Top 5 Questions to Ask Your Truck Accident Attorney

If you sustained one or more injuries as the result of a truck accident, you should act with a sense of urgency by contacting an experienced truck accident lawyer to schedule a meeting to discuss your case. Most truck accident attorneys offer a free case evaluation for potential clients to discuss their cases. During the first meeting with a truck accident attorney, the lawyer reviews your case to determine what type of action to take, which can include filing a civil lawsuit that seeks monetary damages.

The attorney reads the official police report of your case, examines the physical evidence collected by the responding law enforcement agency, and interviews witnesses that describe what transpired before, during, and after the truck collision. You learn about how to file a persuasive insurance claim, as well as discuss the steps required to take legal action to recover the financial losses generated by the truck accident. Toward the end of the first meeting with a truck accident attorney, you get the opportunity to ask questions to help you decide whether the lawyer sitting across from you is the right one to handle your case.

What Type of Questions Should I Ask the Truck Accident Attorney?

The questions that you ask a truck accident lawyer can determine the direction you take for your case. You should ask questions that pertain to the attorney’s legal background, as well as clarify how the lawyer approaches handling truck accident cases that result in a victim sustaining one or more injuries. You also should ask questions that explain the legal process, as well as educate you on what you need to do to boosting the strength of your case.

Here are the top five questions to ask a truck accident attorney:

Do You Specialize in Handling Truck Accident Cases?

Personal injury lawyers typically specialize in one, maybe two areas of personal injury law. You want to determine whether the attorney sitting across from you specializes in handling truck accident cases. Truck accident laws vary from other types of personal injury cases such as medical malpractice and premises liability. Although case and truck accident cases share many similarities, there are enough legal differences to require a truck accident attorney to handle your case.

Do You Work on a Contingency Fee Basis?

Hiring a truck accident attorney can cost a considerable amount of money, especially if a lawyer charges clients for legal services by the hour. You want to hire an attorney who operates on a contingency fee basis, which means the lawyer gets paid when you receive compensation from an insurance company and/or a personal injury lawsuit that seeks monetary damages. Truck accident attorneys who charge on a contingency fee basis receive a percentage of a client’s compensation.

Will You Work on My Case from Start to Finish?

The truck accident attorney that you meet for an initial consultation might not be the same attorney who helps you file an insurance claim and/or a personal injury lawsuit. You want to avoid hiring a truck accident lawyer who meets with you for an initial consultation, only to delegate legal responsibilities to a paralegal or a less experienced litigator.

Do You Negotiate Settlements?

Your goal as a victim of a truck accident is to receive compensation in the least amount of time. You can accomplish this goal if your truck accident attorney is willing to negotiate a settlement with the insurance company processing your claim, as well as the defendant in a civil case.

How Much Time Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit?

Each state has established a deadline to file a personal injury lawsuit. Although most states have set the statute of limitations to take legal action between two and four years, other states have set the deadline for filing a personal injury lawsuit as long as six years or as short as one year. Regardless of the statute of limitations established by the state where you live, you should act with a sense of urgency to recover your financial losses.

Can a Car Accident Attorney Help If I Was Charged With Road Rage?

Car accident attorneys provide several types of legal support for clients. They conduct thorough investigations that include gathering evidence and interviewing witnesses. Part of the evidence-gathering process involves reading the official police report, which represents the most influential document used by judges and insurance companies to issue decisions on financial claims. If you get involved in a car crash, a personal injury attorney who specializes in handling auto collision cases acts as an intermediary between you and the insurance adjuster processing your claim. You receive legal support during a civil trial, but your attorney should try to avoid a costly and time-consuming trial by trying to negotiate a settlement with the other party.

One cause of car accidents concerns the commission of one or more acts of road rage. If you sustained injuries and/or property damage as the result of road rage, you should contact an experienced and state-licensed car accident attorney. However, if you received a ticket or worse, a summons to appear in court because you committed one or more acts of road rage, then you should speak with a criminal defense lawyer. Although most states have not defined road rage as a specific crime, an act or acts of road rage that causes harm to another party might justify the filing of criminal charges such as attempted vehicular assault.

What Are the Most Common Types of Road Rage Behaviors?

A report released by AAA Exchange describes the different types of behavior that define road rage. One of the most common forms of road rage behavior is verbalizing anger while driving a motor vehicle. The verbalization of anger can consist of yelling, screaming, and/or cursing at another driver. Physical actions like banging on a dashboard and slamming the steering wheel constitute acts of road rage as well.

Another common type of road rage behavior can lead to another party sustaining one or more injuries and property damage. This type of road rage behavior involves an angry motorist who performs dangerous vehicle maneuvers, such as colliding with another car.

What are the Most Common Factors That Contribute to Road Rage?

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) states that a driver can develop anger for one of several reasons. First, a motorist who had a bad day can quickly turn volatile when confronted with traffic congestion. For every minute that passes while stuck in traffic, the festering anger becomes stronger. Second, drivers that have time issues can flip on the anger switch when they are delayed while operating a motor vehicle. Third, the veil of anonymity leads many motorists to believe they can get away with unacceptable behavior. Finally, selfishness plays a role in some drivers developing road rage behavior.

The Bottom Line: Road Rage Can Produce Serious Legal Consequences

Road rage charges can lead to legal consequences that can negatively impact you for years to come. This is especially true if you caused another party physical harm and/or damaged personal property. If you face one or more charges of road rage, as well as related criminal charges, act with a sense of urgency by contacting an experienced criminal defense attorney.