If you have recently been involved in an accident with a commercial truck, you may be dealing with an overwhelming change of circumstances emotionally, physically, and economically. Mounting medical bills, the inability to return to work, and increased physical pain may be causing you great distress.
You may be rightly thinking that you want to pursue compensation for damages suffered. But the thought of engaging in a legal struggle, coupled with having to pay a lawyer in addition to costly medical bills, may appear to be too stressful to deal with at the moment. However, hiring the right truck accident lawyer to assist with your claim would not be as costly as you may be thinking.
That is why, if you or your loved one has suffered a truck accident, you should definitely speak to a truck accident lawyer with Phillips Law Group. The initial consultation is free, and our lawyers can help you get the maximum amount of compensation that you are entitled to receive. Our firm has successfully recovered hundreds of millions in compensation for victims. Call us today to get started on your claim.
Truck Accident Claims Are More Complex Than Auto Accident Claims
Claims involving a truck accident are far more complex than claims that involve just automobiles. For example, with car accidents, injuries and damages can range from mild to severe. Whereas, in the case of collisions involving a much heavier commercial truck, damages and injuries are usually catastrophic.
Also, after a car crash, typically just two insurance policies are involved – that of the victim and of the at-fault driver. However, with truck accidents, multiple insurance policies usually come into play. Because the trucking company, the loading company, and the maintenance company will all hold their own insurance.
Another difference is, although both cars and commercial trucks must obey the same state laws, truck drivers must also adhere to laws and regulations that have been stipulated by the federal government. When a truck driver fails to do so and an accident results, he or she could be held liable. Thus, you must have the assistance of a highly experienced truck accident lawyer in order to file a successful claim.
Why the Assistance of a Truck Accident Lawyer Is Vital to Your Claim
Frequently, the cause of truck accidents is driver error. But, even if the driver shared a measure of fault, there may be other factors that could have contributed to the crash. For example, perhaps a defective truck part was the cause. If so, then the manufacturer could also be pursued for compensation. Or, if improper loading led to the collision, then the loading company could be held responsible for damages.
However, each potentially liable party could, and frequently does, deny responsibility. This is why an experienced truck accident lawyer is needed in the aftermath of an accident. He or she will know how to perform an extensive investigation, isolate the facts, analyze the results, and aggressively pursue all responsible parties.
Your lawyer can even file a lawsuit if the amount of fair compensation exceeds insurance limits. He or she will know if this step is necessary in order to get you all the money you need.
Clearly, getting help from experienced attorneys is the best way to maximize the amount of compensation that you’re entitled to receive.
How Much a Truck Accident Lawyer Will Charge for Your Claim
Since the truck accident lawyer’s fee would depend on the agreed settlement amount of your claim, there is no way to determine that in advance. Truck accident cases come under the umbrella of personal injury law. Personal injury attorneys typically use a contingency fee arrangement rather than charging a flat rate for their services.
This arrangement benefits you, as the client, in many ways:
- First, you do not have to pay anything upfront for the lawyer to begin his or her work
- Second, you do not pay your lawyer anything unless your case is won
- Third, since your truck accident lawyer will get a percentage from the settlement of your claim, he or she will be tenacious in pursuing the maximum amount from the responsible parties
Legal Fees That Will Be Included
Perhaps you are wondering, in addition to labor spent by your truck accident lawyer in an effort to negotiate a settlement for your claim, what else may be included in your lawyer’s fees? Specifically, the fees may cover the cost of filing a lawsuit as well as the time spent by the legal team doing an extensive investigation to gather evidence.
Additional expenses may include travel costs that may be needed for your case as well as miscellaneous and administrative fees. This would include the work performed by paralegals and legal secretaries on your claim.
It may sound, then, like a lot of your settlement would be going towards paying legal fees. However, Arizona’s rules of conduct state that your lawyer cannot charge an unreasonable fee or unreasonable amount for expenses. In most cases, the law limits the amount your personal injury lawyer can charge to one-third, or 33.3 percent, of your settlement.
If the case cannot be settled as a simple claim, then your lawyer may file a lawsuit to get you fair compensation. If this happens, your lawyer’s fee could legally be up to 40 percent, since the litigation process would require much more extensive and expensive work.
Please note that it is rare for a personal injury case, such as a truck accident, to go to court. Most of these types of cases are settled out of court. In any case, your truck accident lawyer will explain what his or her fees and expenses would be in the initial consultation.
Get Your Claim in Good Hands!
It is true that you do not legally require the assistance of a truck accident lawyer to pursue compensation for your claim. But, if you want to lessen your stress by avoiding the extremely complicated process of navigating a truck accident claim by yourself, maximize the amount of your settlement, and prioritize focusing on yourself to make a full recovery, then a lawyer’s assistance is crucial.
Insurance adjusters are trained to use tactics to lessen the amount of your claim. Additionally, trucking, manufacturing, maintenance, and loading companies usually have teams of highly skilled lawyers at their disposal. These attorneys have the goal to minimize any liability claims against their clients. It does not make sense for you to try to fight with these experienced insurance adjusters and lawyers for a fair settlement while you are trying to heal, does it?
Do not think that pursuing compensation on your own would allow you to save money by avoiding lawyer’s fees. The truth is, you may be pressured into settling your claim for a lower amount than you may be entitled to receive. A truck accident lawyer would be able to calculate the fair amount you could receive in compensation for your damages.
The personal injury lawyers at Phillips Law Group have extensive knowledge and experience with truck accident cases. Our lawyers also know to combat any tactics that insurance adjusters and opposing lawyers use to lessen the amount of the claim.
The truck accident lawyers of Phillips Law Group will fight until you are fairly compensated for damages and will even argue your case in court if necessary. All for zero out-of-pocket fees! Call our law firm today for a free consultation!
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