What Kind of Attorney do I need for a Truck Accident?

Attorney for a Truck Accident

Written by Jeremy D. Earle, JD

January 7, 2023

HOW DO I KNOW WHETHER I NEED TO HIRE A TRUCK ACCIDENT LAWYER?

You may believe that if you are in a truck accident in Colorado, you do not need the services of an attorney. This is mostly because, since Colorado is a no-fault state, many assume they have no choice except to utilize their insurance limitations.

This misconception holds that wounded people have no choice but to accept their insurance company’s settlement offer due to the state’s no-fault legislation. This is not the case, and contacting a truck accident lawyer is essential to prevent this and other blunders.

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No-Fault Insurance Laws in Colorado

No-fault insurance is available in several states, but not in Colorado. Though this section applies to you if you are visiting Colorado when you are involved in a commercial vehicle accident and live in a no-fault state.

This implies that if you are in an accident and your vehicle is properly registered and insured, you should file a personal injury claim with your own insurance provider. However, this does not preclude you from filing a personal injury claim in the event of a truck collision.

You may be able to file a truck accident injury case if you have broken bones due to the accident or suffered major scars due to the accident.

You will be disabled for at least 90 days as a consequence of your injuries.

You suffered further major injuries as a result of the collision.

If you’re not sure if your injuries are severe, speak with an expert truck accident lawyer to answer your concerns.

INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES

If you drive a car in Colorado, you must have medical payments coverage of at least $5,000. This will help cover your initial medical expenses.

If you sustain life-altering injuries, you should seek medical help immediately. This may barely scrape the surface of your injury’s financial consequences.

Trucks operating on Colorado highways are required to carry more insurance. Depending on whether a vehicle crosses state boundaries, various regulations apply.

The following are the liability insurance requirements for vehicles registered in Colorado that do not cross state lines: $300,000 for trucks transporting home products

Trucks transporting regular freight cost $750,000; trucks transporting oil cost $1,000,000; and trucks transporting hazardous stuff cost $5,000,000.

Trucks that cross state borders must be insured to these restrictions, but the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has additional regulations (FMCSA). These regulations include minimum liability coverage ranging from $750,000 to $5,000,000, depending on the transported substance.

Truck Collisions Are More Expensive Than Other Types Of Collisions

Understanding PIP coverage and truck insurance minimums are critical since the odds are that your bills would be exceedingly significant if you are injured in a truck accident. For example, if a doctor finds that you need an MRI brain scan, the cost of the procedure alone might be more than $1,500.

This does not cover any therapy, the cost of the physician’s charge, or the cost of hospitalization, which might result in a $30,000 bill for a three-day stay. Injury expenses in Colorado are lower than in other parts of the country. However, they are still greater than many individuals can pay, even if they have private insurance, as you can see by looking at the Colorado Health Price Finder.

NEGOTIATIONS AS A RESULT OF A BIG RIG TRUCK ACCIDENT

Negotiating compensation after any sort of accident that was not your fault may be difficult. Negotiations following a truck accident, on the other hand, might be considerably more difficult since there may be several culpable parties.

The following are some instances of who could be at fault:

  • Vehicle driver
  • Truck driver’s employer
  • Person or firm in charge of loading the truck.
  • The vehicle’s manufacturer
  • The parties in charge of truck maintenance

As a result, you should contact an attorney as quickly as possible following a vehicle collision. You may be unsure who to contact or what rights you have since there are many potentially accountable parties. You will be better off in the long run if you call a lawyer as soon as possible.

THE ROLE OF A TRUCK ACCIDENT ATTORNEY

You may believe that hiring a truck accident lawyer is unnecessary. In reality, if you do not engage a lawyer, you may be making a big error.

Answer Your Questions

 An skilled lawyer may assist you in various ways, including: After a truck accident, you will almost certainly have questions that you will be unable to answer. An attorney can assist you in answering such inquiries.

Protect Your Rights

Once you’ve hired a truck accident attorney, you may let them handle the talks. This will assist in guaranteeing that an insurance adjuster does not attempt to persuade you to accept an unjustly low settlement offer.

Investigating The Accident

Truck accident attorneys may go into police reports, accident reconstruction reports, and all medical data to fully understand the accident’s cause and severity.

Negotiate With Insurance Companies

Because your injuries may be caused by several parties, working with insurance companies may be difficult. Negotiations might be made simpler with the help of a lawyer who has handled truck accident cases before.

Acting As Your Champion

While your attorney will act as your advocate while the discussions are happening, if the negotiations fail, he or she may be a greater advocate. If your case goes to court, a skilled attorney will be at your side, ensuring that the facts of the case are presented clearly and concisely, and your attorney will fight for the best possible decision on your behalf.

These are just a few of the reasons why you should hire an attorney as soon as possible to handle your truck accident case.

WHEN IT COMES TO TRUCK ACCIDENT LAWSUITS, TIMING IS CRUCIAL.

