Truck accidents often leave survivors with permanent, disabling injuries that have devastating financial consequences. When you get hurt in a truck accident, the trucking company will be legally responsible for paying your losses, but securing a reasonable settlement or verdict is challenging.
Anyone who suffered injuries in a truck accident should engage an aggressive Lancaster truck accident lawyer. Our personal injury attorneys could ensure the trucking company pays a reasonable sum to compensate for your injuries and suffering.
According to 42 Pennsylvania Statutes § 5524, an injured person has two years to file a lawsuit claiming compensation. However, it is unwise to wait so long to begin preparing a legal claim.
Trucking industry investigators and insurance company representatives usually arrive at the scene of a truck accident within hours to determine the cause of the crash. Ideally, an accident victim’s legal representative will contact the company soon after the incident to demand the preservation of evidence. Otherwise, evidence can be lost, damaged, or destroyed.
Insurance company representatives often approach injured people soon after a truck accident with cash offers in return for a promise not to sue. These offers do not represent the value of the claim, but the stress of an accident and its aftermath can sometimes persuade a family to accept a low offer. When the injured person has legal representation, the trucking company must communicate through the Lancaster accident lawyer, who knows the value of the claim and will not accept a lowball offer.
In most cases, the injured person must prove that someone else’s negligence was a direct cause of their injury. Negligence means someone did not exercise reasonable caution under the circumstances.
Common carriers—vehicles that transport people or goods for a fee—must meet a higher standard. A trucking company or truck driver could be negligent when they did not use the utmost care to avoid injuring others.
When investigating a truck accident, a Lancaster attorney could search for indications that the trucking company did not meet the highest operational standards. They could also gather evidence that the driver might have violated working hours rules or traffic laws. Any deviation from best practices could be evidence of negligence that makes the trucking company responsible for paying an injured person’s damages.
Anyone injured in a truck crash has a right to compensation when they prove that another party’s conduct directly led to their injuries. The compensation must address their tangible and intangible losses.
Trucking companies carry commercial insurance policies with high coverage limits. This fact allows a skilled truck collision lawyer in Lancaster to negotiate a settlement that provides reasonable compensation.
Other parties, such as the company that loaded the truck or the vehicle manufacturer, might bear responsibility for the accident. Bringing all the potentially negligent parties to the table increases the amount of insurance coverage available to ensure an injured person receives adequate reimbursement.
Anyone injured in a truck accident can claim the cost of the medical treatment they received and any care the injuries will require in the future. They can seek the value of any property that was destroyed or damaged in the accident. Damages should include lost wages and the value of the employment benefits they used while recovering from the injuries. When they cannot return to work because of their injuries, their damages should reflect their diminished future earning capacity.
Severe injuries have consequences that are not easy to value but impact an injured person’s quality of life. Someone injured in a truck accident could seek damages to compensate for the physical pain, emotional anguish, and inconvenience they suffered. They could also claim non-economic damages for disfigurement, disability, and lost enjoyment of life.
A truck accident could be a life-altering event. Holding the trucking company and other responsible parties accountable for the harm they caused is essential to help you move forward after an accident.
With years of experience representing injured people against the powerful and well-resourced transportation industry, a Lancaster truck accident lawyer has the skills to achieve your goals. Reach out today to get a fierce advocate fighting for you.