Semi-Truck Accident Attorney
If you've been injured in a truck accident, we can help you with your semi-truck injury claim
If you’re recovering from an accident with a semi-truck, you already know that dealing with the logistics and your injuries are becoming far more than an inconvenience. Negotiating with a commercial insurance agency and navigating the legal process of recovering damages after this type of accident is overwhelming. The truck driver who was operating the vehicle that hit you has a commercial driver insurance company with a fleet of lawyers, and they have the resources to begin advocating for the semi-driver while first responders are still on the scene.
The legal side of this puts you at a disadvantage almost immediately. A rapid response team is deployed on the fleet’s behalf to collect evidence favorable to the semi-truck driver while evidence favorable to you is overlooked. Negotiating a fair settlement is very difficult unless you bring in someone experienced very early in the process. You can’t afford to wait and see if you can handle the negotiations on your own. You are losing wages, accruing medical bills, and the fleet’s attorneys are hoping you’ll be too overwhelmed to think logically and accept a low settlement offer.
You need to know your options.
The semi-truck’s insurance adjusters are experts in negotiating. They may go as far as to act in a way that makes you feel like they do care about your situation and they’re getting you the best settlement they can. Unless you bring an experienced truck accident attorney to the table, no one advocates for you. If you accept a low settlement too quickly, your case is over. You may not even know the extent of your injuries yet. You may not be able to return to work when you plan to. With so many variables at play, accepting a settlement without experienced advice could financially burden you for a long time. Most people don’t have a personal injury lawyer at the ready, but the sooner you hire one, the sooner you can settle for fair compensation, and the sooner you can put all of this behind you.
An Experienced Semi-Truck Accident Attorney is Invaluable to Your Case
If you have been in an accident caused by a semi-truck driver, things can get complicated quickly. A full legal team against an accident victim recovering from injuries is not a fair fight. An experienced semi-truck accident attorney will begin advocating for you right away while they keep you informed and professionally handle your case.
Since accidents with semi-truck drivers are so complex, it’s important to find an attorney you trust who has experience with successful settlements from truck accident cases.
Personal Injury. Personal Attention.®
10-Step Process of a Truck Accident Case
1. Accident with the Semi-Truck Occurs
The semi-truck causes the accident and you are injured. Get emergency medical services right away, but, if possible, have an advocate take photos and get witness information.
2. Follow Through with Medical Treatment
If you don’t seek immediate medical treatment after an accident with a semi-truck, insurance companies can later question if any injuries you suffered were actually caused by the accident. Get medical care immediately, even if adrenaline is making you feel like you are ok, and make sure you follow up with any additional care you may need. Document everything you can throughout the process.
3. Begin the Truck Accident Claim Resolution
Contact the insurance adjusters, secure estimates for repair, and secure your rental car. You will likely be offered a settlement, but do not make any decisions without discussing the details with your attorney.
4. Address Medical Bills
Determine whether to process your medical bills through your medical insurance, auto insurance, or Medicare/Medicaid. If you don’t make arrangements for your medical bills to be paid, you will be the one responsible for paying them. If necessary, issue Promise to Pay letters to the doctors and hospitals. If your insurance pays before the claim is settled, your attorney can help get the medical insurance reimbursed.
5. Completion of Medical Treatment
Completing all the medical treatment before filing your claim will allow you to see what your true injuries and long-term needs are, especially if your injuries are severe. As long as you are within the statute of limitations to file your claim, it may make sense to wait until all of you medical treatment is complete.
6. Order Medical Bills and Records
Give your attorney permission to collect your medical records and lost wage information. You will need these records to make your claim with the semi-truck’s insurance company. Your truck accident attorney can obtain these documents if you sign a medical authorization. This information will be reviewed and analyzed by your attorney before sending it on.
7. Demand Letter for Settlement
After all medical treatment is completed, all damages can be calculated and submitted to the insurance adjuster. The total compensation will be determined by calculating all the types of damages incurred from the truck accident.
8. Lien Resolution
Contact will be made with medical providers regarding outstanding bills. Health insurance, auto insurance and any other insurance will be resolved with the insurance company and medical providers. Subrogation requires someone to be reimbursed if they paid medical bills on your behalf, and then you collect money for those bills, and this is part of lien resolution.
9. Settle or File Suit
Many truck accident settlements are reached without ever needing to file a lawsuit. Your attorney and the semi-truck’s insurance adjuster will often agree on a settlement. However, if you have not settled when the Statute of Limitations date is approaching, you may need to file a lawsuit to avoid missing this deadline.
