According to the Federal Highway Administration, trucks travel over 2,500 billion miles each year, haul nearly 70% of all freight transported in the United States and are driven by over 3 million licensed truck drivers. A fair amount of the distance these trucks travel is over the roads in Texas. The expansion of the oil and gas industry means that the Lone Star State is home to five of the most-traveled urban highways in the country. Having this many trucks on the road means the probability of a trucking accident increases. There are many contributors to such accidents and there are things you need to know and be familiar with in the event you are involved in one of these accidents.
How Does a Trucking Accident Differ From Other Auto Accidents?
At this point, you might be saying to yourself, “What difference does it make? A personal injury case is still a personal injury case, no matter how it happened.”
On the surface, you are right, but distinctions still have to be made under the law. Personal injury cases are categorized by the type of accident and the injuries sustained because it gives organization to chaos. It also indicates the magnitude of this type of case.
For instance, there’s a big difference between two, 3,000 pound passenger vehicles hitting each other and a 3,000 passenger vehicle versus a 10,000 pound commercial truck with a full load. The injuries from trucking accidents are likely to be much more catastrophic, even fatal. If life-altering injuries or deaths occur as a result of the accident, you need an advocate immediately.
These types of accidents set off a chain reaction that involves:
- Insurance companies
- Creditors
- The trucking company
- Other lawyers
All of this while you’re trying to take care of yourself or a loved one. In the aftermath of an trucking accident, it’s very easy to fall for what looks like a quick fix. You may not see the detrimental side of making a deal until farther down the road. By then, it could be too late for you to get the compensation you need and rightfully deserve.
What are the Benefits of Legal Assistance?
Getting the right legal help as soon as possible takes a lot of the burden off of your shoulders. You need a law firm that can and will negotiate with creditors on your behalf. You need an experienced attorney who can also work with the insurance companies and stay in communication with the legal counsel for the trucking company.
Our investigatory methods can even turn up the likely cause of the accident. Be it:
- Driver fatigue
- Inadequate training
- Reckless driving
- Mechanical failure
- Distraction
- Impairment
- Poor vehicle maintenance
Even if you are at partial fault for the accident, you may be entitled to damages.
Your settlement could help compensate for:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Loss of livelihood
- Education and training
- Pain and suffering
We all like to think that something like this can’t happen to us. The truth is we can’t safeguard ourselves from every conceivable possibility, like trucking accidents.
The best we can do is be aware, prepare, and walk through what comes our way. The attorneys at Stockard, Johnston, Brown, Netardus & Doyle, P.C. in Amarillo, Texas will make sure you are not walking through your personal injury case alone. The firm will be there to provide the representation you need so you can get the settlement that you deserve.