The Importance of Hiring the Right Commercial Vehicle Accident Attorney

If you have been involved in an accident with a large commercial vehicle, such as a tractor-trailer, you will quickly find out that it is very different from being in a typical automobile collision. Unlike most motorists, most trucking companies and commercial vehicles have a legal team on-call who are ready to investigate and defend them right away if something were to happen. 

For this reason, it is crucial to hire a skilled legal team that has the resources necessary, and the skills needed to take on these large insurance companies so you can get the money you need and deserve. The right commercial vehicle accident lawyer will be able to provide you with effective legal services throughout the process of your claim.

Familiarity with Truck Laws and Federal Regulations

When hiring an attorney, truck accident claims experience is crucial. Accident cases involving commercial vehicles are generally far more complex than most other types of vehicle collisions. The trucking industry is subject to state and federal laws that do not apply to accidents involving regular passenger vehicles.  Drivers of commercial vehicles are held to higher standards through federal and state regulations. If the driver doesn’t follow those regulations and a crash occurs, the driver can be held responsible for the accident.  These laws can be very intricate and tricky and, as a result, accidents with commercial vehicles and trucking companies tend to be far more time-consuming and challenging to handle. 

It is highly advised that you seek legal guidance from a team that is well-versed in handling complex truck accident cases. Experienced truck accident lawyers will understand the ins and outs of dealing with commercial and trucking carriers, their insurance companies, and other entities in the trucking business.

The Benefits of a Truck Accident Lawyer

Having a seasoned truck injury attorney by your side throughout the entire legal process can ensure you obtain a favorable outcome for your lawsuit. A dedicated legal team will be able to help you with the following tasks:

1. Determining Liability

Commercial truck accidents are incredibly complex in that they can involve several parties who assume liability. Some defendants you can potentially name in a lawsuit include, the owner of the truck, the operator, the trucking company, the manufacturer, the cargo company, or even the mechanics responsible for inspecting and servicing the truck. Your attorney will help you determine who is responsible for the accident. 

2. Investigating the Incident

Your commercial vehicle accident lawyer will investigate the truck accident in-depth to gather strong evidence and provide a solid argument on your behalf. All commercial vehicles and tractor-trailers are required to have date recorders or “black boxes” that record many aspects of what the truck is doing, including its speed, braking, turning, use of lights, etc. Most are equipped with cameras as well.  Knowing what information is available from the commercial vehicle or truck is critical so that it can be retrieved, analyzed, and saved.  A lot of this data is overwritten and lost within a short time after an incident, so hiring an attorney quickly who is seasoned in handling truck accident claims is extremely important.

3. Handling Negotiations

It can be quite challenging to reach a settlement agreement with a trucking company or their insurance company. Given the level to which they investigate accidents shortly after they occur, they often put-up defenses to avoid having to pay someone who was hurt by their negligence.  Also, commercial insurance policies usually have high monetary limits, often much more than a regular passenger vehicle, which means they have potentially more money to lose, and they do their best to protect that money.  Hiring an experienced legal team will improve your chances of receiving full and fair compensation to cover the damages, medical bills, and injuries you face.

4. Providing Invaluable Experience and Knowledge

Working with an attorney who has extensive experience helping commercial vehicle accident victims ensures you are getting an attorney who is familiar with truck and commercial vehicle laws and able to understand which violations apply to your case.

Trying to take on a trucking company alone can jeopardize your ability to secure full compensation to help cover the damages and injuries you sustain in your accident. Instead, you should seek legal representation as soon as possible. This will ensure you have the strongest case and have gathered and analyzed all the evidence that is part of case against a commercial vehicle.

A commercial vehicle injury attorney will help you get the money you need to cover lost wages and medical bills throughout your recovery as well as your pain, suffering, and inconvenience. 

Fighting for Fair Compensation

At Huffman & Huffman, our lawyers are deeply committed to helping each of our clients protect their legal rights and get justice after being harmed. Our lawyers have helped victims pursue legal actions against trucking companies for more than five decades and gain fair compensation for their injuries and damages. We will help you obtain the outcome that you deserve for your personal injury claim.

Our lawyers are here to answer questions you have and provide you with guidance on how to pursue a personal injury case following your truck accident. Contact our Virginia personal injury law firm at your earliest convenience to schedule a free consultation to get started on your case.