Understanding the Lawsuit Process in Truck Accidents
The trucking industry is a big business, and it can be a dangerous one. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), about 5,000 motor vehicle crashes involving large trucks occur every year. These accidents can be deadly, with drivers and passengers suffering serious injuries or even death.
When a truck accident happens, it can be very stressful and confusing. You may not know what to do or who to talk to. You may not even realize that you are entitled to compensation for your injuries. In fact, truck accidents are one of the most common types of car accidents, and a Houston truck accident lawyer knows that many victims of trucking accidents never file a lawsuit.
As a result, many people don’t understand what to expect when they file a truck accident lawsuit.
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How Can A Houston Truck Accident Lawyer Help?
When you file a truck accident lawsuit, you should expect to be contacted by your lawyer soon after the incident. The first thing your houston truck accident lawyer will want to do is get all of the evidence from you in order to determine how much money you are owed. It is important that you keep all of your receipts and other documentation related to the incident with you for this purpose.
Your attorney will then work on getting your medical records from the hospital where your injuries were treated, as well as any other medical records or reports that could help show that you were injured in a truck accident caused by another driver’s negligence or recklessness.
If your injuries are serious enough, they may have required surgery or rehabilitation treatment after they occurred. If so, it is important that these records be retained as well if they are available at all as they can help prove that you were injured in a truck accident caused by another driver’s negligence or recklessness.
Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Houston
In order to file a lawsuit against a truck driver in Texas, you must prove that the truck driver was negligent, and caused your injuries or death. The first step in filing a trucking accident lawsuit is to determine whether you have grounds for legal action. You must establish that the other party’s negligence was the cause of your injuries — this may be difficult if the other driver claims that he didn’t see your vehicle on the road at all, or if it was dark outside when the accident happened.
There are many factors that go into determining how much you will recover for your injuries or the wrongful death of a loved one when you file a lawsuit against someone who caused an accident on their property.
These factors include:
How Long Did It Take For Emergency Medical Services To Arrive After Being Called By Someone Else At The Scene Of The Accident?
The first thing to consider is how long it took for emergency medical services to arrive after being called by someone else at the scene of the accident. If someone else called 911, and it took an hour for them to arrive, then that’s a big red flag for a lawsuit. It’s important to know that how long it takes for an ambulance to reach your location can vary considerably depending on where you live and the weather conditions. The best way to find out how long it takes paramedics to get there is by asking them directly: “How long does it usually take you guys to get here?”
If they give you a number, don’t be afraid to ask them if they’d mind looking over their records and checking their records again so that we can all see what time they actually arrived at your accident site.
How Badly Injured Were You?
This is the single most important factor in determining if you can recover money from an accident. The more serious the injuries, the greater the value of your lawsuit. If you were hurt so badly that you can’t return to your old life or walk without pain, then it’s likely that your injuries will be permanent and long-lasting. If you were seriously hurt and unable to work, it may not be worth settling your case. If you have a minor injury and are able to return to work, however, it may be worth settling your case for less than what you could get if there was no recovery at all.
In some cases, a person who is injured can recover full compensation for pain and suffering even if they are not otherwise able to work or earn income.
How Much Did It Cost To Treat Your Injuries?
Some medical expenses may be covered by insurance policies or other sources before any compensation payments are made; others will be covered after compensation has been paid out by an insurer or by a third party such as an employer or health insurance company (in which case they will likely reimburse you at some point in the future).
How Long Did It Take For Your Injuries To Heal?
This is another factor that determines how much money a personal injury lawsuit can bring in. If you have a long recovery period ahead of you and need significant time off work or time off school, then the value of your case will be higher than if it only took a short period of time.
Were There Any Witnesses To What Happened?
Witnesses are an important part of any personal injury lawsuit. They can help establish the facts and circumstances surrounding the accident, which can make or break your case.
If there were any witnesses to the accident, they could be interviewed by the attorney for both sides. Witnesses can be helpful in determining liability and damages. Additionally, if there were no independent witnesses to the accident, but there were security cameras on the scene and they recorded footage of the crash, this would also be very helpful in determining liability and damages.
If there are no witnesses or solid evidence like a video recording, then it’s more difficult for you to prove that you were injured as a result of someone else’s negligence. Even if you were driving at the time of the crash and have good medical records showing the extent of your injuries, without witnesses it’s possible that your case could be dismissed without a chance at compensation.
Final Thoughts
If you believe that you have a case, it’s important to contact an attorney right away so they can evaluate your situation and determine whether they will represent you in court.