A collision with a large commercial truck can be a catastrophic experience. Due to their size and the force of their impact, a large truck can cause devastating injuries that require extensive and costly medical treatment to address.
Additionally, the severity of many truck accident injuries can lead to lengthy periods of hospitalization and rehab, which keeps injury victims away from their jobs and makes a difficult financial situation even worse. Between the physical, financial, and emotional effects, a truck accident can have profound long-term implications.
However, it may be some comfort to learn that if someone else’s actions or carelessness caused the truck accident that injured you, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses. The Hot Springs truck accident lawyers at Rochelle McCullough, LLP, bring many decades of combined experience to our work with injury victims, and we’re prepared to provide compassionate but aggressive representation to help you seek the compensation you deserve. Contact us today to learn more in a free consultation.
Who Is Liable in a Truck Accident?
Most truck accidents occur due to the negligent or careless actions or inactions of one or more parties. Examples of scenarios in which carelessness may lead to a truck collision include:
- Truck drivers speeding, driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs, driving while sleep-deprived, or otherwise engaging in unsafe driving behaviors
- Trucking companies hiring drivers who aren’t qualified to safely operate large commercial trucks
- Truck manufacturers or designers overlooking a manufacturing defect or design flaw
- Someone else on the road, such as another motorist, bicyclist, or pedestrian, creating an unsafe situation that leads to a truck collision
- Local government agencies responsible for addressing hazardous road conditions failing to do so
- Truck mechanics responsible for maintaining and repairing trucks failing to do so
Your truck accident lawyer will investigate the facts of the accident to identify all liable parties. While you may believe you were partially responsible for the accident, it’s critical that you not apologize or otherwise say anything that could be interpreted as an admission of fault, as it can limit your ability to recover the full compensation you deserve.
What Compensation Is Available in an Arkansas Truck Wreck Case?
You can generally seek compensation for both economic and noneconomic losses when filing a truck accident claim in Arkansas.
Economic losses have defined dollar values – the most common examples in truck accident cases are medical expenses and lost income. These can also include anticipated future losses, such as the cost of ongoing treatment or the losses associated with being unable to work in your previous capacity (or at all).
Noneconomic losses are intangible losses that don’t have precise dollar values. However, because losses like pain and suffering and loss of quality of life can have such a devastating effect, you still deserve compensation for them. Your truck accident attorney will have experience assigning dollar values to noneconomic losses to ensure you’re pursuing the amount you’re truly owed.
Various factors can affect how much compensation you may be able to recover after a truck wreck. These include:
- The severity of your injuries
- Whether your injuries resulted in lost wages
- Whether you’ll require ongoing medical care or expensive medical equipment
- Whether your injuries have deprived you of the ability to secure gainful employment
- Whether your own actions or carelessness played a role in the collision
How a Hot Springs Truck Accident Lawyer Can Help You
An insurance adjuster may contact you with a settlement offer following a truck accident. However, before speaking to them or accepting their offer, it’s critical that you first review your case with a Hot Springs, AR truck accident attorney. A lawyer can help you in the following ways:
- Reviewing Your Case – You might not thoroughly understand your legal options after sustaining major injuries in a truck wreck. A Hot Springs truck accident attorney can review your case and explain whether you have grounds to file a claim or lawsuit. They can answer any other questions you may have about your basic legal rights in these circumstances.
- Identifying Liable Parties – The liable parties in your truck accident may include the truck driver, the trucking company, the truck manufacturer, cargo loaders, and more. Determining who is liable is key to determining whose insurance you must file a claim with. Your lawyer will investigate the wreck and identify all liable parties.
- Gathering Evidence – An insurance company may deny a claim by stating there is insufficient evidence indicating the allegedly liable party caused a wreck. Technically, when you file a claim, the insurance company must investigate the crash to confirm the insured caused it. However, their investigation might not be thorough enough. A lawyer can investigate as well, gathering evidence of negligence to show you deserve compensation.
- Calculating the Value of Your Claim – A lawyer can prove very helpful when adding up your economic losses and assigning dollar values to noneconomic losses. They will ensure you’re pursuing all the compensation you deserve.
- Handling Claim Paperwork and Administrative Tasks – Recovering from truck wreck injuries can be a lengthy process. You’ll have more time and energy to devote to your recovery if you don’t also have to handle such tasks as completing paperwork and corresponding with insurance companies. Your lawyer will take care of all of this for you.
- Negotiating – The insurance company’s initial settlement offer is likely to be far less than you truly deserve. Your attorney will negotiate for a fair settlement if they believe you have a good chance of securing a larger amount. If the insurance company won’t offer a fair settlement, your lawyer will be prepared to file a lawsuit and represent you in court.
Finally, most Arkansas truck accident lawyers enter into contingency fee agreements with their clients. This means their fee is a percentage of the compensation their clients receive. With such an arrangement, you don’t have to pay your lawyer anything if you don’t get paid, and you don’t have to worry about the cost of legal services while you heal.
Contact an Experienced Hot Springs Truck Accident Lawyer Today
Pursuing compensation after a truck collision can be a complex process. Luckily, it’s not a process you have to navigate alone.
At Rochelle McCullough, LLP, we strive to provide our clients with the quality representation they need when facing off against insurance companies, trucking companies, and other powerful parties. We’re prepared to help you fight for fair compensation. Contact us today for more information and to get started with a free consultation.
We extend our personal injury legal services to help clients throughout Texas, including Dallas, & Fort Worth, as well as in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Committed to advocating for your rights and securing the compensation you deserve.