After a truck accident, many people make the mistake of handling their accident claim alone. This is understandable—accidents are financially difficult moments, and a person might look to settle with responsible parties as soon as possible.
However, when it comes to recovering after a truck accident, speeding through the compensation and quickly settling does not usually serve the best interests of claimants. Insurance companies are businesses which need to protect their profits. So, they often try to offer low initial settlements, delay claims, or will outright deny a claim that they should not. So, how do truck accident survivors counteract the practices of a trillion-dollar industry? By hiring an experienced truck accident attorney.
What Difference Does Legal Representation Make?
Attorneys help truck accident survivors by providing the insight needed to tell when an insurance company is not offering a fair settlement. Having a lawyer provides you with an advocate at the negotiation table or in the courtroom and lets an insurance company know that they cannot get away with an easy settlement.
While every truck accident claim has unique complexities, a lawyer helps with the following:
- Speaking to the insurance company
- Gathering information and evidence such as medical records and testimony from experts and witnesses
- Organization of relevant financial information related to the accident
- Proving negligence to encourage a fair settlement
- Negotiating with parties their client is in debt to
- Determining the fairness of an offer and when to take a claim to court
Insurance companies have their own set of experts, doctors, and lawyers ready to defend them from as much liability as possible. In his book Delay, Deny, Defend, Jay M. Feinman found that insurance companies have a record of litigating claims they know they have no legal grounds to deny to discourage defendants. Through this method, insurers hope to frustrate claimants into accepting little to no compensation. When a person obtains the help of an attorney, they tell an insurance company that their traditional methods of evading payouts will not work for their claim.
Do Claimants Achieve Better Results with the Help of a Lawyer?
In his book, Jay M. Feinman found that lawyers don’t just claim to defend clients from insurance industry tactics. He also found that they produce more results for them. One study cited in Delay, Deny, Defend found that insurance claimants made 90 percent more than others who did not have an attorney for the same types of claims. An additional analysis found that those who hired a lawyer “recovered two to five times as much as much as those without the aid of a lawyer.” So, those who obtain the help of an attorney have a much better chance of recovering the amount that they need instead of the amount they receive an offer for.
How Do Attorneys Help with Truck Accident Claims?
While car accident survivors should always obtain the help of an attorney, those who were involved in an accident with a large truck face a unique set of challenges. Trucks are large and cause much more damage during an accident with smaller vehicles. The following are important factors that attorneys assist with.
Truck Regulations
The federal government places requirements on commercial vehicles that other cars on the road to not have to follow. For example, strict laws require the regular maintenance of brakes and other components of a truck. A lawyer will provide the resources needed to investigate if a truck did not receive the proper amount of maintenance or follow other important industry regulations. They will use any evidence they find to support their efforts to obtain the compensation you need.
Larger Insurance Policies
Large trucks have the potential to cause significantly more damage than other vehicles. Depending on what a truck is transporting, the FMCSA requires about $750,000 to $5,000,000 in insurance coverage for trucks. Since truck insurance policies are so valuable, insurance companies place their best adjusters and lawyers on claims involving them. A person facing a truck insurance claim will need the help of an attorney to not only obtain a fair settlement but to also fight the arsenal of experts that the insurer will likely assign to their case.
Significant Property Damage & Costly Injuries
Trucks cause a lot of property damage, and injuries that can be gruesome and take a lifetime to heal from. Because of the large insurance policies listed above, an accident survivor might receive a higher offer than they expected for their losses. This offer is low when compared to the total coverage available from the other party’s policy.
A lawyer will accomplish an investigation into your accident. They will then use the results from it to determine if you are receiving a fair settlement offer or if they should litigate to receive the compensation that you deserve. After devastating accidents, survivors deserve to know they will be able to pay for costs associated with their injuries for a long as they need to. A lawyer will work to provide them with this peace of mind.
Truck Accident Claims Require Experience Legal Assistance
Because truck accidents provide a unique set of challenges, a person should not turn to any car accident lawyer for help. Instead, they need an attorney who has experience with negotiating or litigating claims for large truck accidents. For decades, Clayton, Frugé & Ward has had the experience needed to help clients receive the compensation they need after a serious trucking accident. In fact, we've obtained as much as $51.5 million in a single verdict for truck accident survivors—and his legal victories don't end here! In 2018 alone, we obtained results in 3 cases which netted more than $81 million in settlements or victories. Our firm knows what it takes to produce results, and we have a history of repeating them for clients.
If you’ve been involved in a serious accident with a truck, it’s important to remember one thing: recovery is possible with the help of the right law firm. Clayton, Frugé & Ward provides clients with the service they deserve while reminding the truck industry and their insurers about their responsibility to provide compensation for accidents.
Call us today for a completely free consultation at (225) 209-9943. A member of our team is standing by to talk to you. Importantly, if we take your case, you’ll never pay a fee unless we win results for you.