Trucking companies must have commercial insurance for all of their drivers and employees to lessen the damages in the event of any accidents or crashes. Victims should be fairly compensated depending on the negligence and fault of the parties. Northland Insurance has been operating since 1948, providing insurance primarily to truck companies. If you have been injured in an accident with a truck driver whose company does business with Northland Insurance, contact Normandie Law Firm, our Los Angeles law firm that can file a lawsuit against Northland Insurance for a truck accident. You should enlist the assistance of a Los Angeles lawyer for accident injury claim with Northland Insurance to ensure that you have the best possible chance at winning your lawsuit. We can make sure you have access to the best attorney for Northland Insurance truck accident claims.
Why Truck Accidents Occur
Truck accidents are like any other automobile accident in many ways. The drivers may not be the safest behind the wheel and can recklessly operate the vehicle in the presence of other people on the road. For instance, some truck drivers speed on the highway or travel too fast down residential roads. The reason it is so dangerous to speed in a truck is because of how much harder it is for such a large object to come to a stop; it is not uncommon for truck drivers to rear-end vehicles because they could not stop in time when necessary.
Other times, fellow drivers can cause accidents by not giving the trucks enough respect. Not enough people take heed of the fact that passing a truck on the right is dangerous, and too many cars will tailgate, which leads to the truck driver being unable to see anyone behind him. Trucks have numerous blind spots and drivers should be aware to keep a wide berth.
Some more specific reasons that truck accidents happen include:
- Fatigue or Exhaustion of Driver: Because truck drivers usually travel for many days at a time on a deadline, they are more likely to miss sleep and drive while tired. Driving while tired can be very dangerous because of the likelihood of falling asleep at the wheel and being sucked into highway hypnosis. Truck drivers that fall asleep or drive fatigued may not be able to react in time to traffic on the road or will drift into other lanes of traffic.
- Poor Weight Distribution: Trailers attached to trucks need to be loaded evenly throughout the bed or the truck will be weighted too heavily on one side, leading to accidents from turns and such.
- Faulty Vehicles: Trucks need to be properly maintained so that they do not pose any threats by malfunctioning. Brakes need to function and the engines need to not overheat or give out; a truck that suddenly faces an electrical problem can suddenly stop, with the driver losing control. Also, any hitches or trailers need to be properly affixed to the truck; if they aren’t, they can detach and cause serious accidents. Tires also need to be adequately filled; there are numerous cases of blown tires leading to swerving trucks and crashes.
- Rough Terrain: Some roads are steep and mountainous or are not wide enough to accommodate large vehicles. Truck drivers need to be extremely careful on these roads, as the potential for accidents is much higher.
For more details, call an attorney in Los Angeles who can sue Northland Insurance for a truck accident.
Accident Procedure
After being involved in a truck accident, you should take steps to stay safe and prepare yourself for a claim. The first thing you should do is make sure you are healthy and unharmed; if you have been wounded, yu should go to the hospital to see a doctor or wait for the paramedics to arrive. Just because you do not feel hurt does not mean you are not injured, though; you may have a lot of adrenaline coursing through your body, preventing you from feeling pain. The damages may manifest in a few days, however, so it is important to be diagnosed at the scene. The longer you wait to seek medical treatment, the more difficult it will be to prove that you were hurt in the accident.
Next, you should take photos of the damages you suffered, from the injuries on your body to the damages on your car. Make sure to get multiple angles and videos if possible. You can also snap pictures of the surrounding area to show the environment in which the accident happened.
If there were any passengers, witnesses, or other drivers present, you could get their statements and testimonies. They will come in handy for when you file your claim. Similarly, a copy of the police report can be requested.
Most importantly, you should acquire the name and personal information of the truck driver, as well as the details of his company. You can contact his business to alert them to the fact that he was in an accident, and take the necessary steps to file an insurance claim.
Lastly, you should reach out to an attorney who can fight Northland Insurance for a truck accident injury lawsuit. It is unwise to try and take legal action against a business by yourself, and the assistance of a lawyer for Northland Insurance truck accident lawsuits is invaluable.
Statute of Limitations for Truck Accident Lawsuit
If you have been involved in a truck accident, you only have two years from the date of the injury to file a claim. This is done to prevent claims from lasting too long without any resolution. The longer a case sits, the more likely it is that evidence will be lost or corrupted and witnesses will misremember or leave out important details.
Talk with a lawyer that can sue Northland Insurance for a truck accident injury to learn if you are eligible for any exceptions to the statute of limitations. If you were involved in the accident before you turned 18 years old, the statute would not begin until you turned legal age. Further, if the defendant left the state or the country, the deadline would not begin (or resume, if he left midway through) until he returns. There is also a chance that you were seriously injured in the crash and mentally or physically unable to take any legal action; in this case, the statute would not begin until you were well again.
Don’t wait to speak with a Los Angeles truck accident attorney that can sue Northland Insurance to determine how much time you have left on your claim.
Example Verdicts and Settlements
Clients usually call us asking what they can earn from a lawsuit involving a truck accident. We tell them that there is no general way of knowing; each case is weighed by an insurance agent and the offer is determined there, at which point we negotiate a better deal for our clients. There are some examples of cases that have earned sizeable settlements, though, which we have provided below. Keep in mind that these cases do not indicate what you will receive, but rather what could be earned.
- $600,000 Settlement: A truck accident in California resulted in a large settlement amount for a woman. She was driving at night when she was hit by a large truck, which was found to not have light reflectors. As a result of the crash, she sustained various head injuries. The trucking company was deemed negligent.
- $2,000,000 Settlement: A truck driver in an eighteen wheeler was carelessly driving in the rain when he slid across numerous lanes of traffic and crashed into a woman. The woman had fractures on her arms and legs, along with various other injuries; one of her arms was almost amputated as a result of the injuries.
- $1,000,000 Settlement: A rental truck that ran a red light smashed into the rear of a man’s car. The man suffered a broken shoulder, broken ribs, and leg injuries. Thankfully, the man made a recovery and was able to collect compensation for the accident after filing a claim against the rental company.
A lawyer who is experienced with truck accident cases with Northland Insurance can give you more details on what you can earn. You may be able to receive coverage for your medical bills, lost income, damaged property, pain and suffering, and more.
Our Lawyers Speak Spanish
We know how important it is that victims of truck accidents have accurate representation by attorneys, but we also know it can be difficult if you do not speak English fluently or if you do not speak it as your first language. There are clients who are discouraged from pursuing legal help because they feel self-conscious or as if they will be treated differently or unfairly. If you need a Spanish speaking truck accident attorney, call Normandie Law Firm. We have bilingual lawyers who will help you through your case and take care of all the legal details for you.
The best law firm to sue Northland Insurance for a truck accident is ours, and we will help you no matter what.
A Proven Firm
Our lawyers for Northland Insurance injury claims at Normandie Law Firm can help you receive the compensation you deserve from your lawsuit. We have aggressive lawyers who have years of experience handling claims against Northland and we will not stop until you receive a satisfactory offer. We are willing to take your case to court to bring you the maximum settlement available under the law.
Call us today to schedule a free legal consultation with an injury lawyer for truck accident claim against Northland Insurance. You can ask us questions about the legal process and we will look over your case and tell you what we believe we can earn for you. We will also tell you more about our zero fee guarantee, which promises that you will not have to pay any out of pocket expenses to our firm when you sign up with us. We only get paid if we win, and if we lose, you owe us nothing. Our fees will come out of the settlement we bring you, not your savings, so your financial stability will always remain intact.
Get in touch with Normandie Law Firm today to speak with one of our lawyers with experience in truck accident cases against Northland Insurance.
