Truck accidents can be devastating, both physically and emotionally. If you or a loved one have been injured in a truck accident, it is important to speak with a lawyer who understands the complexities of these cases.
The Virginia truck accident lawyers at Parrish Law Firm, PLLC, are dedicated to helping Manassas truck accident victims get the compensation they deserve. We know how to build strong cases against negligent drivers and their employers, and we will fight for you every step of the way.
Our Attorneys Put Knowledge About How Insurance Companies to Work for You
Part of our success in representing truck accident victims in Virginia comes from Jim Parrish’s eye-opening experience as a former attorney for big insurance companies. He learned the strategies insurers use to prevent people from recovering fair compensation. He found that many people tried to stand up to the insurance companies on their own when they desperately needed professional legal representation.
When you are ready to have a skilled Manassas truck accident attorney working on your case, contact us to schedule a free consultation. We will go over all the details of your accident and discuss how we can pursue maximum compensation.
Who Can Be Held Responsible for a Truck Accident in Manassas, VA?
Truck accidents are more complicated than car accidents in many ways. Often, they cause more serious injuries, which means there is more money on the line for insurance companies to fight for. Also, there are generally more parties involved in a truck accident, which means more insurance companies to contend with. Depending on the circumstances of your accident, our skilled legal team may pursue compensation from:
- The trucking company or the driver of the truck.
- The company that owned the cargo the truck was carrying.
- The company or individuals who owned the tractor (or the trailer).
- The company in charge of shipping the freight.
- The company that was responsible for vehicle maintenance.
- The manufacturer or seller of a defective part.
- A government entity responsible for maintaining the accident site.
In pursuing maximum car accident compensation for your injury, our dedicated team will launch a thorough investigation into your case to determine exactly what happened and who’s at fault. We will also manage communications with all the parties involved, so you can focus on healing.
Contact our knowledgeable Manassas truck accident lawyer today to get started on your case. Call or fill out our online form to schedule a free consultation.
What does Pursuing a Truck Accident Claim Involve?
Healing from your injuries is your first priority after a truck accident. While you focus on that, our truck accident lawyer in Manassas Park can work on your case:
Proving Liability
Each case is different, but our first step is a careful review of all details of your accident, medical file, and prognosis. A careful review of the accident will determine who is liable. Commercial vehicle accidents are different from personal vehicle accidents in that the at-fault driver is rarely the liable party in truck crashes, even if his negligence was the proximate cause of your accident.
Instead, it is often the truck driver’s employer who is liable. This is because, under the doctrine of vicarious liability, employers are liable for any actions their employees take within the scope of their employment (e.g., driving a truck).
This can mean a higher payout, but it also likely means a harder battle. Fortunately, Jim Parrish is not afraid to stand up to these trucking companies and their insurers. In fact, he knows how they operate because he used to represent the insurers.
Sometimes, neither the truck driver nor the trucking company is liable. Defective parts or faulty vehicle maintenance can also cause truck accidents. In these cases, we might hold the maintenance company or manufacturer liable.
Note: Virginia has a strict contributory negligence statute, which can make recovering compensation difficult if you contributed to the accident. Therefore, it is important to speak with an attorney as soon as possible and before making any statements to the truck driver’s insurance company about what happened.
Proving Damages
Once we prove the other party was liable, we must establish that you suffered damages. We will compile a list of your damages and compute a corresponding dollar amount. This is not always as straightforward as it may seem.
Sometimes the use of forensic analysis is necessary. This could come from experts in the field of medicine, finance, or economics. A truck accident lawyer must prove all damages with specificity.