10. Case Resolved
Once your case is resolved, your attorney will make arrangements for you to sign the releases for the claim noting the amount of the final settlement. Your attorney will review the summary with you, including the amount that will go to them and how the remaining settlement money will be disbursed.
Collecting Information and Evidence
Collecting, organizing, and tracking all the information about your accident with the semi-truck and the subsequent negotiations is crucial. Having all the medical, financial, and personal records organized and available will directly affect the outcome of your case. This includes the accident report filled out by law enforcement, photos and videos from the scene and the aftermath, witness statements, medical records and bills, documented lost wages, and any payments you have made as a result of the accident with the semi-truck. Organizing all this paperwork can be difficult during your recovery period, so make sure that you have an advocate and your attorney helping you gather and track this important evidence. Remember, a large commercial insurance company with a staff of attorneys will be doing this on behalf of the semi-truck, so you need to make sure you are protected.
How Long Does an Insurance Claim Take?
Accidents involving semi-trucks are typically more serious than accidents involving only passenger cars. Insurance claims may take longer when your accident is severe and the insurance adjusters need to determine the value of the settlement based on injuries. It can take several weeks or even months to settle the claim from an accident with a semi-truck. The amount of the insurance claim is based on your medical bills and expenses, lost wages from work or other income, pain and suffering, physical disability, loss of property, and emotional damages. There are damage calculators that can help you determine the amount of a fair settlement, and you can speak with an attorney to try and get a sense of what you are entitled to and how long the process will take. If the semi-truck’s insurance company offers a quick settlement, make sure to have your attorney review that settlement before you agree to accept it. A quick settlement will likely not be in your best interests.
How Long Do I Have to Hire a Truck Accident Lawyer in Ohio?
The Statute of Limitations is the time between the incident and the last date you can file a case. In Ohio, you have two years from the date of the accident with the semi-truck to file a lawsuit to collect compensation from the responsible parties. It will take time to work through the process of filing a case, so it’s smart to contact an attorney who is experienced in semi-truck accidents as soon as possible. You don’t want to miss the deadline for filing. Do not try to manage the settlement alone and wait on hiring an attorney, only to then find out it’s too late to start the process of filing a lawsuit. Your attorney will need adequate time to collect evidence, negotiate on your behalf, and proceed accordingly.
How to Receive a Favorable Truck Accident Settlement
Mistakes will cost you when you are negotiating for a fair settlement, especially if you’ve been in an accident with a semi-truck. Even the smallest admission can come back to bite you. The attorneys for a commercial insurance company are looking for you to say anything that can help their client pay less, and they can be sneaky in the way they ask questions. Some common mistakes you’ll want to avoid are:
- Accepting the first offer the insurance company presents to you.
- Failing to seek medical treatment and not getting or keeping track of the necessary documentation regarding your damages and recovery.
- Admitting a degree of fault in the accident.
- Making legal decisions without first consulting with an experienced truck accident attorney.
How to Receive a Fair Settlement After a Semi-Truck Accident
- Get documentation. If you are able to, use your phone to capture the accident scene, damage to your car, and injuries you sustained. If you are too injured, try to get someone to act on your behalf to collect as much evidence as they can right away, and organize all documentation of your medical care.
- Be cautious about anything you say. Say as little as possible to the insurance company. Many victims feel tempted to apologize for their role in the accident, even if their role was simply being there. If you make any statement that admits any degree of fault-even an apology-the insurance company will use it against you. Do not admit fault or apologize. You can ask if the other party is ok without admitting fault. Pay special attention to anything you, or anyone else posts on social media about your accident.
- Understand that the insurance company has their best interests in mind, not yours. The insurance company is hoping you will accept the first offer, settle for the lowest amount, and refrain from attempting to negotiate.
- Consult with a truck accident attorney right away. Let your attorney handle the negotiations with the insurance companies and guide you through the process. Trying to start on your own will only prolong the process, and could even hurt your chances of a fair settlement.
Benefits to Hiring a Toledo Truck Accident Attorney
There are many benefits to hiring a local attorney experienced in truck accidents after a serious accident like this.
Truck Accident Attorneys are Professional and Objective
Because your attorney won’t be emotionally involved in your case, they can make the objective decisions you may struggle with. Your attorney will always be professional, even when you are feeling emotional. They can look at the settlement offers objectively and give you good advice.
They Know How to Negotiate
Commercial insurance companies that represent semi-truck drivers have teams of lawyers who are experienced at negotiating the lowest settlement they can get away with. You may be pressured by the insurance company to take their offer or risk losing a payout altogether. An attorney experienced in truck accident cases is skilled in this kind of negotiation and has the experience and expertise to know exactly what you are entitled to.
