OOIDA, or the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Assocation, has been active since the mid-1970s. The company provides commercial insurance to businesses involved in transportation. All companies that employ truck drivers or transporters must have commercial insurance to ensure that the employees are protected in the case of accidents and that any victims are covered as well. It is not uncommon for many individuals to not know how to deal with truck accidents, though, and as a result, they do not get the compensation they need or deserve for their losses. The best law firm to sue OOIDA for a truck accident is ours, Normandie Law Firm, located in Los Angeles. We can provide you with an expert attorney in Los Angeles who can sue OOIDA for a truck accident.
Reasons Truck Accidents Happen
Truck accidents are often worse than normal automobile accidents because of the relative size of the vehicles and how much more damage they can cause. As a result, truck drivers should be extremely careful when on the road and other drivers should be sure to give them a wide breadth. Truck accidents may be caused for the following reasons:
- Driver fatigue
- Drunk driving
- Reckless driving
- Running red lights
- Running stop signs
- Turning without signaling
- Turning left across traffic
- Hitch problems
- Truck defects
- Improperly filled tires
- Uncovered beds
- Overfilled beds
- Lack of warning or hazard signs
- Poor weight distribution
- Engine troubles
- Brake problems
- Sharp turns and curves
- Hidden driveways
- Poor weather
You should speak with a lawyer who is experienced with truck accident cases with OOIDA to guarantee that your claim is a success. Truck accidents are serious, and the damages are equally so.
Injuries From Truck Accidents
You may suffer a number of injuries in truck accidents. Examples include:
- Concussions
- Closed head injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Neck and spinal cord damages
- Herniated discs
- Dislocations
- Fractures
- Broken bones
- Degloving
- Scarring
- Puncture wounds
- Crushing injuries
- Internal organ injuries
- Nerve damage
- Muscle damage
- Paralysis
- Coma
- Death
Call our firm today to speak with an attorney who can fight OOIDA for a truck accident injury lawsuit.
What To Do After A Truck Crash
If you have been involved in a truck crash, it is extremely important that you follow these steps to stay safe and protect the foundation for your claim. If you have specific questions, you can contact us for more details.
The very first thing you should do is get medical attention for your damages, even if you do not believe that you were injured. You will be sure to have necessary treatment and proof of medical examinations to submit to the insurance agency. You can also hold on to any receipts and notes from the hospital.
Next, you should take pictures of your injuries and the scene of the accident. The more proof you have, the more likely it is that your claim will succeed. You can also take pictures of the damages done to your car and to the truck. If possible, you can collect surveillance footage from nearby businesses, or perhaps dashboard camera footage from your car or other cars.
You can interview eyewitnesses for their statements and testimonies to get further proof and perspectives to back up your claim. Other passengers and drivers, as well as pedestrians, can provide their insights.
You should collect the contact information and insurance details of the truck driver as well so you can file a claim against the correct entity.
Finally, it is important that you find a Los Angeles truck accident attorney that can sue OOIDA for you. You may not have the legal experience needed to file a lawsuit or negotiate a fair deal, and it will be in your best interest to let a lawyer for OOIDA truck accident lawsuits act on your behalf. You should not raise your stress levels and undergo a hard time if you can help it.
Sample Settlements
The value of your case will be determined by the insurance agent handling it. He will look at the damages suffered, the extent of your injuries, the impact the injuries had on your life and career, the extent of the damages, the responsibility of each party, how negligent you were, your age, your job type, and much more. There is no way to figure out how much your case is worth until an agent has made an offer. Once an offer has been made, we can work to bring it up and negotiate the fairest deal for you.
We have also provided some sample settlements below for you to consider. These cases show how much can potentially be earned in truck accident claims, but not what is guaranteed to result. They are merely guidelines and exhibitions.
