An experienced St. Louis truck accident attorney can help victims recover the full scope of their losses. This includes monetary compensation for vehicle repairs, actual cash value (ACV), lost wages, medical expenses, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life.
Victims might file negligence claims against truck drivers, their employers, truck manufacturers, or roadway maintenance entities. Claims against government entities might require special notification procedures and timelines.
Experience
Truck accidents differ from other motor-vehicle crashes in that they tend to be more catastrophic and cause more severe injuries. They also often result in higher monetary losses for accident victims, including medical bills and lost income due to the inability to work.
A St Louis trucking lawyer can help accident victims recover the monetary compensation they need to make their lives whole again after a truck accident. Victims can recover damages for different types of losses, such as medical expenses, property loss, pain and suffering, and wrongful death.
Unlike regular car crashes, truck accidents can involve multiple parties. It takes specific experience to identify all liable parties, find the causes and build a strong case for accident victims to get adequate financial compensation for their injuries. This can include identifying the truck driver, the trucking company, loading companies, parts manufacturers, and more. It may even be necessary to bring in expert witnesses such as accident reconstruction experts.
Expertise
Many truck accidents involve severe injuries that can lead to permanent damage, lifelong physical pain and emotional trauma, medical bills, loss of wages and future earnings. A good St Louis truck accident lawyer will be able to calculate your damages and include them in a comprehensive financial settlement package.
Many accidents result from a combination of factors, including driver negligence and roadway hazards. A knowledgeable St Louis truck accident attorney will determine whether to file negligence, product liability, gross negligence (reckless conduct), or wrongful death lawsuits against liable parties.
A skilled truck accident lawyer will know how to collect and review physical evidence, obtain and examine electronic vehicle data, hire expert accident reconstruction engineers and private investigators, gather witness testimony, and negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf. A good St Louis truck accident lawyer will help you avoid being taken advantage of by the insurance companies. They will fight for the full amount of compensation that you deserve.
Timeliness
Commercial trucks often carry heavy and hazardous cargo, so they require special care and attention to operate safely. Nevertheless, even one mistake or act of negligence by a truck driver or company could lead to an accident.
A St Louis truck accident lawyer can help victims recover compensation for their medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more. If the crash was caused by gross negligence, the victim may also be eligible for punitive damages.
It is important to hire a St Louis truck accident attorney as soon as possible after an accident. Most truck accidents have a five-year statute of limitations, and failing to file within that window could bar the victim from receiving any compensation. Your legal advocate can review all the evidence, including black box data, witness testimony, and police reports, to build a strong case for you. He or she can also identify all liable parties, and determine which causes led to your truck accident.
Communication
Many truck accidents result in severe injuries and expensive medical bills, property loss, lost income, and even wrongful death. In most cases, multiple parties may share responsibility for a crash including the truck driver, the fleet owner or trucking company, and the truck manufacturer.
When a truck accident occurs, the first thing to do is call 911 and seek emergency medical care. This will help you document your injuries and create an accident report that can be used later.
After you have been treated, your St Louis truck accident attorney will work to identify all liable parties and uncover the causes of the crash. They will review all physical evidence, hire expert witnesses when necessary, request video evidence and electronic vehicle data (black box data that records speed, braking, air bag deployment) and more. They will also negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf. Victims are able to recover damages for both economic and non-economic losses.