Intricacies of Commercial Truck Accident Claims

Thousands of vehicle accident occur every day, often without the need for an attorney to handle the insurance claims. While it can be beneficial to have an attorney for any serious injury accident, one of times you need legal expertise is when you are injured in an accident involving a commercial truck. It can be difficult to navigate and negotiate insurance claims when a commercial truck was involved in an injury vehicle accident, which is why you need an experienced lawyer.

Commercial Truck Accidents: Who Is Liable?

When a commercial truck driver causes an injury accident, there may be multiple entities that are liable. Not only is the driver responsible for negligent actions such as driving while fatigued, drunk driving and other negligence, but the company he or she works for, the truck maintenance company and other involved parties may be liable. These injury claims can be very complex, especially when are wrongful death or severe injuries are the result of a negligent commercial truck injury auto collision.

When handling a commercial truck accident claim, our attorneys at the Law Offices of Larry B. Litt dig deep to determine the various entities that may be liable for damages. This can include the truck driver, his employer, the company who loaded the vehicle, the truck service company and even the truck manufacturer. Depending on the accident and negligent actions, our lawyers can build a case against multiple entities that may be liable for injuries from a commercial truck accident. Some of the types of commercial truck accident claims we handle include:

• Negligent driving; speeding, DUI, distracted driving, fatigued driving and more
• Poor vehicle maintenance
• Tip over auto accident from imbalanced loads
• Equipment malfunction
• Falling objects
• Lost loads

Victims who are injured from a commercial truck auto wreck are likely to have serious injuries that can require time off from work and extensive medical care. It is vital to have a legal team that can explore all possible avenues for recovering financial restitution from all the liable parties that contributed to the auto collision. Most trucking companies have a team of lawyers fighting to reduce liability costs; victims need to have their own lawyer to fight for their rights to compensation.

Complexities of Commercial Truck Accident Cases

During a commercial truck accident bodily injury claim, there may be multiple insurance companies and legal teams involved. Filing a claim solely against the driver or the trucking company could limit the compensation available for the injured victim and their family.

Our team of attorneys will investigate the accident to determine all the liable parties and negotiate a fair compensation settlement for our client, for present and future medical treatment and all missed time from work.

What To Do After a Commercial Truck Accident

Getting in a commercial truck accident with an 18-wheeler, tractor-trailer, semi, big rig, or other large commercial vehicle can be a very scary experience, but one of the most important things you can do after a commercial truck wreck is keep calm. After that, you should:

1. Call 911 – If you or anyone else has been injured and needs an ambulance, inform that dispatcher right away. If not, calmly tell the dispatcher that you were in a commercial truck crash and give them your exact location. When police arrive, tell the truth about what happened and keep to the facts. Afterwards, you can obtain a copy of the police accident report for a fee from the police department who responded to your 911 call.
2. Get important information – Get the trucker’s name, address, phone number, license information, name and address of their trucking company/employer, and insurance information. If there were other vehicles involved in the commercial truck accident, get their contact and insurance details as well. Do not argue about fault with anyone or say anything that could be misunderstood as admitting fault, such as “I’m sorry” or “I didn’t see you.”
3. Take detailed pictures – You will want to be thorough with the pictures that you take so that you can paint a clear picture of the accident crash scene. Take pictures from different angles, show all damage and visible injuries, capture images of any tire marks, street signs, traffic signals, road hazards, construction, and anything else that might be relevant to your accident claim.
4. Notify your insurance company – Call your car insurance company to report the commercial truck auto accident, but do not get into too many specifics and stick with the facts based on what you know. If an adjuster wants you to give a recorded statement, politely decline and refer them to your Baltimore truck accident attorney. Do not answer any questions from other insurance companies, the trucking company, or any other lawyers. Anything you say could be used against you to challenge or deny your injury or vehicle damage claim.
5. Consult with a Baltimore commercial truck accident attorney – An experienced commercial truck accident attorney will be able to handle every aspect of your claim, from investigating the trucking company to negotiating with the insurance company on your behalf.

Baltimore commercial truck accident lawyer Larry B. Litt and his legal team can meet with you, answer your questions, discuss your legal options, and help you figure out the best way to recover the highest amount of compensation possible with your commercial truck accident settlement. Act fast to protect your rights. The sooner we can meet with you, the sooner we can get started on your case.

Common Injuries of Commercial Truck Accidents

With a higher weight and size compared to your average personal vehicle, the injuries a truck can cause when they crash are usually more severe than those you would find after a normal car wreck. Common injuries include:

• Traumatic brain injury
• Spinal cord injury
• Paraplegia
• Quadriplegia
• Crushed or broken bones
• Neck and back traumatic injury
• Herniated discs
• Organ damage and internal bleeding
• Severe burns

It does not take long for the medical bills, prescription receipts and other medical costs to stack up for the above injuries, and very quickly, they can become more than the average person can afford to pay. Pair this with the fact that most of these crashes result in loss of earnings and potential loss of future earnings, and it can leave victims in a tough spot.

If potential future earnings have been affected through a long-term injury or disability following a commercial truck collision, the damages awarded will have to be enough to cover the lifetime suffering of the victim.

Why Are Cases Involving Commercial Truck Accidents So Complicated?

When you have been badly injured or a family member dies in a commercial truck collision, the process of filing a claim for injuries or your vehicle damages can be extremely complex and overwhelming. That is because liability might fall on multiple different parties, including:

• The truck driver
• The trucking Company
• The owner of the commercial truck
• The owner of the trailer
• The company responsible for loading the trailer
• A broker
• The commercial truck manufacturer
• Another driver or party involved in the crash

Even if you do figure out who or what caused your commercial truck collision, you are still in a tough spot if you try to take on a large commercial trucking company all by yourself. With so much at stake, commercial trucking companies often have teams of attorneys ready to protect their best interests and to make sure you do not get a commercial truck accident settlement.

Conclusion

If you or a loved one have been injured in a commercial truck accident due to negligence, do not try to make a claim on your own. Call or text our legal team at the Law Offices of Larry B. Litt 443-844-1528 to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case. We never charge you a penny unless we obtain financial damages for your claim.