- $50,000 Verdict: A middle aged man was stopped in traffic when he was hit from behind by a truck. The sudden impact caused him to surge forward and hit his head; he suffered tissue damage, bruising, a concussion, and lasting headaches. He also suffered various bodily lacerations and cuts. The trucking company denied that the injuries, especially the lasting headaches, were caused by the crash.
- $800,000 Verdict: A woman in a wheelchair was struck by a truck driver as he was exiting a gas station. The woman did not survive the accident. Although the driver admitted liability for the incident, he claimed that the wheelchair was not visible and could not be seen at the angle in which the accident occurred. The plaintiff’s family won the jury’s favor.
- $480,000 Verdict: A man was heading through an intersection when he was suddenly T-boned by a truck driver. The truck driver was negligent and not paying attention to the lights. The victim suffered neck damages, arm damages, and nerve damage. He required various surgeries to repair the damage to his neck and spine.
For more settlements and verdicts, or to learn how to increase the value of your claim, speak with an injury lawyer for truck accident claim against OOIDA.
Truck Accident Lawsuit Winnings
By filing a claim against OOIDA, you can be set up to receive numerous forms of compensation for your damages. If the truck driver were negligent, his employer can be held responsible for his actions, and therefore, pay off your expenses. Our lawyers for OOIDA injury claims will strive to bring you the following:
- Medical bills from the past and future for surgery, hospitalization, ambulatory transportation, medication and drugs, physical therapy and rehabilitation, and more
- Lost income from the past and future for days of missed work
- Property damage for car repairs, replacement of lost or broken belongings, and more
- Pain and suffering for emotional trauma, psychological anguish, mental scarring, anxiety, fear, PTSD, and more
In the event of a death of a family member or loved one, you can receive wrongful death expenses from the company. These damages can cover the costs of the funeral and burial, pre-death medical bills and pain and suffering, loss of expected savings and inheritance, loss of relations and consortium, and more.
Speak with a lawyer that can sue OOIDA for a truck accident injury to learn more about what kinds of restitution you can receive from your lawsuit.
Statute of Limitations on Truck Accident Claims
In California, you have 2 years from the date of the incident to file a personal injury claim against the truck driver and company after you were hurt in an accident. Statutes of limitations have been put in place to ensure that people file claims within an acceptable amount of time and that they do not result in bunk settlements or verdicts; an old claim can have corrupt evidence and the defendant may not even be able to pay off the damages.
There are some situations in which the statute of limitations can be temporarily suspended, though. For example, if a minor is injured in an accident, he can wait until he turns 18 years old to sue, as they cannot legally sue by themselves and thus cannot adhere to the statute of limitations. Further, those who were left mentally or physically incapacitated can wait until they return to functioning health before they take legal action. The defendant also plays a part in the statute – if the defendant is not present in the state or has left, the deadline will be extended to match his departure and will not count down in the meantime.
Often, claims are not filed because the plaintiffs forget about the statute of limitations and miss the deadline. They then are unable to sue in the future. By hiring a Los Angeles lawyer for accident injury claim with OOIDA, you can guarantee that you will not miss out on the necessary deadline. We will ensure that your claim is sent out on time.
How We Help You
If you need a law firm that can file a lawsuit against OOIDA for a truck accident, look no further than Normandie Law Firm. Our lawyers with experience in truck accident cases against OOIDA can make sure that you are fully covered for your damages. We will do all we can to win your case and we will aggressively negotiate with the insurance agent. If we need to go to court to win your claim, we are willing to do so.
Contact us today for a free legal consultation to discuss your claim and determine your best path to success. We will answer all your questions and tell you how much we believe we can win for you. We will also give you our zero fee guarantee, which means you do not have to pay a single dime for out of pocket expenses. We will cover all the costs of the case and will only get reimbursed if we win; if we lose, you will not owe us anything.
Further, we know that many individuals do not speak English yet still need legal representation. Our lawyers speak Spanish, so if you need a Spanish speaking truck accident attorney, we can provide you with one.
Get in touch with Normandie Law Firm to be represented by the best attorney for OOIDA truck accident claims.