After a truck accident, your top priority must be your health and well-being. You should get medical care immediately. If you have serious injuries, let first responders treat you at the accident scene or take you to the nearest trauma center by ambulance or medevac helicopter. Follow all instructions from your treating physicians and focus on stabilizing your injuries and healing.
As soon as your injuries allow, contact a Virginia truck accident lawyer about your next steps. Most provide a FREE claim review for those injured in a collision. They can assess your case and help you understand your rights based on the information you provide to them.
Why Should I Contact a Virginia Truck Accident Lawyer Following My Crash Injuries?
Virginia, like most states, follows a fault-based auto accident system. When a driver causes a crash, those hurt in the collision can file an insurance claim or lawsuit to recover compensation for their damages.
When the at-fault motorist is a commercial truck driver, it makes these cases more complex. This is because of a legal standard called respondeat superior. This common law doctrine makes employers legally responsible for the negligent actions of their workers. How will this affect your truck accident case? You will most likely be holding the trucking company vicariously liable for your injuries.
When you are going toe-to-toe with a large corporation, you do not want to face their corporate insurers or team of lawyers on your own. You want a strong, experienced attorney handling your claim and demanding fair compensation. Some benefits of working with a truck accident lawyer from our firm include:
- They will manage your case while you heal.
- You can count on them to investigate what happened.
- They will build a compelling case for compensation.
- They will help you understand the possible value of your truck accident settlement.
- Your auto accident lawyer will seek fair compensation on your behalf.
- They have experience and skill in negotiating or litigating payouts.
- You will have peace of mind about your case outcome.
- They represent you based on contingency, so there is no financial risk for you.
What Can I Do to Help My Truck Accident Case?
As a truck crash victim, there are some steps you can take to help protect your rights and ensure you do not jeopardize your ability to recover max compensation based on the case facts. This could include:
- Documenting your injuries and damages
- Collecting your medical bills, repair estimates, receipts, and other paperwork, such as the police report
- Saving any pictures or video from the crash scene
- Hiring a lawyer as soon as possible after your accident
- Giving your insurance carrier only the basic facts of the case
- Refusing to provide a recorded statement to the insurance companies
- Letting an attorney manage your case from start to finish
Once you hire a Virginia truck collision attorney from our firm, you will follow their instructions. They will manage all communication about your claim or lawsuit with the insurance carrier, trucking company, court, and other involved parties. You can focus on your treatment and healing while they handle your compensation claim.
What Types of Damages Are Recoverable in a Truck Accident Case?
When you suffer injuries in a crash caused by a careless truck driver, you can pursue a case for compensation. The trucking company is liable for your injuries, expenses, losses, and future costs related to the accident. Whether you settle out of court or take the case to trial, you can seek compensation for the same types of damages:
Economic Damages
Your economic damages are the current and future financial losses and expenses you paid and will pay because of your accident and injuries. The type of damages and their value vary widely based on the severity of your injuries, the circumstances of the crash, and other factors.
Your lawyer will identify, catalog, and analyze your damages, seeking fair compensation for costs including:
- Medical treatment, care, and support
- Future medical care costs and expenses related to managing lasting disabilities
- Income losses
- Diminished ability to work and earn if there are lasting impairments
- Out-of-pocket costs, such as needing to travel for treatment
- Car repair or replacement
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are the intangible losses a victim suffers because of an accident, injuries, and lasting effects. This includes “pain and suffering” and inconvenience.
While non-economic damages, by nature, do not have an economic value, our truck accident lawyers know how to assign a financial range to the damages you suffered. They will establish a fair settlement range for your intangible losses and seek fair compensation during negotiations or at trial.
What Will a Lawyer Do After My Initial Conversation With Your Team?
As soon as you hire a truck accident lawyer from our firm, they will begin managing your case. This includes handling all types of communication from the insurance companies, gathering evidence, and developing a case strategy.
It is vital to begin this process early. This is especially true in commercial trucking cases where the liable party—the trucking company—also holds a lot of crucial evidence in the case. Your attorney will need to act quickly to preserve this evidence to ensure it is available later to support your claim or lawsuit. This could include:
- Video of the crash
- The truck’s onboard computer data
- The trucker’s rest logs
- The post-accident drug and alcohol test results
- The driver’s employment record
- Maintenance records from the truck and trailer
- Other evidence pertaining to the truck, trailer, or driver
Under Va. Code § 8.01-243, your lawyer will have up to two years to file a lawsuit. This clock begins running on the day of your accident. However, you will want them on your side building your case and representing you much earlier.
Contact Our Virginia Truck Accident Attorneys for a FREE Claim Review
The Parrish Law Firm, PLLC, provides truck accident victims in our service area with a FREE claim review. If you were hurt in Virginia by a careless or negligent truck driver or trucking company, our commercial accident lawyers can help.
Contact us using our online contact form or call our office today to learn more.
Call or Text 571-229-1800 or Complete a Free Case Evaluation form