They Will Help You Make Better Decisions
Making a mistake in a legal situation will cost you significantly. An attorney can guide you through the process and provide you with the best route of action that avoids many of the common mistakes those without representation are likely to make.
Truck Accident Attorneys Get Fair Compensation Faster
If you try to go it alone, you will likely get a low settlement offer and be pressured to take it quickly, or you will find yourself embroiled in a long battle that you don’t have the means to fight. When you hire an attorney who understands how to work with commercial truck insurance companies, you are likely to get a fair settlement faster than if you go it alone.
How Much Does a Truck Accident Lawyer Cost?
What you will pay your truck accident attorney is based on what you will recover from your settlement or award. In most cases, you will hire your attorney on a contingency basis, where the fee is contingent on the outcome of your settlement. If your case is successful, your truck accident attorney will be paid a percentage of the settlement. However, it is important to note that the percentage payment is only for the attorney fee.
The overall cost of a semi-truck accident lawyer depends on how quickly your case is resolved and whether or not the case goes to trial, because the actual costs and expenses of taking a truck accident case to trial can add up quickly. However, this should not stop you from hiring an attorney. If you’ve been injured in a semi-truck accident that was not your fault, you need an attorney to bring a case to trial and properly fight, and the additional costs beyond the attorney fees are necessary. Trust that your attorney is fighting for you and that the legal costs are necessary to get you a settlement that will allow you to move forward with your life. The costs and expenses in a semi-truck accident case include:
- Medical record requests
- Expert witnesses (doctors who will testify or write opinion letters)
- Travel
- Court filing fees
- Deposition transcripts
- Appearance fees
- Mediation fees
- Mailing and postage
- Photocopying
Fees V. Costs
Fee and cost can often mean the same thing and are used interchangeably. When you hire an attorney for your truck accident case, fee and cost are different expenses.
Fee: The fee is what you will pay your attorney for their work to negotiate and argue your case. This fee will usually be on a contingency agreement, and will be paid after your case is resolved in your favor. A truck accident attorney often will have a contingency fee of 30-40% of your net reward or settlement account, which will be collected at the completion of your case.
Costs: The costs of a lawsuit will cover administrative duties and include: court costs, administrative costs, investigation costs, and deposition costs. You, as the claimant, will be responsible for all the legal costs incurred during your case.
How to Pay for a Truck Accident Lawyer
The cost of hiring an attorney for your semi-truck accident settlement can feel like it’s too much when you are already juggling medical bills and lost wages. Our semi-truck accident lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. With a contingency fee arrangement, you will only pay attorney’s fees if your lawyer is able to resolve your case successfully, whether that is through a settlement with the insurance company or a verdict after a lawsuit. Their fee will come out of the money awarded to you when you get your settlement. The fee is typically a fixed percentage of your net financial recovery, and this percentage will be agreed upon before you hire the attorney. When you have your complimentary first consultation with an attorney experienced in semi-truck accidents, you will discuss all the fees and payments associated with your case, preventing any surprises at the end of the process.
Fair & Square Fee Guarantee®
Arthur Law Firm guarantees that when your case is resolved, your attorney fee will never exceed your recovery amount. With this Fair & Square Fee Guarantee, you can trust the attorneys at Arthur Law Firm to protect your rights and recover all damages you are entitled to under the law. When you hire Arthur Law Firm, you can trust that we will do this without expecting you to pay more in legal fees that you recover from your settlement. We will reduce our fee if it exceeds your net recovery.
Choose Arthur Law Firm for Your Toledo Truck Accident Lawyer Needs
Victims of semi-truck accidents need an attorney on their side. If you’ve been injured and are facing serious damages, you need to know your options to move forward after a truck accident. Recovering from injuries is enough of a burden, and the stress of lost wages, a totaled vehicle, and negotiating with a commercial insurance company and their staff of attorneys can make your recovery overwhelming.
You should not go through it alone.
Let Arthur Law Firm be the advocate you need who can explain your options and fight for you against the insurance companies. You need results, and with our experience and dedication to fighting hard for victims’ rights, we can help you get a fair settlement.
The attorneys at Arthur Law Firm understand the trauma you are suffering due to a semi-truck accident that wasn’t your fault. Contact us at (419) 782-9881 for a free consultation to discuss your recent truck accident, and day by day you can start putting this painful, overwhelming situation behind you and move on to a brighter future for you and your loved ones.
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