In many cases, the insurer or court will accept the testimony of an expert witness to establish, for example, the effects of lost income, the need for future treatment, and your future earning capability. Damages you may be entitled to receive might include but are not limited to:
- Medical/therapy bills
- Long-term care or rehabilitative facility bills
- Expenses related to making disability modifications to your home or vehicle
- Emotional distress
- “Pain and suffering” and inconvenience
- Lost wages, self-employment income, and retirement-related benefits
Recoverable Wrongful Death Damages
Virginia law allows designated family members to pursue a wrongful death lawsuit if their loved one suffered fatal injuries in a Manassas commercial truck accident. Our Manassas wrongful death attorney can explain how these legal actions work in Virginia and what damages your family could recover. As with other injury cases, you will have to prove the liable party caused the fatal accident and the losses you and your loved one suffered as a result. These losses include:
- Your relative’s final medical expenses related to the accident
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Loss of the decedent’s household income
- Loss of the decedent’s comfort, services, protection, and care
We can discuss a wrongful death action with you during a free consultation.
Is There Anything I Can Do to Help My Manassas, VA, Truck Accident Case?
If you have been in an accident with a big rig 18-wheeler, the most important thing you can do to help your case is to continue receiving medical attention. Go to your doctor’s appointments and follow your doctor’s orders. If you are having trouble paying, Jim can help keep the hospitals and health insurance companies off your back by creating payment plans.
If you skip appointments or ignore your doctor’s advice, the insurance company will use that to argue you are falsifying or contributing to your injuries.
An Insurance Company Insider at Your Service
Jim Parrish began his career as a defense attorney for the big insurance companies. During his time representing insurance companies, he decided to represent a new group of people: the accident victims on the other side of the table.
Jim positioned his law firm as one that would negotiate aggressively with insurance companies to pursue the compensation that clients need and deserve. Today, the firm has helped many victims who need a truck accident lawyer in Manassas and the surrounding areas. You do not have to stand up to an insurance company on your own.
Speak with an insurance company insider who can help you navigate the gamesmanship the insurance companies use to deny your claims. Trust your case to Jim Parrish and his team.
What Types of Compensation Can You Pursue After a Truck Accident in Manassas?
There are several types of compensation you may be entitled to after suffering serious injuries in a truck accident. These include:
- Medical bills that you have already incurred or are likely to incur in the future.
- Lost income due to being out of work from the accident.
- Property damage to your vehicle.
- Compensation for pain and suffering.
- Compensation for emotional distress.
- Loss of consortium.
- Punitive damages to punish the at-fault party in extreme cases of misconduct.
In your fight for compensation, one thing the insurance companies may try to use against you is Virginia’s “contributory negligence” law. This law indicates that if you contributed to your accident in any way, you can be denied compensation.
However, the experienced Manassas truck accident lawyer at Parrish Law Firm, PLLC, understands this law in depth and will build a strong case for who is at fault and what types of compensation you need.
What Should I Do After a Truck Crash?
In the days and weeks after your accident, you can take many steps to protect yourself and start building a strong claim for compensation. Here’s how:
- Follow all your doctor’s instructions
If you have not seen a doctor, do so immediately. Then, make sure you follow all your doctor’s instructions. Keep follow-up appointments, appointments with specialists, and any appointments for testing or imaging, such as blood tests or X-rays. If you are prescribed a medical device or medication, follow the instructions for using it.
Call your doctor if you have questions about what you should do, if you develop new symptoms, or if your symptoms get worse.
- Notify your insurance company
Let your insurance company know the accident happened if you have not already done so. Most insurance companies require you to notify them of an accident within a short time, or they will deny your claim.
However, do not give a detailed statement. Just share the facts of where, when, and who was involved. If you hire our truck accident attorney to represent you, they can talk to the insurer on your behalf. This includes handling negotiation talks for a fair settlement.
- Keep your paperwork
Keep all your paperwork related to the accident in a safe place. Include any law enforcement or other reports about the accident, anything you receive from insurance companies, and copies of all the bills and receipts related to the accident, such as medical bills and car repair bills.
If you aren’t certain whether a piece of paperwork is related to your accident, keep it just in case. Your personal injury lawyer in Manassas, VA, can help you determine whether you need it.
