Truck accidents can be incredibly devastating to those unfortunate enough to have to experience them. They can be caused by a wide variety of vehicles from personal pickups to vehicles intended to haul freighters. These accidents can cause damages that are sometimes left uncovered by most insurance coverage plans. For this reason, many who experience truck accidents are left wondering how to negotiate an injury settlement better and increase the potential settlement value of their case. At Normandie Law Firm our truck accident attorneys can not only represent you in court but can help you raise your truck accident settlement. If you have any questions after reading this article, please feel free to reach out to our law offices for a free consultation from one of our top-rated legal advisors.
Truck Accidents
As mentioned prior, truck accidents can involve a wide range of vehicles from smaller personal pick up trucks to larger sixteen wheeled vehicles meant to haul freight. Due to their vast size and weight trucks typically cause more damage that personal use passenger sedans. For this reason, many who experience truck accidents are left wondering how they can increase the amount of recovery for their truck accident. One of the first things to identify when either filing a lawsuit against the truck company or a claim with an insurance provider is the cause of the accident. Being able to prove that another driver or truck was at fault for the damages can truly make the difference in the settlement amount you receive for your truck accident. Listed below are some of the common causes of truck accidents, some of which imply direct negligence of the driver at-fault:
- Going over the speed limit
- Driving while under the influence of alcohol or other substances
- Distracted while behind the wheel of a motor vehicle
- Driving recklessly on the road
- Rain and other weather conditions
- Ignoring and running red lights
- Ignoring and running stop signs
- Inexperienced or young drivers
- Driving after dark which can hinder driving ability
- A defect in the design of the truck
- Poor or dangerous lane changing
- Driving on the wrong side of the road
- Making an improper turn
- Following another truck too closely (tailgating)
- Ice on the road
- Snow on the road
- Potholes or other defects in the road
- Driving while drowsy
- Having a tire blowout
- Animals on the road, or crossing the road.
As mentioned prior, some of these accident causes involve direct negligence of the driver at fault. For instance, if you can show that the driver at fault was under the influence of a substance like alcohol, you may be able to collect more from the driver’s insurance provider. Or, for example, if you can show that your truck accident was caused by a defect in a sixteen wheeled freighter truck, you may be able to collect significantly more from the company or manufacturer responsible for the defect.
Another key element in increasing a settlement amount for a truck accident is being able to identify the damages you suffered as a result. While property damage can result in a significant settlement, physical damages can dramatically increase a truck accident compensation amount. Listed below are some of the common injuries that can arise as a result of a truck accident:
- Back and Neck Injuries: back and neck injuries can vary in severity from minor neck pain to severe damage such as dislocated spinal discs. In their more severe instances, back and neck injuries can prevent victims from returning to work and performing daily activities.
- Broken Bones: The force behind a collision with another automobile or object in the road can be truly devastating, so much so that the force can break bones. Broken bones often take a long time to heal, especially injuries like a broken pelvis, ribcage, or even hip. These injuries could prevent a victim from returning to work and their previous state of life immediately.
- Head Injuries: The force from a truck accident can cause severe head injuries that can result in prolonged seizures, and other life-threatening Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs). In some, more severe cases, victims can never fully recover their damages.
- Internal Injuries: Internal bleeding to organs like the bladder, liver, kidneys, pancreas, and spleen can be challenging to treat, and in some cases can result in a case of wrongful death
- Lacerations: Often caused by broken glass and sharp metal, lacerations can be particularly painful and can leave massive scars that never heal entirely.
- Rib and Torso Injuries: The rib cage protects a multitude of the body’s vital organs, and when it breaks the whole system beneath is at risk of prolonged damage.
- Seat Belt Injuries: While seatbelts are put in place for protection, seat belts can cause injuries like whiplash which can be especially painful.
- Spinal Cord Injuries and Paralysis: The spinal cord is an incredibly sensitive part of the body and when damaged can lead to devastating nerve damage, and may result in paralysis.
Regardless of the specific damages that you suffered the best way to increase the value of your truck accident case is to seek legal guidance from an attorney skilled at fighting for the rights of those injured by truck accidents. An experienced attorney can not only help you negotiate for a higher compensation amount but can also represent your case in court if you wish to file a truck accident lawsuit against the party responsible.
