Do You Need a Truck Accident Attorney?

Do you need a truck accident attorney? A large truck can be 75 feet in length and weigh 80,000 pounds. Large trucks are more likely to be involved in fatal, multi-vehicle accidents than standard passenger vehicles. Most fatal truck accidents happen in rural areas, during daylight hours, on weekdays. Only one percent of fatal truck accidents involve DUI, compared to 22 percent in passenger cars and 29 percent for motorcyclists.

A truck accident attorney knows that common causes of truck accidents include fatigue, which causes more than 30 percent of all truck accidents, along with speeding and faulty or poorly maintained equipment. More than a quarter of all large truck drivers involved in fatal accidents have had at least one prior speeding conviction, while less than 20 percent of passenger vehicle drivers. A truck accident attorney can help you determine and prove if a truck driver has a past record of offenses.

Your Truck Accident Attorney vs. The Trucking Industry

If you have been involved in an accident involving a commercial truck, you may need a truck accident attorney. Many trucking companies have more resources than the typical individual, including a team of truck accident attorneys to protect their assets and their drivers after an accident. While truckers make about 30 cents a mile, and $32,000 yearly, trucking industry annual revenue exceeds $250 billion, so a truck accident attorney knows there is a lot at stake.

A truck accident attorney will be the first to note that the truck driver is not always at fault in cases handled by a truck accident attorney. More than 75 percent of truck accidents are caused by the other driver. Fraud, particularly staged accidents like a “swoop and squat,” is not uncommon. However, if you are the victim of a genuine accident, you may need a truck accident attorney simply because many truck accident attorneys working for trucking companies automatically assume fraud.

Help Your Truck Accident Attorney -- Get a Police Report

To help your truck accident attorney, be sure to always get a police report whenever you are involved in a traffic accident, even if the damage is only minor. Such a report will provide the name and address of the other driver, or at least the name of the company the driver works for, and the company’s address, information on passengers in the other vehicle, and other pertinent information for your insurance company and your truck accident attorney.

A truck accident attorney knows that having a police report makes it difficult for the other party to make false claims if the report does not back them up. It is also a good idea to keep a disposable camera in your glove box to take photos of the scene and damage to the vehicles. You can use a cell phone camera if you don’t have a disposable camera, and your truck accident attorney can use your images to prove your case.

One way to find a reputable truck accident attorney is to use the resources provided by LegalView.

Truck Accident Attorney Case Evaluation Form