An 18-wheeler going at even some of the slowest speeds is no match for the regular passenger vehicle. If the careless actions of a truck driver resulted in serious injuries for you, you can pursue legal action in the form of civil litigation. Contact an 18-wheeler truck accident lawyer to possibly pursue a personal injury lawsuit if that is your best option for possible compensation. If you need to speak with a semi-truck accident attorney, contact an attorney at the Legal Helpline at 1234567890
Advantages of Hiring a Semi-Truck Accident Attorney
Many may wonder if there is truly is an advantage in retaining a semi-truck accident attorney for their commercial truck accident claim. The answer would be, YES! A truck accident attorney is the type of personal injury lawyer that is skilled and well versed to the point when they can help ensure you are not assigned a higher percentage of fault than you deserve, which would take away some of your compensation.
18-Wheeler Accident Causes
The most common cause of truck accidents is fatigue by overworked drivers. Most truck drivers normally drive over long distances for many hours with very little rest in between. This is mainly caused by the owners of truck companies who demand the delivery of goods to certain destinations within a short period of time. Truck accidents are especially scary because they’re more likely to result in death or serious injury than a collision between two passenger cars. Aside from the weight factor, the driver in a large commercial truck is usually riding high up in the cab, while the driver of the car is much lower to the ground. As a matter of fact, a truck accident is more common than you may think. As of August of 2021, according to data from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), around 500,000 trucking accidents occur each year in the United States, with about 5,000 per year resulting in death.
When a semi-truck is involved in an accident, which is significantly more dangerous than those in passenger vehicles, the potential for a fatality is approximately 11% of all traffic accident deaths in the U.S. According to recent statistics, of the 388,000 large truck accidents which occurred on the highways, 28 percent (107,000) resulted in injury and over 11 percent (4,415) resulted in a fatality.
Truck Accident Lawyer Roles and Responsibilities
Ideally, you want to contact an 18 wheeler accident lawyer as soon as possible following a truck accident. The sooner you are able to contact a lawyer, the sooner your attorney can help you determine what amount of compensation you should seek. In helping you to receive the maximum compensation for the injury you have sustained from the semi-truck accident, your attorney or lawyer has a large number of duties and responsibilities which will aid in you receiving the maximum compensation for your claim. In their role in representing your best interests and getting the maximum allowable compensation possible for your accident injuries sustained, the truck accident lawyer can:
- Identify the liable party or parties
- Collect evidence
- Interview eyewitnesses
- Negotiate with the insurance company
- Take the case to trial if necessary
18-Wheeler Truck Accident Settlement Timeframe
Generally speaking, when a semi-truck crash results in only soft tissue damage, there often is at least a small settlement offer from the insurance company within six months of the accident. In order to receive the maximum claim, in the shortest period of time, claimants should submit evidence of necessary treatment, including medical bills and lost wages during the recovery process. Or even better, utilize the services of an 18-wheeler accident attorney to get the highest claim that you deserve.
18-wheeler Accident Average Settlement
There is no average value for accidents involving an 18-wheeler. Every case is different, and the compensation amount usually depends on the total damage done. This also means that there is no minimum truck settlement. Some settlements have reached $100,000, while others garnered millions of dollars in compensation
Do Semi-truck Accidents Go to Trial?
Semi-truck accidents are serious matters that often leave people with catastrophic, life-changing injuries. It might be no surprise, then, that so many truck accident cases are bound for a trial in the courtroom. Although semi-truck accidents don’t always go to trial, many do
Pain and Suffering Settlement Calculation
According to the widely accepted multiplier method, there is a multiplier of 3X. That means that if a plaintiff incurs $6,000 in medical bills related to a broken arm, he or she might multiply that by three, and conclude that $18,000 represents a reasonable amount for pain and suffering. The multiplier method is used in our accident settlement calculator.
It can be difficult to decide which method to use to calculate pain and suffering, so often several different methods can be used. Another popular method used to calculate compensation for pain and suffering is when the insurance company, or a jury, makes a determination on how many days you are expected to be in ongoing pain or discomfort. They then apply your daily rate of pay to the equation and multiply the days of pain by your rate of pay per day. It can be difficult to decide which method to use to calculate pain and suffering. Compensation for a personal injury can be paid out as a single lump sum or as a series of periodic payments in the form of a structured settlement. Structured settlement annuities can be tailored to meet individual needs, but once agreed upon, the terms cannot be changed.
Contact Quality Commercial Semi-Truck Accident Lawyers
If you or a loved one has been involved in an 18 Wheeler accident, they need to hire the best truck accident lawyers for their situation. Let us be of assistance. Call one of the attorneys we work with at 1234567890