Most people have a fairly high chance of getting into a motor vehicle accident at some point in their lives. But when a big rig is involved, the results are nearly always devastating. In the wake of such a collision, how can you be sure that you are being treated fairly by the insurance company?

“The Insurance Company Is Offering Me a Fair Settlement”

If you believe that an insurance company is offering to settle your case for a fair amount, it’s a near certainty that you are selling yourself short and haven’t considered the true value of your damages. Over the years, our firm has heard clients come to us repeating some of these statements from insurance companies that might sound familiar:

“There’s no reason for you to hire a lawyer.”

“We accept full responsibility. Why would you want to share settlement proceeds with a lawyer?”

“You don’t need a lawyer. We can work this out.”

If an insurance adjuster has tried to convince you of this, there’s a good reason. They want you to believe that hiring an attorney is not in your best interests when the truth is exactly the opposite. It’s noteworthy that the truck accident victims that hear these statements the most are the ones who have complex cases where the damage amounts can be significant.

Settlements are legal contracts that, once signed and approved by the courts, cannot be reversed. Many accident victims fail to understand the long-term consequences of agreeing to a settlement that may not be in their best interests.

Assuming you were hit by a big rig, you may have injuries that will require lifetime medical care, prevent you from returning to work, and cause significant pain and suffering. Placing a fair value on these damages takes experience, and large insurance companies didn’t get to be that way by voluntarily paying reasonable values on serious claims.

In short, the insurance company representative doesn’t want you to hire an attorney because they hope to save money and close their file as quickly as possible. If your case is serious, they may well be forced to pay as much as ten times what you’ve been offered, so it’s always to your benefit to speak with a qualified truck accident attorney.

Why You Should Hire a Lawyer After a Truck Accident

Big rigs can weigh as much as 40 tons, and accidents with these trucks can lead to severe and lasting injuries. As soon as a commercial truck is involved in a crash, the trucking company generally gets notified and springs into action.

If the truck driver or trucking company is at fault, they have a big incentive to take any steps necessary to protect their financial interests. This might include cleaning up the accident scene, removing the truck, taking control of defective parts or the black box, and hiding or destroying other evidence.

There are also additional regulations that apply to the trucking industry that may impact your case. For example, commercial truckers are subject to a series of regulations that require them to document their hours of driving and rest. Trucking companies must keep documentation relative to background investigations of drivers, drug testing programs, and regular maintenance on vehicles.

If you want the best chance of holding these parties accountable, it’s vital that you speak with an experienced truck accident attorney as quickly as possible after the crash. Your legal counsel can independently investigate the crash, and get court orders to preserve evidence.

There may also be more than one party responsible for your harm. For example, the truck driver might be at fault, but a defective piece of equipment could have also contributed to the crash. When you work with a skilled personal injury attorney, you’ll get the information and assistance you need to maximize your recovery.

Speak with an Experienced Mobile Truck Accident Attorney

As a general rule of thumb, the more serious the accident, the more likely it is that the victim needs strong legal counsel. In all our years of handling personal injury cases at Burns, Cunningham & Mackey, P.C., we’ve yet to see a reasonable settlement offer from an insurance company on a serious truck accident case when a personal injury attorney wasn’t involved in the negotiations.

Besides the protection from unfair insurance company representatives, hiring an attorney also gives you peace of mind knowing that you will have the best opportunity to settle your case for maximum compensation. In addition, our personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you don’t pay us a dime until we settle your case.

Contact our Mobile office today at (251) 260-3815 to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your situation and options.