Mistakes To Avoid When Hiring A Truck Accident Attorney

The kind of attorney you hire for your truck accident case will determine whether you will be able to win the settlement amount you are looking for. Your settlement needs to cover everything from your medical expenses to repair damages your vehicle has suffered. 

Additionally, it also needs to factor in lost wages in the event you are unable to get back to work for a long stretch. 

Many people make the mistake of going with an attorney that just has experience fighting personal injury cases. They fail to understand that truck accident require a far more specific level of skill and expertise. 

Given what is at stake here, you cannot afford to end up making a mistake when choosing a truck accident attorney. 

In this article, we are going to discuss some of the major mistakes you should look to avoid when hiring a truck accident attorney. We will also discuss some mistakes that can cost you the compensation you were looking for. 

List of 5 Mistakes to Avoid when Hiring a Truck Accident Attorney

1. Falling prey to flashing advertising, marketing, or good SEO- 

An attorney or law firm that shows up as the first result of your Google search ‘truck accident attorney’ might not be the best. What it definitely means is that they are following an excellent SEO strategy.  Individuals and families fall prey to glossy marketing on signboards or on social media. Make sure you do not go just by the advertising aspect only. There is a lot more to it. 

1. Going after lawyers that promise you the moon, stars, and everything else- 

‘If you go with me, I will make sure you get $500,000!’ When an attorney says this to you, you are more likely to fall for it. However, do not make this mistake. A good truck accident attorney first verifies all the details of the case at hand, calculates the costs, and then gives you a number that they will aim for. A lawyer that promises a figure before getting all the facts is lying. 

1. Selecting truck accident attorneys that do not have a lot of trial experience- 

Truck accidents tend to go to trial more than other personal injury cases. Make sure that you go for an attorney that has experience in taking the case to trial if the settlement is insufficient. Fighting a truck accident lawsuit in court is an entirely different proposition. You need someone who can convince the judge and jury members around the facts of the case. 

1. Hiring a ‘Settling Attorney’ after they promise to get you the money- 

In legal circles, there is something known as a ‘settling attorney’. Their primary aim is to settle. The adverse effect that this has is not forcing insurance companies to be serious enough. If you do not make the threat of going to court, the settlement amount will never be satisfactory enough. Make sure that you do not go for a settling attorney at all costs. 

1. Depending only on referrals from family and friends for the attorney- 

While a good starting point for selecting an attorney would be seeking referrals, do not make the mistake of not doing your own research. A legal expert that was right for them might not be the best for you. You need to ensure that you are doing face-to-face interviews, checking out online reviews and ratings, before finalizing on the attorney of your choice. 

Many individuals want to go for an attorney simply because their offices are located close to where they live. While going for a local attorney is a good choice, this should not be the deciding factor. 

Mistakes that can Weaken your Truck Accident Case: By Legal Experts

In this section, we are going to look at some personal mistakes you need to avoid that could have the effect of weakening your compensation demand. 

Let us look at some of them below- 

1. Being careless about seeking medical attention– Almost all legal experts suggest that you should immediately get checked into a medical institution. If you are not prompt in this regard, the opposing counsel will use this to demonstrate that the nature of injuries is not serious to justify the settlement. Make sure to seek medical attention right away. 
2. Not getting your hands on the police report– This is a vital piece of evidence that is legally accepted and stands in any court of law. You need to ensure that you have this at the earliest as it would help build your case. The report needs to mention the nature of the accident, the extent of damage, why it happened, and other important details. 
3. Failing to get the contact details of the person/vehicle at fault– You need to ensure that are collecting details like license plate numbers, name of the driver, insurance records, and other details surrounding the case. This will allow you to pass this information to your attorney and they can send the necessary case details. 
4. Coming short on the evidence gathering front– When it comes to personal injury accidents, you need to arm yourself with as much evidence as possible. Use your phone camera smartly to take images and videos of the accident and record voice discussions. All this will help build a strong case that will work in your favor in the settlement.
5. Not contacting medical experts and getting their statements and signatures– A medical professional needs to sign on the extent of your damages. This is essential if you have huge medical bills that need to be paid, or have to go for reconstructive surgery because of the accident. If you do not have this, it will weaken your settlement. 

The Bottom Line

Fighting a truck accident case is not easy, as everyone from the trucking company to their insurance providers will fight tooth and nail for every penny. If you can eliminate the mistakes mentioned in the article, you stand a better chance of getting a settlement amount that is fair and justified. If you have any other questions, you would like us to address, let us know in the comments. We would be more than happy to address, any and every one of your doubts.