
- Any out-of-pocket costs
Proving Negligence in Your Truck Accident Case
To build a strong case for your truck accident, we must also establish the criteria for negligence. Negligence can be broken down into four stages:
- Duty of care: This stage establishes a relationship between both parties and the expectation of certain results, such as expecting a truck driver to obey the rules of the road.
- Breach of duty: Next, we show how the at-fault party failed to maintain that duty.
- Causation: With the breach, we show how the failure led to the accident.
- Damages: Finally, we show how the accident resulted in your personal injuries.
Learn How George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers Can Help You During a Free Consultation Today
To collect compensation in your personal injury claim, you do not have to go to court for a truck accident. Going to court should be treated as a last option at the negotiation table. Nevertheless, if it comes to that, you will get your fair day in court with top legal representation by your side.
The law firm of George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers can handle your negotiations for you. We can build a strong case to discourage the insurance companies from resolving your claim in court and work with us to reach a fair settlement for your losses.
Your job is to just focus on getting better and leave the rest to us. Also, we work on contingency, so you pay no upfront attorneys’ fees. Call us today or fill out our online form for a free consultation of your legal options.