Trucks, 18-wheelers, and moving vans are enormous vehicles. They weigh considerably more than the average passenger car, creating the potential for severe injuries.
Were you injured in a truck accident? If another party was responsible for your accident, you may have grounds to pursue an insurance settlement or lawsuit. At D. Miller & Associates, PLLC™, our truck accident lawyer serving Grand Prairie can evaluate the specifics of your case.
How a Truck Accident Attorney Serving Grand Prairie Can Help
The legal precedents surrounding truck accidents aren’t simple, but you have a right to legal counsel. These are a few ways a truck accident lawyer could help you with your case:
Negotiate With Insurers
Texas requires trucking companies to carry insurance. This means that truck accident financial recoveries typically involve insurance negotiations.
Car accident victims oftentimes assume that insurers are on their side. Insurance companies aren’t charities, though, they’re businesses. To maintain their bottom line, they may try to dispute the value of your recovery:
- By investigating your case and suggesting that you were at fault
- By using your recorded statements against you
- By offering you a low recovery as early as possible
Our truck accident lawyers can negotiate with insurers on your behalf. We’ll prepare you for communicating with insurers and advise you on what you should or shouldn’t say. We can work to protect you from bad-faith insurance practices.
File a Lawsuit
Insurance negotiations aren’t always fruitful. Insurers may continue to offer you an unfair recovery, or outright refuse to provide any recovery at all. These situations aren’t common. However, if insurance negotiations do break down, we’re prepared to take file a lawsuit on your behalf. We can prepare you for this process if needed.
Investigate Your Case
Evidence is a core component of truck accident cases. We can investigate your case and organize any evidence that’s relevant to your financial recovery. Evidence in a truck accident case includes:
- Information from a truck’s onboard recording computer
- Footage or images of the accident or the scene of the accident
- Statements from those involved in the accident
- Expert analysis from a crash reconstruction specialist
- Police or crash reports
Gathering and organizing evidence takes time. We’ll manage this part of your case. We can access police reports and visit the scene of the accident on your behalf.
Find the Liable Party
You must assign negligence to secure a financial recovery in a truck accident case. Negligence is a broad term. It refers to a range of unsafe behaviors that endanger others.
There are usually four potential liable or negligent parties in a truck accident case. They include:
- Truck drivers: Truck drivers need to obey local roadway laws. If they speed, drive under the influence of alcohol, or otherwise ignore roadway laws, they can be liable for your injuries.
- Trucking companies: Trucking companies are responsible for ensuring that their business operates in a safe manner. They must vet their drivers, provide adequate training, and maintain the condition of their fleet. Failing to meet these safety standards can cause an accident.
- Truck manufacturers: A faulty truck braking or steering system can lead to an accident. If your accident was caused by a defective vehicle, you may be able to pursue a truck manufacturer.
- Other drivers: Just because your accident involved a truck doesn’t mean it was caused by a truck. Other drivers on the roadway must also behave safely. If another driver caused your accident, you may be able to pursue them with an insurance settlement or lawsuit.
Our team can review the available evidence to determine liability in your truck accident. With our help, you won’t need to guess who caused your accident.
Determine Negligence
In a legal case or insurance settlement, negligence is established in four steps:
- Duty of care: Truckers, trucking companies, truck manufacturers, and other drivers are all responsible for the safety of others on the roadway. This responsibility is called a duty of care. We can work to show that the liable party owed you a duty of care.
- Breach of duty: Your truck accident lawyer must show that the liable party failed to uphold this duty of care by behaving negligently.
- The link: We can use the aforementioned evidence to establish a link between the liable party’s negligence and your accident.
- Demonstrable injuries: Medical records are an important piece of evidence. They can be used to show that you suffered because of your truck accident.
Our Previous Clients Speak About Their Experience
Our previous clients appreciate our commitment to providing a hassle-free legal experience. Their testimonials describe working with D. Miller & Associates, PLLC™:
- “The staff here are genuinely concerned about what is going on in our lives. They have walked me through every step and I sincerely appreciate their helpfulness.” – Shelley B.
- “These lawyers are great and I would recommend them to anyone. They keep me updated and don’t take a dime until I win.” – Heather F.
How Much Will My Financial Recovery Be After a Truck Accident in Grand Prairie?
Truck accidents can be expensive. Your vehicle may have been destroyed, and you might have mounting medical expenses.
It’s common to wonder how much you’ll receive from pursuing an insurance settlement or lawsuit. Every truck accident is different, though. Some cause minor injuries, whereas others lead to debilitating medical conditions.
The type and severity of these damages will ultimately determine the value of your case:
- Medical expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Reduction in earning capacity and lost wages
- Damaged personal property
- A wrongful death
This isn’t a complete list of potential damages in a truck accident. You may be able to recover other losses. We’ll happily explain what damages apply or don’t apply to your truck accident case.
A truck accident lawyer from our firm can also advise you on a fair settlement valuation. If the liable party’s insurance offers you a low settlement, we’ll know.
Truck Accident Lawsuits Have a Two-Year Deadline in Grand Prairie
You don’t have unlimited time to file a lawsuit after a truck accident. Per Texas law, truck accident victims generally have a two-year deadline to file.
If you miss this two-year window, you’ll be left unable to file a lawsuit. Insurance negotiations don’t delay this deadline. We encourage you to get started on your case as soon as you can.
A Truck Accident Lawyer Serving Grand Prairie Can Pursue Your Recovery
Our team cares deeply about our clients. We want you to feel comfortable throughout the duration of your case. When you hire one of our lawyers, you can spend less time worrying about the nitty-gritty of your case, and more time recovering from your injuries.
We can evaluate your case for free. Call our offices to get started.
Related Frequently Asked Questions
- What is ‘Loss of Future Earning Capacity’ & How Does it Apply to Injury Cases?
- How Can D. Miller and Associates, PLLC Help Me With My USC Sexual Abuse Lawsuit?
- What Types Of Accidents Are Most Likely To Cause A Serious Head Or Brain Injury In Texas?
- Does Texas Have a Statute Of Limitations For Personal Injury Claims?
- Can I Sue for Lost Wages Resulting from a Truck Accident in Houston?