If you’ve been injured in a truck accident, you need a lawyer. At Shultz Legal we have the resources and experience necessary to take on big insurance and get you the compensation you deserve.
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Suffering an injury that prevents you from living your life to the fullest can have significant consequences, both financially and emotionally. The inability to earn a living can lead to financial instability, mounting medical bills, and an uncertain future. When facing these challenges, it is crucial to seek the assistance of a personal injury attorney in Maryland.
– Jason Shultz
Why Do I Need A Truck Accident Attorney?
If you have been involved in a truck accident, it’s important to understand the unique challenges you might face in the aftermath, particularly regarding your rights to fair compensation.
Understanding the Severity of Truck Accident Injuries
Truck accidents often result in more severe injuries than typical car accidents. The sheer size and weight of trucks mean that the impact can be significantly greater, potentially leading to life-altering injuries. These injuries can require extensive medical treatment, prolonged recovery periods, and may even have lasting effects on your life and livelihood.
Navigating Complex Insurance Dynamics
Dealing with insurance claims following a truck accident can be particularly challenging. The insurance companies representing large transportation corporations are typically well-equipped and highly motivated to minimize payouts. Their primary objective is often to protect the company’s financial interests, not to ensure you receive the full compensation you deserve.
The Role of an Experienced Attorney
This is where the expertise of a truck accident attorney becomes invaluable. An attorney with experience in truck accidents understands the tactics these insurance companies use and how to effectively counter them. They can meticulously assess both your economic and non-economic damages. This includes not just your immediate medical bills and lost wages, but also long-term rehabilitation costs, future loss of earnings, as well as pain and suffering, emotional distress, and any reduction in your quality of life.
Ensuring Fair Compensation
A skilled lawyer will work tirelessly to ensure that every aspect of your claim is thoroughly evaluated and that the compensation you receive truly reflects the extent of your injuries and losses. They bring a level of expertise and negotiation skill that is critical in dealing with large transportation companies and their insurers. Without such legal assistance, there is a significant risk of being undervalued or outright denied the compensation you rightly deserve.
Your Advocate in a Challenging Time
Remember, after a truck accident, your focus should be on healing and recovery. By entrusting your legal concerns to a qualified attorney, you can dedicate your energy to your physical and emotional wellbeing, knowing that an experienced professional is advocating for your best interests and fighting to secure the compensation you need and deserve.
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How Is Fault Determined In A Truck Accident?
In Maryland, fault in truck accidents is determined using a combination of state traffic laws, evidence from the accident scene, and sometimes the professional opinions of accident reconstruction experts. Here are key factors involved in determining fault:
- Negligence: Like other vehicle accidents, truck accidents in Maryland are primarily assessed on the basis of negligence. This means determining which party failed to exercise reasonable care and contributed to the accident.
- State Traffic Laws: Violations of state traffic laws, such as speeding, running red lights, or illegal turns, can be strong indicators of fault.
- Evidence from the Scene: Physical evidence from the accident scene, including skid marks, vehicle damages, and debris, helps reconstruct the events leading to the accident.
- Witness Testimonies: Statements from witnesses can provide crucial information about the accident, such as the behavior of the truck driver or other involved parties before the crash.
- Expert Analysis: In complex cases, accident reconstruction experts may be consulted to analyze evidence and determine the sequence of events and the likely cause of the accident.
- Police Reports: The responding officers’ reports often include details about the accident, potential violations of traffic laws, and sometimes an initial assessment of fault.
- Contributory Negligence: Maryland follows the contributory negligence rule, which means that if a party is found even partially at fault for the accident (as little as 1%), they may not be able to recover damages from the other party involved.
A lawyer can help argue in your favor when determining fault. Without a lawyer, you will be left with the insurance company’s decision on who is at fault.
This can leave you with a much smaller compensation and in some cases, no compensation at all.
How Much Does A Truck Accident Attorney Cost?
As truck accident cases fall under the scope of personal injury, these cases are usually taken on a contingency basis.
This means that unless your lawyer wins your case, there is no fee associated with legal representation. If, however, your case is won, the lawyer’s fee will come out of the compensated amount.
In that case, the lawyer’s fee would be 33% for a settlement or 40% if the suit went to court.
The fee increases in the case of a lawsuit as this requires more work on the legal side.
Who Can Be Sued After A Truck Accident?
After a truck accident, several parties could potentially be held liable and sued, depending on the specifics of the case:
- Truck Driver: If the truck driver’s negligence, such as speeding, distracted driving, or driving under the influence, caused the accident.
- Trucking Company: The company can be sued for reasons such as negligent hiring practices, inadequate driver training, or failure to maintain the vehicle.
- Owner of the Truck: If the truck is owned by a different entity than the trucking company, that owner might be liable for maintenance issues.
- Cargo Loaders: If improper loading of the truck’s cargo contributed to the accident, the party responsible for loading could be sued.
- Vehicle or Parts Manufacturers: If a vehicle defect or faulty part caused the accident, the manufacturer could be held responsible.
- Maintenance Companies: If poor maintenance or repair work on the truck contributed to the accident.
- Other Third Parties: In some cases, other parties like contractors, government entities responsible for road maintenance, or even other drivers could be liable.
The determination of who can be sued often depends on a detailed investigation into the accident to establish negligence and liability.
Let Shultz Legal Represent Your Truck Accident Case In Baltimore
For a free consultation, reach out to Shultz Legal today at (410) 834-4091 or fill out a contact form here