- Take notes
If you speak to anyone about the accident, such as a trucking company manager or an insurance adjuster, make a note of the conversation. Write down the date, the time, whom you talked to, and what was said, as well as you can remember it. These notes will help you keep track of who has said what and help your attorney follow up in pursuit of compensation.
- Talk to a lawyer
Don’t sign any agreements, agree to accept a settlement, or give a statement to anyone until you have talked to an experienced Manassas truck accident lawyer. Insurance companies know how to use the rules to their advantage to “wiggle out” of paying many accident claims. Choose an accident lawyer who knows how insurance companies operate and how to protect your rights.
What Causes a Truck Accident?
When a truck crash happens, the natural first place to look is at the driver. Although driver behavior is involved in many accidents, the causes of a crash can be more complex. Here are some of the most common causes of truck accidents in Virginia:
- The driver is negligent, distracted, or makes an error. Many truck drivers take safety seriously and work hard to drive safely on crowded or busy roads. Unfortunately, it takes only one moment of carelessness, distraction, or sleepiness, or a single mistake, to cause serious injuries.
- Another driver on the road is negligent, distracted, or makes an error. Trucks share the road with many other vehicles, and not all drivers have the same training or screening that truck drivers have. When a careless driver triggers a potential crash, a truck may cause a collision during the driver’s defensive maneuvers to avoid the first crash.
- The roadway is negligently maintained. Potholes, blind curves, inadequate signs at intersections, and poorly maintained roads marked “truck routes” all have the potential to cause serious crashes.
- The truck has a hidden defect or it malfunctions. Truck owners and trucking companies must ensure their equipment meets dozens of different safety regulations imposed by the state and federal governments. When maintenance, repair, or equipment checks are neglected, the result can be a malfunction that leads to a crash. Even when the truck appears to be in good working order, a hidden defect in a part or piece of equipment can cause an accident or make an accident worse ─ and no one may realize the problem exists until after it has caused serious harm.
- The trucking company failed to fulfill its duties. Trucking companies have many responsibilities. They must keep equipment in good working order, screen and test their drivers, pay attention to how many hours drivers work every day and week, and ensure that loads are properly secured and placed in the correct containers or restraints for their type. When any company involved in transporting a truck’s load fails to do its job and harm results, the company may be liable.
What to Expect in a Virginia Truck Accident Claim?
At The Parrish Law Firm, PLLC, we have helped many truck accident victims over the years, so we understand what a stressful time this can be for people. You may be struggling to juggle expensive medical bills and vehicle repair costs, all while missing work due to your injuries. The thought of fighting with an insurance company for the compensation you need can be daunting.
Our Manassas truck accident lawyers are here to help. We will walk you through the claims process to ensure you understand what to expect as we fight for the money you need to recover from this crash. Although accident claims involving semi-trucks and other commercial vehicles can be complex, here are the basic steps for how we handle these cases:
- Start with a free claim evaluation. Our experienced truck accident attorneys will meet with you to evaluate your Manassas truck accident claim at no obligation to you. During this time, we will review what happened to cause your crash, who may be held responsible, and what damages you have suffered. Contact us now to schedule your consultation.
- Get to know our truck accident legal team. Your Manassas truck accident attorney will be your biggest ally and your voice during the claims process, so it is important that you feel comfortable with your legal team. At The Parrish Law Firm, our clients put their trust in us because attorney James R. Parrish has unique insights into how the insurance industry tries to fight claims like these. Parrish began his career defending large insurance companies until he grew concerned by the lack of adequate representation some crash victims had. His compassion drove him to change career paths and advocate for victims instead. Now, our clients benefit from his strategic legal skills and his earnest dedication to justice.
- Our legal team will launch an investigation into your Manassas big rig truck accident. Many parties could be held responsible for a truck crash ─ the company that owns the truck, the company that loaded the cargo, the team that maintains the vehicle, the driver of the truck, the manufacturer of defective truck parts, etc. During our investigation, we will go through the trucker logs, review black box data, track down maintenance records, review the driver’s qualifications, and gain access to the accident report from law enforcement. We will also work with experts from the trucking industry to determine whether any federal or state regulations were violated.
