Dealing with a commercial vehicle accident is an overwhelming experience. Let our compassionate and experienced team handle the complex legal process so you can focus on your recovery. We'll guide you through every step, from taking on large corporations and their powerful legal teams to securing the maximum compensation you need to get back on your feet.
Yes, hiring a commercial vehicle accident lawyer is a crucial step after a crash involving a truck, bus, or other commercial vehicle. While many cases settle before trial, an experienced commercial vehicle accident attorney plays a pivotal role in negotiating with insurance companies and large corporations to secure the maximum possible compensation. They also have the expertise to take your case to trial if that becomes the best path to justice. Most importantly, a commercial vehicle accident lawyer understands the complexities of personal injury law, including specific regulations for truck accidents and bus crashes, and can leverage all available evidence to build the strongest possible case on your behalf.
A lawyer handles all the legal complexities, allowing you to focus on your recovery. Their key responsibilities include:
● Investigating the facts of the case
● Gathering and preserving evidence for trial
● Serving as a “communication middleman”
● Identifying eyewitnesses
● Collaborating with expert witnesses
● Developing a comprehensive legal strategy
● Negotiating a potential settlement
● Reacting dynamically to changing circumstances
The primary goal of a personal injury attorney is to secure compensation for all losses caused by the accident. These losses, also known as damages, may include:
● Wage loss
● Pain and suffering
● Medical expenses
● Loss of earning capacity
● Property loss
● And more.
You may be concerned about the cost of hiring a commercial vehicle accident lawyer? Not a problem. Most commercial vehicle accident attorneys work on a contingency basis. This means you pay nothing unless and until they successfully win your case and you obtain compensation. There are no upfront costs. Put simply, the attorney will represent you for free.
They will cover out-of-pocket expenses, like: medical expenses, and costs of litigation, like: working with expert witnesses and investigators, building the case, and so on. Your commercial vehicle accident attorney may put in hundreds of thousands of dollars of work for free! Contingency fees make it easier for injured plaintiffs to secure quality legal representation. In exchange, the plaintiff will have to give a percentage of their recovery wins over to the attorney.
For example, if your truck accident settlement lawyer secures $2,000,000, they may take a percentage in contingency fees, leaving you with a substantial recovery. This dynamic is highly advantageous. Not only do you pay no upfront costs, but it also incentivizes the attorney to work efficiently and to maximize your overall compensation. The more that your attorney can secure on your behalf, the more they get paid. It’s a win-win situation.
Most commercial vehicle accident attorneys also provide free consultations. This can help you understand whether you have an actionable injury claim, and whether you’d like to move forward with your case. There is no barrier to entry, so if you need truck accident lawyer or truck accident legal help, make sure to contact an accident attorney to get started on next steps.
This is one of our most frequently asked questions! However, it’s a hard question to answer without knowing the facts of your case.
When you hire a commercial vehicle accident attorney, they will consider the evidence to determine how much your case may be worth. The value of your claim dictates the damages, or compensation, you might claim. Damages are based on, for example, who was at fault, the severity of your injuries (such as brain injury, spinal cord injury, or other catastrophic injury), property damage, whether you’ve had time off work, and whether you have long-term care needs.
Generally, there are three types of damages in personal injury claims:
What are Non-economic Damages? Non-economic damages include the following losses:
What are economic damages? Economic damages include the following losses:
What are punitive damages? Punitive damages are somewhat different. They are meant to punish defendants who engaged in particularly problematic, malicious behavior (i.e., drunk driving, road rage accidents, etc.) — and are only available in limited cases.
Punitive damages are worth claiming where possible, however, as they multiply the baseline damages, leading to damage totals that can tally up into millions. An experienced commercial vehicle accident lawyer can explain if you’re entitled to punitive damages.
If you've been in a commercial vehicle accident, it's crucial to hire a commercial vehicle accident lawyer as quickly as possible. This is not just about moving on with your life; there are practical, legal reasons for acting fast.
AAttorneys engage significant resources towards investigating the case. They identify witnesses, work to gather all relevant evidence (i.e., photographic and video evidence from nearby security cameras, medical records, police records, employment records, certifications, truck accident scene investigation reports, etc.), and evaluate potential legal arguments that could win the case for the plaintiff.
As the plaintiff, the success of your case could be dramatically influenced by your own fault contribution. In other words, if you are partly responsible for your own injuries, then you could have your damages reduced. In some cases, a recovery may not be available at all. Examples may include:
To minimize the likelihood of this occurrence, your injury attorney will serve as your communication middleman. They will speak with opposing counsel and with insurance companies or adjusters on your behalf. This, in turn, protects you from admitting certain facts that could undermine your accident case.