How To Increase The Amount of Recovery From An Accident
When clients come into our law firm looking for advice on how to increase their compensation amount for their truck accident case, our experienced attorneys often present them with some steps they can follow to ensure better they receive an adequate settlement for their damages. These critical steps include the following:
- Take Action as Soon as Possible: If you are involved in a truck accident, you should collect as much evidence as you can as soon as you can. This evidence can take the form of photographs of the truck driver’s information, eyewitness accounts, or video footage showing the damages in full detail.
- Report the Accident as Soon as Possible: After an accident, you should always contact a police officer and file a report with them. If you hesitate to report the accident, it can be more difficult to receive full compensation for your damages.
- Receive A Full Medical Evaluation: After an accident, it is crucial that you reach out to your primary care physician and receive a full medical evaluation. In many cases, the physical injuries of truck accidents aren’t apparent right away. Fortunately, a medical professional should be able to diagnose any injuries endured as a result of the accident.
- Immediately Reach Out to a Legal Expert: With the help of a skilled attorney, you can better ensure that you are following all the appropriate steps in ensuring you receive compensation for your damages. Later down the line, this attorney can help you negotiate your claim or fight for your case in court.
- Don’t Take Money from the Other Driver: In some cases, a driver may offer to pay for the damages under the table. There is no guarantee that the money being offered will adequately cover all of the damages that you endured, and doing so could directly damage your chances of receiving adequate compensation.
- Take Full Record of All Medical Treatment: If your accident resulted in injuries that require regular doctor visits, it is critical that you keep track of all of the medical expenses you paid to receive said treatment. In most cases, the cost of medical treatment will play a crucial role in your eventual settlement.
- Keep Track of a Loss of Wages: In some instances, victims of truck accidents may need to take time off of work to reach a full recovery. When this is the case, these victims lose wages as a result. A loss of wages can also play a crucial role in the eventual settlement of your case.
While all of these factors can drastically affect how much you receive for your truck accident settlement, nothing can affect your settlement amount more than receiving legal guidance from a skilled attorney. With the assistance of an attorney experienced in negotiating for higher settlement amounts after truck accidents, you can receive compensation suitable for covering all of the damages that you suffered.
How Normandie Law Firm Can Help
Receiving adequate compensation for your damages after a truck accident is incredibly important if you wish to reach a full recovery. If you or a loved one were involved in a truck accident and wish to increase your potential settlement amount, it may be in your best interest to seek assistance from a lawyer experienced at fighting for the rights of truck accident victims. At Normandie Law Firm our well-versed truck accident lawyers are committed to ensuring all of our clients receive all the resources they require to earn the compensation they deserve for their damages. If you file a claim with our Los Angeles law firm, you may find some if not all of the following damages compensable to you:
- All of you medical and hospitalization costs
- All of your future medical care and treatment
- A loss of income and loss of future earnings due to long-term recovery or permanent disability due to the accident
- Compensable economic damages include loss of property or damaged property.
- Compensable non-economic damages include emotional distress, trauma, PTSD resulting from the accident, pain and suffering and anxiety.
While our law firm is based in Los Angeles, our attorneys also practice in Oakland, San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento, Orange County, Riverside, Fresno, and throughout the state of California.
Free Second Opinions
Other attorneys will sign you up for their firm but will disappear once your name is on the paper as they are busy signing up more cases. In these instances, their business is based more on volume and will attempt to sign up as many cases as possible. In turn, they will spend less time on cases resulting in severely reduced settlements. Our firm will not treat you like a number. We will be in communication with you throughout our lawsuit and will treat you like family. So if you already have an attorney don’t worry, we’ll give you a second review of your case 100% free of charge.
Zero Fee Guarantee-No Upfront Fees Ever
If you contact our law offices today, we can walk you through the complicated process of filing your claim completely free of charge. As a show this commitment to you and your case we offer our clients the benefits of a zero fee guarantee policy. Under our zero fee policy, all clients don’t pay for our services until their case is won. If you feel in need of a second opinion, second opinion case reviews are also free under this policy. Please, feel free to give us a call, and we can guide you down the path of receiving proper compensation for your damages.