- We will help you manage your medical bills while your Manassas truck accident claim is pending. You don’t need the added stress of a pile of medical bills while you are trying to recover from a serious truck accident injury. Our team will contact your health care providers to ensure they know a claim is pending. Any questions your health care provider has about payment can be directed to our attorneys.
- Our attorneys will negotiate aggressively on your behalf. Once we are armed with all the evidence from your wreck, as well as proof of the damages you have suffered, we will launch into aggressive negotiations with the at-fault party’s insurance company. We will be fighting for payment of current and future medical bills, lost wages and reduced earning capacity in the future, compensation to repair or replace your vehicle, damages to account for the pain and suffering you’ve been through, and punitive damages in cases involving extreme misconduct.
- If a full and fair settlement cannot be reached, we will take your case to a judge and jury. In most cases, due to the claim development and preparation process in our office, the insurance company will want to settle your claim without the risk of going to court. However, if the insurer refuses to present you with an appropriate truck accident settlement offer, our determined attorneys will pursue justice at trial. Even after a case goes to court, the other side may still decide to offer you a settlement up until the last minute.
We Can Protect You Against Accepting a Too-Low Offer From an Insurer
If an insurance company approaches you with a settlement offer immediately after your accident, do not agree to anything without speaking with our legal team.
Particularly if the company suspects you have been seriously injured, the insurer may try to swoop in and offer a quick settlement that is only a fraction of what you will actually need to recover. They are hoping that you will accept the fast cash before you have a real idea of the damages you have suffered.
Contact us now to discuss your claim and learn how we can help.
What Our Clients Say About Working With Us
One of the most important parts of handling a traffic accident injury claim is to provide exceptional customer service. At The Parrish Law Firm, we pride ourselves on keeping our clients informed every step of the way. As one client said:
“Parrish Law Firm, PLLC helped me put things back together after a traumatic auto accident. Jim Parrish is sharp, compassionate and really cares. He takes your case seriously and is very attentive. His entire staff is top notch as well. … My emails and phone calls were always answered promptly. I was never left guessing as to what was happening.”
Another client we helped shares the following:
“Jim Parrish’s knowledge of the law, depth of experience, and a natural skill of assessing a situation and devising a strategy for success is impressive. He and his staff kept me well informed throughout a rather long proceeding, and impressed me favorably with their skill in advising me and explaining the law and their strategy in a way that a non-lawyer could understand. I strongly recommend this attorney and Parrish Law Firm, PLLC.”
Get Started on Your Manassas, VA, Truck Accident Claim Today
If you or a loved one has been seriously hurt in a crash involving an 18-wheeler or other large truck, you need to speak with our skilled truck accident attorneys as soon as possible. Schedule a free consultation today, and let us go over your legal options for pursuing the compensation you will need to recover. Call or fill out our online form to get started.
We Can Start on Your Manassas Big Rig Accident Case Without an Upfront Payment
You should know that our firm does not charge any fees to get started on your truck accident claim. Instead, we operate on a contingency basis, which means we only get paid if and when we recover compensation for you.
Contact Our Experienced Manassas Truck Accident Lawyer Today
At Parrish Law Firm, PLLC, we understand how a truck accident can turn your life upside down. That’s why we are dedicated to building a personal connection with each of our clients to provide support and encouragement to you and your family during this stressful time.
If you have been hurt in a truck accident in Manassas, Fairfax, Warrenton, or elsewhere in Northern Virginia, let us start pursuing the compensation you need today. Contact us to schedule a free and confidential case consultation.
The Parrish Law Firm, PLLC, Is an Award-Winning Law Firm in Manassas, VA
The service Jim Parrish has provided to clients has earned him Avvo’s “Client’s Choice Award” as well as a “Client Satisfaction Award” from the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys.
See this service for yourself firsthand. Give us a call today to schedule a free consultation.
