Legal Guidance For Victims Of Truck Accidents
Have you or someone you love sustained injuries as a result of a negligent truck driver? If you’ve been in a truck accident, you deserve a lawyer who knows the laws and how they affect your personal injury case.
Filing a suit on your own may be more cost-effective, but having an attorney who will protect your rights and fight on your behalf is much more likely to help you reach a successful outcome.
To schedule your free consultation, call Scarzafava, Basdekis & Dadey, PLLC, at 607-441-4137 today! From our office in Oneonta, we represent truck accident victims and their families in Otsego, Delaware and Chenango counties.
Unique Legal Attention For Truck Accident Injuries
Accidents involving big rigs or 18-wheelers come with different sets of legal challenges. Commercial truckers must follow stricter state and federal regulations and higher insurance policies, which means that it may be easier to defend your claim. Multiple parties may also be at fault in a truck accident. An experienced attorney may know the best strategy to help you achieve the compensation that your case deserves.
At our firm, we go to great lengths to examine the details of your case and put together the course of action that will be most effective. We have earned a reputation for paying close attention to detail and working tirelessly for our clients.
We work to help you obtain damages for the following:
- Medical bills
- Emergency expenses
- Follow-up treatment costs
- Loss of wages
- Future loss of wages
- Property damages
- Emotional pain and suffering
- Wrongful death claims
What To Do If You Are In A Truck Accident
Because truck accidents are often devastating for passenger car drivers, it can be overwhelming to take action in the aftermath of a crash. In order to maximize your personal injury claim, it’s important to take certain steps that will help you establish your case and ensure that you have the support and resources you’ll need.
Here’s a quick checklist of the steps you should take after a truck accident:
- Come to a complete stop
- Check yourself and other passengers for injuries
- If it’s possible, move away from traffic
- Call 911 to report the accident
- Wait for the police and first responders to arrive
- Get insurance and contact information from all parties
- Immediately seek medical help
Regardless of how “minor” the accident may seem to you in the moment, it’s crucial to seek appropriate medical attention as soon as possible. Even minor truck accident injuries have often shown to be serious once the adrenaline starts to fade.
However, you should never attempt to remove yourself from the car if you’ve been seriously injured – emergency personnel will be able to help you and ensure that you are not injured further in the debris. You should also always wait until the police have authorized you to leave the scene of the accident.
Once your condition is stable, it’s crucial to take photos of your vehicle so that there is a record of the property damage. You will also need to identify potential witnesses, keep track of your medical records and get a property damage valuation for your car from two to three independent shops.
While insurance claims adjusters will likely be contacting you to perform a damage valuation, you will need to compare this valuation against other repair specialists to get the best estimate.
We’re Here To Answer Your Questions
Below are some answers to commonly asked questions about what to do after an accident with a truck.
Why Is It Important To Seek Medical Attention Immediately After A Truck Accident?
It’s important to seek medical attention right after an accident in order to establish a clear timeline of events, the extent of your injuries and what type of injuries you suffered. Even if you don’t feel hurt immediately following an accident, it’s a good idea to be evaluated by a doctor. That’s because some injuries may not present symptoms right away. You could be injured and not even know it.
What Type Of Damages Can I Seek In My Accident Claim?
Similar to premises liability and other personal injury claims, most plaintiffs seek compensatory damages to cover applicable costs associated with their injuries. This can include any costs accrued for immediate medical care, prescriptions and therapy. If you missed work because of your injuries, needed additional child care or accrued other costs related to your injury, you may seek compensation for these expenses as well. If you need long-term physical therapy, compensatory damages may be sought for that as well.
Only in cases of gross negligence can someone seek punitive damages, which are meant to punish the individual involved. That might be the truck driver, the trucking company or another related third party.
Is It A Good Idea To Speak With An Attorney Before Talking To The Insurance Company?
Yes. It’s important to remember that even if an insurance adjuster is nice over the phone, ultimately, they work for the insurance company for the truck driver and trucking company and therefore they are looking out for their client’s bottom line, not what’s best for you. What might seem like a good offer from the insurance company might not actually be in your best interests. And, in some cases, an insurance company may push back on a valid claim, which may cause you more stress and frustration.
When you work with an attorney, they are looking out for your best interests. They will assess whether an offer is fair and even talk to the insurance company on your behalf if you are getting pushback. If matters need to be handled in court, an attorney can more effectively advocate for you than you may be able to do on your own.
Serving Victims Throughout The Tricounty Area
Would you like an opportunity to sit down with one of our Oneonta truck accident attorneys? We understand that the aftermath of accidents can be very stressful, and we look forward to discussing the details of your case with you to help alleviate some of your anxiety.
Give our Oneonta truck accident lawyers a call today at 607-441-4137 or contact us online to make an appointment for a free, confidential consultation.