Semi-trucks and 18-wheeler trucks come with a tremendous amount of power and weight, making an accident with one extremely serious and even fatal. And sadly, every year truck accidents can happen on East Point roads. The aftermath of an accident with one of these vehicles can impact victims for an entire lifetime, leaving them with life-threatening injuries and sky-high medical bills, not to mention terrible vehicle damage.
But if you were not at fault for the accident, you should not have to pay for your costs resulting from it. You need an experienced and compassionate East Point semi-truck & 18-wheeler accident lawyer to help you.
For more than 20 years, our lawyers have been helping truck accident victims recover the money they need to pay for their expenses and move on as fully as possible. While we know money can never fully make up for the pain and suffering caused by a terrible accident, it does help make the recovery process easier to bear in many ways. For a completely FREE consultation to talk about your situation and how we can help, contact us today. Call 404-341-6555 or fill out the online form to your right to get started with your free consultation.
What Is the Truck Accident Claim Process in East Point?
The insurance claims process after a truck accident can seem complicated and overwhelming if you’re never gone through it before. But don’t panic. If you were not at-fault for the accident, Georgia law is one your side because you’re entitled to recover for all your damages.
Here’s how the claim process looks after you get into a car, truck, or any other type of automobile accident on East Point roads.
1. Get Necessary Medical Treatment
As soon as the accident occurs, your first priority should be your well-being. If you or anyone in your vehicle has life-threatening injuries that can’t wait (which is very common in truck accidents, as they can be very severe), call 911 right away and get medical attention.
2. Gathering of Evidence
If you do happen to be well enough to stay at the scene, gather evidence that can help prove the accident. Take pictures of everything, especially your injuries and vehicle damage. Take videos if the truck driver is acting aggressive or if you suspect drunk driving. And talk to any witnesses, asking for their name and contact information.
Think about any information or evidence that will help you demonstrate your damages from the accident and show the other driver was at fault. If your vehicle is towed from the accident scene, make sure it won’t be tampered with and you know where it is going. Pictures and other details about the scene will help preserve a picture of what happened even if the damage is cleaned up.
3. Call a Truck Accident Lawyer
It’s good to compile evidence right after the accident, but you should also get an experienced attorney on your team as soon as possible. Doing this will give you the best possible chance at a fair settlement that can actually cover all your expenses. Personal injury lawyers are highly trained in this area for a reason: a layperson may unknowingly damage a claim if they try to handle the matter themselves.
Be sure to choose an attorney who has handled cases like this before—and has a proven record of success.
4. Be Careful Talking to the Insurance Company
You will need to let your insurance company know about the accident, but be careful about what you say. It’s best to consult a semi-truck accident lawyer first, as they will know how much is best to divulge. And if the at-fault driver’s insurance company tries to contact you, it’s best to have them communicate through your lawyer. They are skilled at using certain tactics that can be damaging to your case.
5. Filing the Claim and Negotiating
You’ll work with your truck accident lawyer to submit an insurance claim to the at-fault driver’s insurance company that accounts for all of your damages.
In the best case scenario, the insurer will accept your claim and you’ll get paid. However, don’t be surprised if they deny your claim or try to offer you a settlement that is much less. Insurers will often start with a lowball offer, hoping you’ll take it out of desperation and the case will be closed. This is where your lawyer is indispensable. They will negotiate with the adjuster, taking the full extent—current and future—of your injuries and damages into account.
Most truck accident claims end here, and hopefully that means you get the fair settlement your deserve. But in some cases, if the insurer won’t agree on a settlement that’s high enough for you, your lawyer may advise taking the case to civil court. A judge will hear your case and decide on the outcome.
What About Truck Accidents that Involve More than Two Vehicles?
If more than two vehicles are involved in a truck accident, it’s known as a multi-vehicle accident. In this situation, determining fault and liability is often more complicated. They also typically involve a significant amount of injuries and damages.
As with any accident in Georgia, liability and compensation comes down to who is at-fault for the accident. If you can demonstrate you had no fault in the accident, you can file a personal injury claim against the at-fault parties. However, if you hold some liability for what happened, any damages you’re awarded will be reduced by your percentage of fault in the accident—unless that fault totals more than 50 percent. At that point, you won’t be able to claim any financial recovery.
Multi-vehicle accidents can make proving blame more difficult, but that’s where an East Point semi-truck & 18-wheeler accident lawyer can help.
Talk to a East Point Semi-Truck & 18-Wheeler Accident Lawyer for Free
Truck accidents can be extremely serious, leaving you with lots of pain and stress about finances. Don’t go it alone; speak with a trusted truck accident lawyer who understands these types of cases—and knows how to win them.
Our attorneys have more than two decades of experience strong-arming insurance companies and helping victims get the money they need and deserve. And working with us is risk-free because we don’t get paid unless we win you money—starting with a FREE consultation. To get your free consultation today, call us at 404-341-6555 today, or fill out the form to your right.