All personal injury disputes, including truck accidents, bus accidents, and other commercial vehicle accidents, are governed by applicable statutes of limitations. The statute of limitations is essentially a deadline. If you do not file your claim by the deadline, then you will no longer have a right to bring a lawsuit against the defendant. Simply put, a failure to act within a reasonable time period can prevent you from securing compensation.
While you can try to handle a commercial vehicle accident dispute on your own, it is strongly discouraged. As a victim, you are up against a system that is not on your side. Defendants can be hostile, and even if they are “friendly” they are unlikely to give you exactly what you want. Insurance companies and insurance adjusters are not your allies. If you try to secure an insurance payout, you’ll find:
That’s where your commercial vehicle accident attorney comes in. They will handle the case from start-to-finish and advocate relentlessly on your behalf, all to secure maximum possible compensation
So you know that you need a commercial vehicle accident lawyer, but how do you find the right commercial vehicle accident attorney to fit your needs? Here are some key tips to make the best decision possible:
It can be difficult to assess the quality of an attorney from a cursory search online. Look for an experienced commercial vehicle accident lawyer with a strong reputation.
Always confirm the attorney's fee structure. As discussed earlier, most commercial vehicle accident lawyers work on a contingency basis, meaning they charge no upfront fee and get a percentage of the damages when you win your case. Before you sign anything, be sure that you have a complete understanding of “when” you have to pay and what that fee is based on. Commercial vehicle accident attorneys may work with different contingency fee percentages, so be sure that you’re comfortable with the amount before moving forward with that attorney.
Though experience isn’t the only predictor of quality representation, it is meaningful. An experienced commercial vehicle accident attorney has litigated many cases and has seen “patterns” in litigation. This gives them unique insights into how best to proceed with your case to maximize compensation and avoid a negative outcome. We encourage you to work with commercial vehicle accident attorneys who have helped clients navigate a variety of accident scenarios, including truck vs motorcycle accident or multi car truck accident.
Most personal injury and commercial vehicle accident lawyers offer free advice or consultation. At this time, they gather more information through a phone call or online about your case and help identify strategic options. If a commercial vehicle accident lawyer wants money up front for a legal consultation, they are probably not the best candidate. It is important to evaluate whether you feel comfortable with an attorney. Consider: are your personalities compatible in the working context? If they are, you will enjoy a smoother process for your commercial vehicle accident claim or case, which can help to deal with an otherwise stressful experience.
Oftentimes, the general public assumes that larger firms are “better” than smaller firms. That simply isn’t true. It’s important not to jump to conclusions. At larger firms, a commercial vehicle accident or personal injury case can get lost in the shuffle. It may not get the attention it deserves. By contrast, there are many small-to-medium-sized firms out there that do an excellent job in representing commercial vehicle accident victims.
Even if you believe your case is minor, you should still contact a commercial vehicle accident lawyer. They can assess the evidence and determine if there’s a viable path to compensation. Since most attorneys for commercial vehicle accidents are paid a percentage, some won’t accept cases where the settlement amount is relatively small. Every commercial vehicle accident attorney has overhead costs, after all, and they may feel that the investment is not enough to make the case worthwhile.
Fortunately, most cases can be “worked” up to a reasonable level. If a commercial vehicle accident attorney is unwilling to do that, you may want to explore hiring a different commercial vehicle accident lawyer.
The first sit-down meeting with your commercial vehicle accident attorney is important. Create a folder with copies of all documents that you have on-hand relating to the case. This may include police reports, accident descriptions, photos and videos, paycheck stubs, medical bills, and medical records. Be sure to also include any communications that you may have already had with your insurance company. Documents should be organized so that the commercial vehicle accident attorney doesn’t have to shuffle needlessly through materials.
It is perfectly acceptable—and encouraged—to ask your commercial vehicle accident lawyer how they plan on securing maximum compensation in your case. Commercial vehicle accident lawyers can estimate what your case is worth based on, for example, your injuries and medical bills. They will explain what they think is the best strategy for securing compensation for your commercial vehicle accident. You can ask questions or request that they approach things differently. After all, commercial vehicle accident lawyers are here to serve you. Here’s an example. If you don’t want to go to trial, you can ask your attorney to accept a settlement offer for you instead.
Yes, it is absolutely critical that you hire a lawyer. Without one, you risk unintentionally damaging your case with a simple statement to an insurance adjuster. An experienced commercial vehicle accident attorney removes the stress of filing a lawsuit. The best commercial vehicle accident lawyer will:
By hiring a lawyer, you can confidently focus on moving forward without worrying about legal matters.
This website is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Contacting us does not establish an attorney-client relationship.