The time limit for filing a lawsuit varies by state. For example, when you are wounded in Colorado, you have four years to file a personal injury case. However, this is not as much time as you may expect. An attorney can assist you in deciphering the nuances of this time.

Keep in mind that your injuries may not show up right away. Back injuries, for example, might appear days or weeks after an injury. Following a truck accident, you may be unaware that you may have lifelong scars for many weeks. All of these factors might influence when the clock on your injury claim begins ticking.

Legal concerns involving truck accidents are very complicated, and without an attorney on your side, you may not be able to preserve all of your rights. When it’s time to file your claim, when discussions with an insurance company are beneficial, and when it’s time to decide to go to court because negotiations have failed, an attorney may help.

AFTER A TRUCK ACCIDENT, RECOVERY TIMES VARY.

Another challenge you may encounter is calculating recovery timeframes, which an attorney may assist you with. You may have concerns about this component of no-fault insurance since a 90-day incapacity permits you to pursue a personal injury claim.

While 90 days may seem to be a long time, it will pass fast, and you may not know at the outset of your rehabilitation if your injury will prevent you from working for 90 days. An attorney with expertise in truck accidents may assist you with extra information based on previous instances.

Because everyone begins at a different place in their health, each accident victim has a unique experience. An older driver with underlying health difficulties, for example, may take longer to recover than a twentysomething driver with no such issues. In addition, the degree of the injuries varies from case to case.

The severity of your injuries can vary based on circumstances like the speed at which the cars were moving, where your automobile was impacted in the accident, and even the state of the roads you were on.

DEFEND YOURSELF AND YOUR ASSETS FOLLOWING A TRUCK ACCIDENT

After a truck accident, the essential thing to remember is to protect yourself and avoid doing anything that might endanger your legal rights. You must ensure that you complete the following:

Seek medical help right away if you’ve been in an accident.

As quickly as possible after the accident, write down all of the specifics of the incident while they are still fresh in your memory. If you get new information within a few days, jot it down.

Don’t speak to witnesses to the accident.

Don’t respond to queries from insurance adjusters.

Follow all of your doctor’s directions, including keeping all of your visits.

During your rehabilitation, keep a detailed record of your physical health.

Keep detailed records of all medical costs, including mileage to and from doctor’s appointments.

Keep detailed records of any expenditures spent due to your injury, such as increased daycare fees, at-home nursing care, cleaning bills, and so on.

Returning to work should not be rushed. Before going back to work, be sure you’re entirely recovered.

To go back to your usual daily routine as quickly as possible, you must take care of your physical and emotional health. You can concentrate on your recovery after you’ve engaged a truck accident lawyer and leave the legal talks to someone who knows what they’re doing.

WHEN IT COMES TO HIRING AN ATTORNEY, DON’T BE CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR BUDGET.

Many individuals believe that hiring an attorney is too expensive. This is one of the reasons why they do not engage a Colorado truck accident lawyer. Your insurance adjuster may tell you this because it increases their expenses, so they try to scare you away from pursuing a personal injury claim.

That could not be farther from the truth, so there are a few things you should be aware of, including the fact that a qualified truck accident lawyer may provide you with a free consultation.

Furthermore, you may be certain that you will not have to deplete your resources to employ a lawyer since most truck accident lawyers operate on a contingency fee basis. The lawyer who accepts your case on a contingency basis will only charge you legal fees if he or she successfully obtains a settlement on your behalf.

ATTORNEY JEREMY D. EARLE SPECIALIZES IN TRUCK ACCIDENTS

Naturally, you’ll want to be as prepared as possible for your first meeting with a truck accident lawyer. Make a list of questions you’d want to ask during the appointment; writing them down is the best approach to ensure you don’t forget anything crucial. You should, for example, discuss the attorney’s costs with them, as well as all of your legal choices. You should also inquire about the lawyer’s experience managing complex issues.

Remember that the more information you can provide an attorney during your first session, the better he or she will be able to counsel you. Copies of accident reports, witness names and contact information, and copies of your medical records are all useful resources.

You should also keep in mind that you may not need to meet with the attorney in person. In many circumstances, your free consultation may be conducted over the phone or on the internet.

Remember that the more information you bring to your first session, the better informed your truck accident lawyer could provide you. Nothing is off-limits, including facts about your injury, treatment expenses, changes in your daily routine due to your injury, and a full description of any changes in your household as a result of your injury.

Rather than attempting to grasp legal jargon or speculating if you can file a personal injury claim, speak with an attorney as soon as possible after your accident. Suppose the attorney advises you that you have grounds to bring a personal injury case, and you are satisfied with your examination of the attorney’s background.

In that case, you should hire them early in the process. You should choose a truck accident lawyer who will fight for your rights and help you get the most money possible. Call our Colorado Springs office at 719-300-1100 or fill out an online contact form to book a free consultation with Warrior Truck Accident Lawyers.

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