It is common knowledge to always maintain a safe distance when approaching semi-trucks on the road. You are also advised to remain visible to the truck driver whenever possible, and to spend as little time in the trucker’s blind spots as possible.
But taking all these precautions does not guarantee you will not be involved in a crash with a truck. The truck driver might be intoxicated, fatigued, distracted, speeding, or improperly loaded. In fact, truck accidents kill or injure one person every 15 minutes across the United States.
When this happens and you are not at fault, seek medical help first, and then contact a Las Vegas truck accident lawyer to help you navigate the complex nature of truck accident law.
You deserve full compensation for the damages caused by the accident. This is especially vital because the majority of truck-related accidents result in serious injuries, long-term disability, or even death.
Unfortunately, the process is not straightforward because trucking companies are generally not willing to accept blame without a fight. Here is why winning a case against a trucking company is so difficult and requires an experienced lawyer.
The Higher the Settlement, the Harder It Is to Win
The likely outcome of a road accident involving a truck is severe injuries, disability, inability to work, and possibly even death. This nearly automatically means that your compensation will need to be a significant amount in order to pay the resulting bills and future expenses.
However, trucking companies are reluctant to pay huge compensation amounts because it digs into their revenue.
Furthermore, if the trucking company is widely known, an accident involving one of their trucks might become news. Since the company has a reputation to protect, the company will try to settle as fast as possible by convincing you that you are getting the best deal available. More often than not, this amount does not even cover half the damages. To protect yourself, do not sign any documents or come to an agreement without a truck accident attorney present.
Many People and Entities Are Involved
Trucking companies, drivers, insurance companies, truck accident attorneys, insurance adjusters, mechanics, and loading companies . . . there are just so many people involved in a truck accident lawsuit. Many of these might be at least partially liable for the accident. Trucking companies often use this as an excuse to derail the compensation process.
It is also important to note that among these parties, your accident attorney is the only person on your side.
In addition, the trucking company might have its headquarters in a different state—or even country—from where the accident occured. The fact that truck-related accident laws vary from one place to another further complicates things.
Trucking Companies Hire Tough Insurance Companies
For a large trucking company that manages a fleet of trucks, hiring the best insurance company is only a minor investment compared to the rest of their revenue. As such, they will look for the most fierce insurance adjuster, whose sole interest is only that of the trucking company’s.
The insurer’s role is to ward off any lawsuits, whether the company is at fault or not. Even if they don’t successfully fight back, the next option is convincing the victim to settle for way less money than they’re entitled to. They might also demonstrate how complicated your lawsuit is and how simpler it would be if you would just accept the settlement they’re offering. In other words, you will be facing a fierce opponent who is highly determined to win, which is exactly why you need an experienced, determined attorney on your side.