Truck accidents often have catastrophic consequences especially for their victims, mainly due to the gigantic size of the trucks. The emotional trauma and physical injuries in such a collision can be overwhelming. When you or someone you love gets injured due to the negligence or carelessness of someone else, you are entitled to receive compensation for all your losses. For you to be able to comfortably go through the entire legal process, it’s essential to understand all your legal options.
Our compassionate truck accident attorneys in Baton Rouge at the Law Offices of L. Clayton Burgess list down the following legal steps required to obtain compensation after a truck accident:
1. Sign an official agreement with your truck accident lawyer:
Once you decide to hire a particular lawyer, ensure that you have a professional relationship with your attorney by way of reviewing, negotiating, and signing a contract. Popularly known as the Letter of Engagement or Retainer Agreement, the official agreement should have:
- An acknowledgment that a confidential client-lawyer relationship has begun
- The fee structure which includes expenses and payment
- Details of the timeline involved with any average truck accident claim
- Terms and conditions on how either or both the parties can cancel the agreement
It’s important to understand that every truck accident case is unique, and each law firm may work in a different style. Therefore, make sure that you know the essential points of the contract before you sign it.
2. Make sure that all communication is done through your lawyer:
Truck accident cases get handled differently as compared to passenger car accident cases. Insurance adjusters resort to every trick in their book to offer minimum payment to the victims. They also apply other tricks to validate that you were equally at fault. Thus, seeking the guidance of your truck accident lawyer at every step of the way is crucial. We’ve listed some dos and don’ts for you to keep in mind after a collision:
Dos
- Do report the accident to your insurance company
- Ensure that you have a police report
- Get your case evaluated by a medical professional
Don’ts
- Don’t provide any statement to the insurance company
- Don’t sign any document without consulting your lawyer
- Don’t share the details of your truck accident injury with anyone other than your attorney
3. Unravel all the possible details:
After a preliminary discussion about your accident, the next step for your legal team would be to investigate your case thoroughly. This includes:
- Reviewing all police reports
- Analyzing all medical reports
- Locating new eyewitnesses and reviewing the available evidence
- Reconstructing the accident scene
- Considering all the available documents
- Conducting meetings with the legal representatives of the truck company
- Meeting with insurance adjusters
4. Send a demand letter:
After a thorough analysis of all the evidence by you and your legal team, you need to move forward with your demand. The demand letter states how the claimant has been affected physically, emotionally, and financially due to the accident. Our Baton Rouge accident lawyers have years of experience in tackling complicated truck accident cases. We ensure to create a persuasive demand letter that covers all your losses, damage, and injuries to restore justice.
5. Go for settlement or trial:
Once the insurance provider of the truck company evaluates your evidence, the next move for the insurance company would be: to either accept your demands and go for a settlement outside the court, or negotiate with the terms to reach an agreement. However, if your demands are going unanswered, you’ll need to take the case to court.
The seasoned truck accident attorneys in Baton Rouge at the Law Offices of L. Clayton Burgess can answer any questions you have, explain to you your legal options, and fight to obtain maximum compensation for your injuries. Our attorneys have more than two decades of experience in tackling complex issues, gathering crucial evidence, and building a case to support your claim and settlement.
