5 Factors to Consider When Choosing a Truck Accident Lawyer
Last updated Tuesday, July 4th, 2023
If you or a loved one was injured in an automobile accident involving a truck driver, your accident claim can get complicated. Liability can shift from the truck driver to the trucking company, a manufacturing company, or another party altogether. Many truck accident victims opt to hire a lawyer to help them stand up against the liable party and fight for the compensation they need. However, there are five major factors to consider when choosing a truck accident lawyer for your case.
Trucking companies’ insurance representatives can be more aggressive, which might be intimidating if you’ve never pursued compensation before. This blog serves to help you decide who is the right personal injury lawyer for you.
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Factor 1: Whether the Lawyer Handles Truck Accident Cases
Truck accident cases fall under personal injury law. However, not all personal injury law firms handle truck accident cases. Some firms may handle car accident cases but exclude those involving trucking companies, often due to the complexity of these cases.
Truck accident cases are unique in that:
- The at-fault truck driver is not always the liable party: Truck drivers can work as independent contractors or employees of a trucking company. If the at-fault driver works for a trucking company as an employee, their employer may be held vicariously liable for the accident. This means you would file a claim or lawsuit against the company, not the driver.
- There may be more than one liable party: Depending on what caused the accident, another liable party may be involved besides the driver or trucking company. For example, if a vehicle malfunction caused the accident, the truck manufacturer or a maintenance company may share liability. If multiple liable parties exist, you would have to file separate claims/lawsuits.
Factor 2: Their Past Verdicts and Settlement Results
Always factor in a law firm’s track record of verdicts and settlements they’ve won for their clients. At our personal injury law firm, we’ve won the following case victories:
- $10 million for a man’s family who passed away from a head-on collision with a semi-truck
- $5.525 million for a woman who suffered severe injuries after a rear-end collision with a tanker truck forced her to collide with a semi-truck
- $3.65 million for a woman who suffered severe injuries after colliding with a semi-truck that pulled out in front of her unexpectedly
Our attorneys have recovered $2 billion in settlements for our clients.
Factor 3: Whether They Work for a Contingency Fee
Many personal injury law firms offer to work on a contingency fee basis, which means:
- You do not have to pay any attorney’s fees unless the firm wins your case.
- You will be charged a percentage of your compensation award instead of an hourly rate.
At Isaacs & Isaacs Personal Injury Lawyers, we don’t charge any upfront fees or costs, so you won’t be surprised at the end of your case. You can learn more about our fee agreement system in a free consultation with our team.
Factor 4: What Kind of Services do They Offer to Build Your Case
When choosing a truck accident lawyer for your case, be mindful of what services they offer to build your case, such as:
- Investigating your truck accident separate from law enforcement to collect evidence (e.g., video footage, witness testimony, expert analysis)
- Filling out legal paperwork, which includes reviewing insurance policies, for you
- Handling communications with the trucking company, insurance company, and other inquiring parties for you to protect you from making statements that harm your case
- Calculating your damages to reach a fair value for your case (e.g., medical expenses, income loss, and funeral expenses if applicable)
- Negotiating a potential settlement before your case goes to trial or receives a verdict
- Advising you throughout your legal journey, including whether you should file a lawsuit and go to court for your case
Our firm has an in-house litigation team who can offer all of the above services. We also provide bilingual services to those who speak Spanish.
Factor 5: Whether the Firm Practices in Your State and Knows Its Laws
Some key state-specific information your truck accident lawyer should know includes:
- Statute of limitations: Each state has a separate statutory deadline for personal injury cases. For example, while Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky all have a two-year filing period, Ky. Rev. Stat. § 304.39-230 allows the filing period to start on the last day a personal injury protection (PIP) payment was made. Indiana’s IC § 34-11-2-4 and Ohio Revised Code Section 2305.10 do not.
- Interstate law: Because trucks are a means for interstate commerce, a truck accident on a highway can bring outside legal factors. The accident location, the plaintiff’s insurance policy, and the truck driver’s insurer may all stem from different states, which will need to be considered when building a case.
At Isaacs & Isaacs Personal Injury Lawyers, our firm handles truck accident cases in Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky. Our attorneys are also licensed to serve people in Nevada, Texas, and Illinois.
Call Isaacs & Isaacs Personal Injury Lawyers to Represent Your Injury Case
It’s important to consider several factors when choosing a truck accident lawyer, especially if you have never navigated the legal claims sector for truck accident cases. At Isaacs & Isaacs Personal Injury Lawyers, we are dedicated to building comprehensive cases for our clients. Call our law firm today to receive a free case evaluation and start your legal journey today.
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