It's never anybody's plan to be involved in a car accident. Sadly, car and truck…
Millions of Atlanta residents share the road with massive freight trucks, with the hope that the drivers comply with the federal and state laws set to keep everyone safe. Sadly, statistics from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration show that over 500,000 trucking accidents occur each year, with over 5,000 fatalities recorded. The sheer size of the tractor-trailer trucks makes damage and injuries almost inevitable if an accident occurs.
How Truck Accident Attorneys May Help You Out
The period immediately after a trucking accident can be confusing. You may have to spend weeks in hospital nursing your injuries and later seek restitution for the damages incurred. Truck accident attorneys can help you find the best medical care for your injuries and file for compensation from the insurance company.
Here are three instances s in which you should consider hiring a truck accident lawyer.
1. You Sustained Serious Injuries
The massive size and weight of the trucks may lead the occupants of the other vehicles involved to sustain serious injuries. It may result in higher medical expenses, and more workdays lost as you recuperate in hospital. As such, serious injuries may cause insurance companies to delay the huge payout. Truck accident lawyers can ensure that you receive the right medical attention and negotiate a fair settlement for your injuries.
2. You Aren’t Comfortable with the Settlement Offer Provided
95-96% of all personal injury cases are settled out-of-court. The insurance company may try to settle quickly to avoid a long, drawn-out court battle by offering a low-ball offer. If you are uncomfortable with the figure presented by the insurance company, it may be time to call in your truck accident lawyers.
Truck accident lawyers can help you calculate the right value for your claim, ensuring that you receive fair compensation for damages incurred. The amount awarded in accident cases varies on a case-to-case basis. Overall, the median average given to a plaintiff for any case is $31,000, while 50% of these cases don’t receive more than $24,000.
The insurance industry doesn’t have a specific formula for calculating damages. A seasoned truck accident attorney can help calculate the value of your claim through various cost factors to come up with a fair and acceptable estimate.
3. The Insurance Company Denied Your Claim
Insurance adjusters often check the facts surrounding the case before deciding to table an offer. The insurance company may deem the facts in your case as weak, throwing out your claim altogether. You may need a team of experienced truck accident attorneys to help you gather evidence and support your claim.
The insurance company may deny your claim based on liability, especially when multiple parties were involved in the accident. Truck accident attorneys may have a pool of private investigators and accident reconstruction experts that can gather evidence that points out the driver is at fault. If you opt to proceed to court, the car crash lawyers can argue your case before the judge and jury.
Truck accidents are common in the United States. In fact, they account for less than 1% of all car accidents but cause 6-8% of all traffic fatalities. The sheer size and weight of these vehicles mean that when truck drivers make mistakes, people get hurt.
Indeed, a person involved in a serious collision with a tractor-trailer is 40 times more likely to die than someone who collides with another vehicle or object such as a telephone pole or tree branch. Given this grim statistic, it’s important for those involved in collisions with trucks to know their rights and what steps they should take after an accident occurs. Fortunately, there are attorneys who specialize in truck accident cases and can help you explore your options if you have been injured.
Hiring truck accident lawyers can help increase your odds at a favorable outcome with fair compensation for your injuries. If you are searching for truck accident attorneys in Atlanta, contact The Fitzpatrick Firm, LLC.