We are personal injury experts who have achieved results for our clients in Joplin for over 40 years.
Fault Determination
This is one of the most complicated steps in commercial vehicle accidents. A single party may be responsible, or multiple parties’ faults may have contributed to the accident. Once fault is determined, it is at this stage the victim finds out who to recover compensation from.
Pursuing a Claim
The liable party’s insurance carrier will be required to pay compensation to the victim of the commercial truck accident. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration mandates motor carriers to have a certain amount of liability insurance coverage. The coverage provided by the at-fault party’s liability insurance may sometimes be lesser than the compensation required to cover all the damages.
Settlement Negotiation/Filing a Lawsuit
Insurance settlements may take weeks or even months. Negotiations with insurance companies are tough, and they generally deny liability or offer lower-than-fair settlement amounts.
If the parties do not agree upon a settlement amount, a lawsuit will be filed and the case will proceed to trial. With the help of a St. Louis truck accident lawyer, the victim can recover the rightful compensation they deserve.
Number of At-Fault Parties
Truck accidents can have multiple at-fault parties, including the truck driver, trucking company, truck parts manufacturer, cargo packer, and maintenance company. Proving fault and accepting liability takes more time in such cases.
Injuries Sustained
If the victim sustained serious injuries, it could take longer to settle the case. Severe injuries needing long-term care and therapies require greater compensation and the insurance adjusters usually fight hard to reduce the payout.
Legal Strategy
Working with an experienced truck accident attorney right from the beginning of the case will ensure that the case proceeds swiftly. A Truck Accident Attorney is likely to have a bigger impact on insurance companies than the victims.
Having the right lawyers while dealing with the truck driver, multiple defendants, insurance companies, and others involved in the accident can make the process swift and ensure that no unnecessary delays are caused.
At Buchanan, Williams & O’Brien P.C., our truck accident injury attorney can help truck and semi truck accident victims with their personal injury cases. We help our clients navigate through the entire claim settlement process while they focus on their health and recovery.
Our St. Louis truck accident lawyers offer a free consultation to clients and help them with their personal injury cases when the insurance company refuses to pay a fair amount.