But knowing who is responsible for the accident can be a bit challenging when a truck is involved. Unlike getting in an accident with another individual, a truck driver is employed by a trucking company or is leasing the truck from another individual or company. This gets even more people and organizations involved in your lawsuit.
If you’re hoping to get compensation for your injuries and expenses, you need to know who to sue. But with so many people involved, who should your lawsuit be directed to?
Who to Sue in a Trucking Accident
Who will ultimately be responsible for your accident will depend on the circumstances surrounding your collision. Here is a short list of individuals who you may hold responsible for your accident with a truck:
- The individual driving the truck
- The company employing the driver
- The owner of the truck
- The manufacturer of the truck or equipment that caused the accident
- The freight loader
In order to ensure your lawsuit is directed at the right individual, you will need to talk to an auto accident attorney. An auto accident attorney can help you look at the details of your case and determine who is ultimately responsible for the mistake that lead to the collision.
The Importance of an Attorney in a Trucking Accident
Anytime you want to sue a responsible driver for your accident, you should work with an attorney. But if a truck was involved in the collision, the need for an attorney is much higher.
When you’re involved in an accident with a truck driver, there is typically a company involved as well. While companies ensure truck drivers have higher insurance policies than the standard driver, an accident never looks good for a trucking company. To save themselves money on insurance premiums and reduce the publicity the collision gets, the company will do what it can to ensure the case doesn’t make it to court.
The companies that employ truck drivers have access to a team of attorneys specializing in reducing the amount of money they pay injured individuals. Because they deal with similar cases each and every day, these attorneys know exactly what to do or say to try and trick you into agreeing to a settlement amount much lower than what you would be offered in a lawsuit.
If you’ve been injured by a truck driver, and attorney for the company or the insurance provider will try to swoop in while you’re still in the hospital to try and get you to come to a settlement agreement. When you’re feeling confused and vulnerable, you may be tempted to take the cash and call it quits.
However, truck accidents can cause extremely complex injuries that can take years and years to heal. In some cases, the injuries may never heal completely, leaving you with doctors’ appointments and physical therapy for the rest of your life. If you don’t consider these costs into your settlement agreement, you may need to pay those expenses out of pocket in the future.
Additionally, truck drivers must comply with certain rules and regulations when they are behind the wheel of their vehicle. In order to prove that they were not following these processes when the accident occurred, you may need the help of a personal injury attorney.
Your personal injury attorney will protect you from the unethical behavior of an attorney or insurance provider trying to get you to take less money than you’re worth. A personal injury attorney will also represent you through the negotiation process to ensure you’re agreeing to the right settlement and considering all compensation areas in which you qualify.
Working with an Arizona Personal Injury Attorney
If you’ve been in an accident with a truck, now isn’t the time to be independent. While trying to recover from your injuries and get your life back together, a personal injury attorney can work with you to ensure you don’t need to pay medical expenses, lost wages, or damages out of your own pocket. Don’t risk losing the case because you bit off more than you could chew.
To get a jump start on your personal injury case against a truck driver or the trucking company, contact a personal injury attorney as soon as you can. The law office of Lamber Goodnow can help you collect evidence, determine the right party to sue, and begin building a strong case against the individual or company responsible for your accident.