Truck Accident Lawyer

The rate of car accidents and those involving large trucks are staggeringly high. There were close to seven million motor vehicle accidents in 2003 in the United States, and a half million involved commercial trucks. It is understandable why there are so many lawyers to represent those who are victims of accidents, but it takes a certain kind of attorney to handle the unique circumstances of an accident with a truck. A truck accident lawyer has the knowledge and expertise to win a case that may have been caused by negligent drivers or even companies that have gotten away with negligent practices for some time.

Trucks are usually operated by large companies. That is why a general-purpose attorney may not be skilled enough to handle a truck accident case. Truck accident attorneys have in-house experts that are skilled at investigating semi-truck accidents and claims; they need to. Even if you do your research and learn all you can about truck accident investigations, this will not make up for their years of experience. A truck accident lawyer has the resources to conduct an investigation immediately, as the company of a commercially owned truck will do their own investigation following the accident.

This attorney can isolate potential causes of the accident to determine liability. The laws governing truck safety, training, and licensing are different than those for other vehicles. Records must be kept on truck maintenance, driver work time, and accident history. Cargo loads must be kept within certain weight and size parameters. Only a lawyer with such specialized knowledge and access to investigative teams in the field will be able to gather the evidence needed to get you the compensation you deserve.

Finding a truck accident lawyer must be done as soon as possible after an accident. Beginning in 2004, accident victims had two years to file a case, but each state has its own rules, called statutes of limitations, as to how long you have to file a lawsuit. In some cases, it can be as short as one year, so it is important to contact an attorney quickly in order to ensure the best chance of obtaining fair compensation.

The basic causes of truck accidents include driver inexperience, fatigue, or drug and alcohol use, overloading of truck cargo, poor maintenance, aggressive driving, or speeding. An experienced truck accident lawyer can win a case if any of these are found to be the cause. This can entitle you to compensation for medical bills and vehicle damage as well as hospital bills. Compensation for lost wages if time off from work was necessary following the accident, for physical and emotional pain, and even punitive damages can be awarded to a victim. You may be entitled to multiple sources of compensation following an accident with a truck. That is why it is so imperative to consult a professional truck accident lawyer right away.

References:

FindLaw, "Time Limits for Bringing a Case: The 'Statute of Limitations'", http://injury.findlaw.com/personal-injury/personal-injury-law/personal-injury-law-limitations.html (accessed March 15, 2011).

Sherrie Bennett, "Trucking Accidents", http://personal-injury.lawyers.com/trucking-accidents/Trucking-Accidents.html (accessed March 15, 2011).

"Statute of Limitations",http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Statute+of+Limitations (accessed March 15, 2011).

Trucking Info, "Trucking Statistics",http://www.truckinfo.net/trucking/stats.htm (accessed March 15, 2011).