What to ask a truck accident lawyer? You should ask a truck accident lawyer about their truck accident case success, how the case will be investigated, and more.
Hiring an Arlington truck accident lawyer can be a critical step in making sure you are treated fairly and your rights are met, but you need to choose the right attorney for you and learn as much as you can from them.
What Percentage of Your Practice Focuses on Truck Accidents?
In-depth knowledge of truck laws also entails understanding the types of strategies a truck accident lawyer will employ. When you ask about the percentage of practice that focuses on these types of accidents, you get a better idea of whether the truck accident lawyer has the tools and resources necessary to build your case.
Those resources typically include expert testimony, technology to create an accident reconstruction demonstration, and advanced knowledge of trucking operations and regulations. If the attorney lacks a significant level of experience in this area, they may not have the necessary resources to fight against large companies effectively.
You also want to know the insight, experience, and knowledge of the actual attorney who you will work with throughout your case. Just because the firm handles truck accidents does not mean the lawyer assigned to your case does. You need that information, and you want to fully understand it.
What to Ask a Truck Accident Lawyer? Have You Successfully Settled Truck Accident Cases?
Truck accidents are very different from car accidents and other forms of personal injury. Victims of these accidents often face incredible losses, but even in minor cases, it can be challenging to get insurance companies to pay you fairly. You need an attorney who is experienced, including in areas such as:
- Understanding FMCSA Regulations and Interpretations – 49 CFR Parts 300-399 for hours of service
- Maintenance and upkeep logs and management records as required under the law
- Trucking rules, including the difference between interstate and intrastate travel
- Trucking, cargo loading, and management laws that govern third parties
- Vehicle defects and technology failures
Choose an attorney who can explain how they will determine the true cause of the accident and whether they have handled insurance claims related to any of the previous situations. Even if a police report says the trucker was speeding, you want an attorney who is going to investigate to determine if that driver was working beyond the federal limits or if the truck was defective. That increases your claim opportunities.
How Will My Case Be Investigated?
What to ask a truck accident lawyer? Many people mistakenly believe that truck accidents are investigated by the police, state, and federal agencies alone. However, what those organizations are looking for, such as violations of federal law, is not necessarily going to help you build your case for personal injury claims. Your lawyer should conduct a full investigation into your accident as well.
Find out what they will investigate and what types of evidence they will collect. Ideally, they will be aggressive when your losses are high. That includes gathering information from eyewitnesses, accident reconstruction, medical records, and safety records for the truck company. This information proves fault and losses.
You also want to be sure they are investigating your injuries and losses comprehensively. That is, they need to fully understand what your injuries are, how well you are expected to heal, and the implications this accident will have on your future. These resources make a big difference in your case outcome. Talk to an Arlington rollover truck accident lawyer today.
What Potential Challenges Could Impact Your Case?
No two truck accident cases are the same, and your lawyer knows that. One of the ways they can be successful is by pinpointing areas of weakness in your case to build a claim. Some of the most common challenges in truck accident cases include:
- Pre-existing conditions you have that the insurance company may use to try to reduce the compensation paid to you
- Evidence that you were partially to blame for the accident, as the insurance company may push you beyond the 51% comparative negligence limit, meaning you cannot recover damages
- Statements you or others made about the accident, social media postings that could work against you, and data from news reports that work against you
- Statute of limitations guidelines if your case is more than two years old
- Whether or not your injuries and the available evidence are readily available
To protect your future, your truck accident lawyer should identify challenges and then create a plan to overcome them. If your attorney does not anticipate challenges, that could mean they have not yet considered all aspects of your case closely enough. Every case will have some challenges.
How Much Is My Case Worth?
Another one of the questions to ask a truck accident lawyer is the hardest one for them to answer. The value of your case is dependent on factors as far-reaching as the severity of your injuries and the cause of the accident. Your lawyer, during a consultation, does not know the extent of those areas just yet, but they may be able to give you a ballpark figure about the value of your claim. Ask them about the types of losses you have, such as:
- Medical costs
- Lost wages
- Loss of earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional damage
- Loss of quality of life
- Property damage
On the other hand, if an attorney promises you that your case will be worth a certain value, and they have not investigated it just yet, that could be a warning as well. You need an attorney who will be transparent, honest, and fair to you, so you really know what to expect moving forward. Do not overlook the importance of choosing a trusted Arlington big rig accident lawyer.
Getting a Free Consultation Can Help You
When it comes to determining what to ask a truck accident lawyer, set up a free consultation with an Arlington truck accident lawyer at The Texas Law Dog.
Make a list of the questions you have and then communicate with the lawyer openly. Get an idea of how well they will interact with you and treat you once you hire them.
