What’s more horrifying than having an accident with a truck? Having to choose between paying your medical bills or putting food on the table because you’re trying to recover from an accident that wasn’t your fault! That’s why it’s vital that if you get injured in a truck accident, you seek the services of an experienced truck accident attorney as soon as possible.
Fortunately, finding and hiring one in Texas isn’t that hard once you know what to look for. Here are some steps you can take when hiring a truck accident attorney in Texas.
What is a Truck Accident Lawyer?
A truck accident lawyer is someone who represents individuals involved in or injured by trucks or semi-trucks. Truck accidents happen every day, even though trucks make up only 4% of all vehicle traffic, they account for 11% of motor vehicle deaths.
Because of their size and weight, truck accidents are more dangerous and much more costly than car accidents. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration estimates that over 45,000 people die each year from vehicular crashes involving large trucks and another 140,000 are injured.
If you’ve been hurt as a result of an accident with a truck or semi-truck, it’s important to know what options you have to seek justice and hold negligent parties accountable.
Who Is Responsible for Truck Accidents?
If you’ve been involved in an accident with a truck, there are two main parties that could be responsible for any damages. The first is most likely obvious: The truck driver is responsible for his own actions and any damages he causes to other vehicles or people.
What may not be as obvious, however, is that if another person or company caused your crash and/or your injuries, you might be able to hold them accountable through liability claims of your own.
To hire a truck accident attorney, it’s important to know who might be on the hook for your damages.
What Are Common Injuries from Truck Accidents?
It’s not uncommon for truck accidents to result in serious injuries or fatalities. Truck accidents usually occur when a smaller vehicle like a car, motorcycle, scooter, or bicycle comes into contact with an 18-wheeler. In these cases, it is more likely that one of these smaller vehicles will be damaged by impact with either a tire or part of an undercarriage.
The injuries sustained as a result are often extremely severe and could end up altering someone’s life forever. So, if you have been involved in an accident with any type of large vehicle—especially if your own wasn’t severely damaged—it’s worth reaching out to see how someone like Fordyce Law might be able to help you through such an ordeal.
How Much Does It Cost to Sue?
You might be surprised at how much it costs to hire an attorney for personal injury claims. The price for an attorney varies depending on factors like location, skill set, and size of firm.
Attorneys specialize in all sorts of legal practice areas and have different rates depending on what types of cases they handle. A car accident lawyer will typically charge anywhere from $100 per hour to more than $500 per hour.
Some attorneys also require retainers (basically, non-refundable deposits), which can range from a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars.
If you want good representation, you’re going to have to pay for it—but fortunately, you may be able to recover your attorney fees after winning your case through litigation or arbitration.
What are My Rights After a Truck Collision?
After you have been involved in a truck accident, it’s important to understand your rights and what options are available to you.
If another party was at fault for your collision, it is important that you hire an attorney who specializes in truck accidents so that they can ensure your rights are protected as much as possible.
Filing a personal injury claim after an accident is essential for getting compensation for damages caused by someone else. Doing so will allow you to focus on recovering from your injuries without worrying about how to pay bills or other financial responsibilities.
When Should I Contact an Attorney?
The most important thing to know is that you don’t need an attorney until you decide that you want one.
The legal system works on a loser pays model, which means even if someone brings a frivolous lawsuit against you, they have to pay for their own legal fees—and more often than not it can cost tens of thousands just to hire an attorney, so only lawyers that are confident they can win will accept your case.
A lawyer will be able to assess your situation and tell you what your options are; it is ultimately up to you whether or not you want to go through with litigation.
What Happens If I Don’t Have Insurance?
Texas is one of several states that require motorists to purchase liability insurance. If you’re at fault in an accident and don’t have insurance, there are repercussions.
Not only can you be sued by your victim, but you’ll also face criminal charges; under Texas law, not having car insurance is considered guilty until proven innocent. In order to get out from under these charges and lawsuits, you need representation from an experienced truck accident attorney.
Luckily for Texas residents, finding a good lawyer isn’t difficult—trucking accidents are relatively common and they come with specific rules of liability.
Can I Still File an Injury Claim if the Driver Has No Insurance?
If you’ve been involved in an accident, it’s critical to know your legal rights. And if you’re trying to decide whether or not you have grounds for an injury claim, then knowing what to look for is essential.
If a driver who has hit you has no insurance at all, does that mean you can’t file a claim?
The short answer is no: Drivers do have some responsibility to keep themselves covered, but that doesn’t mean they don’t still have room for error when it comes to personal accidents.
Will My Private Information Remain Confidential?
If you want to know whether your private information will remain confidential, you must verify that your attorney is properly licensed to practice law and, if they are not a part of a larger firm or agency, that they are covered by malpractice insurance.
Only attorneys who meet these requirements can protect your privacy. An attorney who provides legal services should have no problem meeting these criteria. If you need assistance finding an attorney who meets these standards, contact agencies such as local law schools or legal aid organizations.
Additionally, ask whether they have any complaints against them with their state bar association. You can also check with their state department of insurance for any outstanding judgments against them and whether there have been any complaints filed about their services.
Are All of the Details of My Case Discussed During Free Consultation?
A key part of hiring a good attorney is making sure you don’t feel like he or she is only interested in collecting your fee. The best way to make sure of that is to make sure all of your questions are answered during free consultations.
Before you sign any paperwork, go over every detail possible so that you know what you will and won’t be responsible for, and have an idea about how much work and money it will take to get through your case.
After all, it doesn’t matter how nice an attorney may seem if he or she isn’t going to take care of everything—because they may not be able to.