Big trucks carry big consequences. Commercial motor vehicle carriers are regulated by the government. Drivers are required to obtain a commercial drivers license, and have to follow regulations from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Driver training programs and regulations have helped reduce the amount of accidents. But despite these efforts, approximately 4,000 large truck accidents occur each year. Unfortunately, if you’ve been in an accident with a semi-truck you have probably been seriously injured. When a commercial vehicle is in a wreck, the trucking company and their insurance carrier will immediately begin investigating. You need to protect yourself too, the best way to do so is finding an attorney who has experience handling commercial trucking cases.
Taking on a Trucking Company and Their Insurance Company
Trucking companies usually have big insurance policies. If it’s a large trucking company, then they likely being investigating the cause of the accident immediately afterwards. In some cases, they will have a skilled defense lawyer on call who will go to the accident scene, day or night. There job is to gather evidence to help them defend the claim, not protect you. When you have a claim against a trucking company, you will be dealing with very experienced and aggressive insurance companies (and their lawyers). These lawyers specialize in defending insurance companies and their goal is minimize the value of the claim and try to disprove liability.
Our lawyers used to be insurance defense attorneys, we know their tactics and how they will approach a commercial trucking case. Our attorneys have defended these types of cases and understand how the the trucking companies and their insurance carriers will defend claims. First and foremost, it will be critical to begin our own investigation and send a preservation letter to the trucking company, and their insurance carrier. It is very important that all of the evidence is found and preserved for litigation. Many commercial vehicles have a black box that records GPS data regarding the trucks movements, speed, direction, etc. Some even have cameras that may have recorded the entire accident. Our attorneys will do everything possible to make sure this important evidence is preserved.
How Trucking Accidents are more Complex in Nature
Cases involving commercial trucks are complex. These cases may involve multiple parties who share liability. This means there are multiple insurance companies, and defense lawyers against you. These cases usually involve extensive discovery. In many cases, thousands of pages of documents are requested and exchanged. State law enforcement and government agencies may also conduct extensive investigations and release a report on the cause of the accident. In some cases, the defense will hire engineering experts who specialize in accident reconstruction to evaluate who was at fault.
The trucking company, and their insurance carrier, will spare no expense in defending against a claim. Because they have experience handling these types of cases, you need attorneys who can help make it a level playing field.
Truck Accident Injuries are more Serious
A collision with a tractor-trailer typically results in severe injuries. These injuries typically require extensive medical treatment. Our attorneys can help you obtain necessary medical treatment. Once you are done treating, our attorneys will be able to calculate your legal damages and help you determine how much your case may be worth. If tragically a loved one dies in an accident we can help open an estate and pursue a wrongful death claim. In some cases, the trucking company, and their insurance carrier, may argue that your injuries are not related to the accident. If they make this argument, we can work with your doctors, and expert witnesses, to make sure that you’re fairly compensated for all of your related injuries.
What Should I Do?
If you have been in a wreck with a semi-truck call an experienced North Carolina trucking accident lawyer. In most cases. time is of the essence. Don’t sit around and wait, this can lead to problems with your case. Contact us today for a free consultation. We’re here to help.
