Truck Accident Litigation
There are a variety of plaintiffs in litigation over truck accidents. These defendants may include the driver of the truck as well as their employer as well as a company that produced defective equipment or an individual contractor who improperly loaded cargo.
Many trucks are equipped with event data recorders, often referred to as black boxes. They can help investigators determine how a crash occurred. Personal injury lawyers with experience will be able to verify the information in log books.
Investigation of the Scene
In the event of a car crash the first thing you need to do is gather evidence. When it comes to truck accidents there are many other factors to take into consideration. Trucks are often carrying dangerous items and even a minor accident can cause serious or fatal injuries.
The process of investigation is more complicated than a typical car accident. It takes longer and requires the assistance of experts from different fields. A lawyer who is qualified can help you find the right people to do this job.
A thorough truck accident investigation involves interviewing eyewitnesses and going to the site of the accident. Experts are also required to reconstruct the incident by analyzing the physical evidence. This information is crucial in the case of a defendant being held accountable for the accident.
A lawyer must also inquire of the trucking company and driver for any information that may be relevant to a case. This could include information about the safety policies of the trucking company maintenance protocols, as well as training procedures. Also, the history of the truck driver is important like any prior incidents, reprimands, or drug/alcohol test results.
The data from the black box in the truck is an additional piece of evidence that should be gathered. These devices are similar to the ones found in planes, and they can provide a lot of information about how the accident occurred. The information you require should be sought whenever possible by your attorney, because it may disappear in time due to the elements or traffic.
A lawyer should also gather medical records of the victims. These documents will assist in proving that the injuries suffered in the crash have caused substantial and lasting damage. It is essential to keep these documents along with any doctor's notes and treatment schedules.
Expert Witnesses
Most truck accidents are settled between the insurance company, the person who was injured and the trucking company. However, there are some that are not and must be brought to court. https://vimeo.com/706728230 is where expert witnesses play an important role. They are professionals who have the knowledge and training required to evaluate the evidence in your case and provide their opinions to jurors. They can explain complex mechanical, physical, medical and economic concepts that a majority of jurors have little or no knowledge of.
Depending on the kind of expert witness needed, they could be as basic as a car mechanic who can determine why your vehicle was damaged during the accident or metallurgists who perform a failure analysis on the specific part of your truck or pathologists who determine the reason for death. They may be required to look into and testify on particular aspects of your case, like the force or the crash or the vehicle's velocity, or the accident reconstruction.
Medical experts are also called upon to determine the severity and extent of your injuries. Insurance companies typically contest this claim, claiming that you exaggerate your injuries, or that they have pre-existing conditions and that the accident did not cause any further harm. In these instances, your attorney may call an independent expert to counter the claims of the insurance's doctor.
A witness who is an expert in the field can be very beneficial in proving that the truck driver was negligent. Expert witnesses will utilize their knowledge to help the jury comprehend how the truck driver failed to do his or her job, what the failure led to, and the resulting financial implications of this negligence for you.
GPS Tracking
When accidents with trucks occur, it is not unusual for victims to suffer serious injuries. They deserve financial assistance to pay medical bills, lost wages, suffering and related expenses. Cellino Law, a Manhattan truck accident lawyer firm is ready to fight for justice and compensation for their clients.
One of the most efficient pieces of technology in any accident scenario is GPS tracking. These devices are a standard of the trucking industry, and typically have a variety of crucial information that can be used to determine the liability. A Qualcomm system can, for instance, provide important information like speed as well as braking performance as well as engine performance and service hours. This can be combined with other evidence, like eyewitness testimony to reconstruct the scene of the crash.
Other pieces of valuable information in a car accident investigation could be evidence from the trucking company's telematics system and dash cams. Telematics refers to the data gathered by a vehicle's onboard computer that is utilized for coaching fleet drivers and to record incidents. This could include vital details like speed, rough braking, phone usage, and more. This information can be compared with the truck driver's log books to determine if accurate records were kept.
A fax report of any communication concerning the trip prior to the accident is also crucial. This could include information on the route and destination, as well as any stops on the way, and even a record of any messages between the truck driver and the company. This can be used by a seasoned personal injury lawyer to prove that the trucker was distracted or ignoring safety procedures.
If a truck accident victim can prove that the trucking company, driver or any other defendants, failed to fulfill their duty of care, and caused the collision and resulted in the collision, then they should be held accountable for any injuries that occur due to the collision. Plaintiffs must prove that the defendants violated a law or regulation, and that the violation caused harm. It is much simpler to prove that a breach of an traffic law was negligent however, Federal regulations require a more complex analysis.
Negotiating a Settlement
In most cases, truck accident victims are able to settle their claims without having to go to court. The process of negotiating settlement is to discuss the facts of your situation with an insurance company including the amount you are entitled to under the law of the state. A skilled attorney in truck accidents can assess your injuries and document the damages you've suffered in the accident to determine much your case is worth. The attorney can then apply the results of other similar lawsuits related to truck accidents as well as how juries awarded victims in similar situations to establish the amount of a fair settlement.
Your lawyer may also be able to negotiate directly with the insurance company to ensure that the settlement you get will adequately cover the damage you've acknowledged. This will include any money you've lost because of your inability to work to seek treatment for your injuries. The lawyer can help you document these losses, such as old pay receipts. If your injuries stop you from returning to your previous job, you may also be eligible for compensation.
Insurance companies typically start the conversation by offering an offer that is low. This is a standard tactic to gauge how desperate you are to settle and can affect the value of your case. A seasoned attorney can prevent being mistreated by remaining calm and never giving in to pressure to accept an inadequate settlement.
Once your lawyer has negotiated an acceptable settlement amount, they'll send a written demand for settlement to the party responsible for the fault that must be addressed within 30 days or your right to pursue the responsible party in court will be forfeited. In some cases, a trucking company will refuse to negotiate and your lawyer will start a lawsuit against the negligent party.
It isn't possible for us to provide a general figure for the amount the settlement from a truck accident is worth, as each case is unique, such as the degree of your injuries, as well as the amount of time you will miss from work to receive medical treatment. Settlements for truck accidents can range from millions of dollars.