After being involved in an accident with a semi truck, you may not be sure what to do next. Do you contact the insurance company? Do you file a lawsuit against the driver? With the help of an attorney, you can figure out how to get yourself the best help and the most in compensation. The following are some other ways an attorney can help after your truck accident.
Figuring Out Who Is Responsible
Truck accidents aren’t as cut and dried as they might seem. You might suspect the truck driver is at fault, only to realize later that his or her load shifted and there was nothing he or she could have done. Through proper investigating, your lawyer can help to determine who is responsible for damages. It could be the driver, the company for which he or she drives, the individual who loaded the truck, or even the manufacturer of the truck.
Determining Which Damages to Seek
In the case of a truck accident, there are various damages one may be able to seek. Your lawyer can help to determine which to go after, including:
- Medical Costs – Most accidents involving big rigs are riddled with injuries. Your medical costs could be recovered in a lawsuit. This includes those already incurred, as well as ongoing costs.
- Lost Wages – Whether you are permanently unable to work after your accident, or just for a short while, you could seek compensation for lost wages, as well as loss of earning capacity.
- Pain and Suffering – While there’s not an exact number you can place on suffering, you can seek damages for it, which could include emotional suffering, loss of life’s enjoyment, inconvenience, loss of consortium and other pains you experienced.
- Loss of Care – If you are in a situation in which you can’t care for your loved ones after your accident, they may be entitled to compensation for loss of care, love, companionship and more.
- Punitive Damages – If evidence points to intentional negligence, a judge may reward you with punitive damages as a way to punish the responsible party further.
Getting You Through the Case
Truck accident lawsuits are full of deadlines, paperwork, interviews and a whole lot of other aspects you may not know how to deal with. While you may not have all the knowledge and experience necessary to get through the case with the best results possible, your attorney should. Contact a truck accident lawyer in Memphis, TN today to learn more and to get started with your case.
Thanks to Patterson Bray, for their insight into personal injury claims and how an attorney can help with a truck accident claim.