Truck accidents are becoming more and more common because of the number of trucks which we have on our roads. The rise of online shopping and home deliveries has resulted in a 17% increase in trucking figures on our roads compared with 2015, and more than 85% of domestic freight is now delivered in this way. Whilst trains and boats may not be the preferred choice of transport for our goods, they were certainly a much safer way of delivering products around the country. The increase in trucks and a shortage of drivers also means that there are inexperienced truck drivers on the road, which is also contributing towards the rise in accidents.
If you have been involved in an accident with a truck which wasn’t your fault, here is why you need a truck accident lawyer to represent you.
Finding Liable Parties
Accidents involving trucks are much more complex than when just cars are involved, because of the potential number of liable parties. In truck cases which we see the liable parties have been the driver; trucking company; truck manufacturer; shipping company which loaded the cargo or even the government. A lawyer will help you to identify all the liable parties in order to seek the compensation which you deserve.
Dealing With Negotiations
If more than one party is responsible for the accident the lawyer is going to need to deal with multiple insurance companies at the same time. All these insurance companies will have legal teams who are charged with paying out as little as possible. These negotiations can be tough and complex and it requires a legal expert with an experience in this field to take them on. Even if there is only one insurance company involved, the negotiations can be very difficult because of what is at stake for their client.
Delivering a Great Strategy
Lawyers are experts when it comes to building case and coming up with the best strategy to proceed. They will use their experience and professionalism to analyze the case, ensure that they have gathered all necessary evidence and call upon any expert witnesses which they need. When people ask if they should represent themselves, this is the kind of tasks which they are simply not able to do as well as a specialist lawyer, and it is why they should rely on their services.
Making Sure Fault Laws Are Appropriately Applied
Many states across the country have what is called a ‘fault law’ which indicates that if your percentage of fault in the accident is under 50%, you will be entitled to compensation. Insurance company lawyers like to try and lean on this law to minimize the amount of blame their client takes, which is why you need a lawyer who can call them out on it. With a well built case and a clear strategy, there will be no way that this law can be used incorrectly.
This is exactly why you should look to call a specialist lawyer if you have been involved in a truck accident which wasn’t your fault.