If you sustained serious injuries in a truck accident – especially if someone’s negligence caused the crash – you might have the right to pursue a claim for financial compensation.
Truck accidents are unfortunately common, resulting in many serious injuries and fatalities. In many of these accidents, negligence on the part of the truck’s driver or the trucking firm that owns the vehicle contributed to or caused the crash.
If you suffered injuries in a truck accident and believe the trucker was at fault, work with a truck accident lawyer in Bayport, Long Island to help you pursue compensation for your damages.Contact Gacovino, Lake & Associates, P.C. today at 631-600-0000 to discuss your situation.
Why Do You Need a Truck Accident Lawyer to Submit Your Claim?
Truck accident attorneys understand how to build a persuasive claim for your injuries, and how to negotiate with the insurance company to arrive at a fair financial settlement.
Your lawyer will protect your legal rights and help prevent you from taking any actions – such as giving statements to the insurance company or signing away your rights – that could compromise your ability to collect damages.
The legal aspects of proving liability, including identifying the at-fault party or parties and demonstrating their negligence, require a lawyer who knows how to navigate the personal injury claim process.The trucking industry follows a host of complex legal regulations and governance. A lawyer who understands these factors can explain them to you and provide you with advice on how to move forward with your claim.
And, in case the insurance company refuses to negotiate a fair settlement, a truck accident lawyer will be ready to take your case to court.
What Is the Value of Your Semi-Truck Accident Claim?
Your truck accident lawyer will calculate the value of your claim based on the nature of your damages.
Some of the most common expenses included in an injury claim include:
- Doctor bills to date
- Hospital bills to date
- Medication costs to date
- Miscellaneous care and treatment costs to date
- Lost income to date
- Lost benefits or opportunities to date
- Emotional and psychological damage
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of life enjoyment
If you have not yet finished treatment, your lawyer will also include some or all of the following.
- Future medical and care costs
- Future lost income
- Lost earning potential
- Permanent injuries or disability
To substantiate your claim, your truck accident lawyer will obtain documentation from your doctors and other treatment professionals. Wage statements from your employer can substantiate lost wages and opportunities. Expert testimony can prove how your injuries will affect you in the future.
Did Negligence Cause Your Truck Accident?
Data published by the New York State Traffic Safety Statistical Repository (TSSR) indicates that, in 2016, 11,573 New York truck accidents led to almost 4,000 injuries and deaths statewide. Moreover, data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) demonstrates that, in 2015, approximately 75 percent of people who died in trucking accidents were driving or riding in another vehicle.
Due to the elevated risk they pose, truck drivers and trucking firms owe a strict duty of care to others when operating on the roadways. If a commercial truck owner or operator violates their duty of care – and an accident occurs as a result – they have liability for any injuries and damages the accident causes.
Some examples of a trucking firm or commercial truck driver violating their obligation for care include breaking any law or violating any governmental regulation.
For example, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) imposes hours-of-service regulations that require drivers to limit their time behind the wheel to 12 hours only after they have taken 10 continuous hours off from driving.
If a driver violates that regulation and consequently causes an accident, the driver has violated their duty of care.
Similarly, federal cargo securement rules require that trucking firms properly secure all loads, with even more stringent regulations for securing hazardous materials.
If a truck loses its load on the highway, the motorists following face a significant risk of injury or death. If this accident occurred because the driver or trucking firm failed to obey the cargo securement rules, you could pursue compensation for your injuries based on their negligence.
Your truck accident lawyer will obtain the appropriate documentation to substantiate the cause of the accident. This may include safety records, inspection records, maintenance and repair logs, driver’s logs, and electronic data from the truck’s electronic control module (ECM) or onboard computer.
Your attorney may also track down witnesses and take their statements, obtain photographs of the scene, and gather other relevant information to support your negligence claim.
Talk to a Truck Accident Lawyer in Bayport, Long Island at No Cost
You can talk to a truck lawyer for free today to learn whether you have a viable claim for compensation. Call Gacovino, Lake & Associates, P.C. at 631-600-0000 to schedule your complimentary consultation.
