Brockton Truck Accident Lawyer
When a truck accident has robbed you of your health, you don’t have to let it rob you of your finances and future as well. Get the settlement that could put your life back together by working with a Brockton truck accident lawyer.
Whether your accident involved an 18-wheeler or some other form of large commercial truck, you’re all but certain to be dealing with a number of questions and challenges in the aftermath. When cars get hit by semi-trucks, serious injuries and massive property damage are all but certain, and in all likelihood, you’re now also dealing with medical bills, lost wages, emotional trauma, and other damages related to the wreck.
So what now? Your insurance will likely make you a settlement offer, but how do you know if it’s fair? And if your damages exceed your coverage limits, what then? These are stressful questions to contend with, but a Brockton truck accident lawyer from Joel H. Schwartz, PC can help you find the solutions.
No-Fault Car Insurance in Massachusetts
As Massachusetts is a no-fault state for auto insurance, even after a crash involving a semi-truck, your own insurance will be expected to cover your initial losses and expenses. This can seem like a blessing at first because no-fault insurance means that your damages should be covered regardless of whether you or someone else was at fault for what happened.
Unfortunately, the typical insurance company is more concerned with its profit margins than your health and recovery. Any settlement they offer you is all but guaranteed to be the minimum that they think they can get away with paying you. Accepting this settlement could potentially mean leaving money on the table and finding yourself paying for future expenses out of your own finances.
This is where a Brockton truck accident lawyer from our office can help you. We’ll make certain that every damage that could be covered by your policy gets factored into your settlement. In fact, we often get settlements for our clients that meet their policy limits.
Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit for a Semi-Truck Crash
The policy limits to your no-fault auto insurance are another hurdle to receiving fair and full compensation for your truck wreck. However, if your damages and losses exceed your policy limits, you do have options for collecting further compensation.
In this scenario, you have the option to pursue financial compensation through a personal injury lawsuit filed against the at-fault party who caused the accident. In this sort of lawsuit, you can also collect compensation for damages that wouldn’t be covered in your no-fault policy, such as pain and suffering.
These are just a few of the damages you can seek a settlement for:
- Medical bills, both current and future
- Lost wages and income
- Therapy, both physical and emotional
- Home modifications made to accommodate your injury
- Caretaker and travel expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Damage done to your marriage and personal relationships
- Decreased quality of life
Some of these damages won’t be obvious, and others will be difficult to assign dollar amounts to. A Brockton truck accident lawyer from our firm will be able to fully assess the value of your claim by working with both you and your doctor to uncover every way that your life will be affected by the wreck.
Causes of Commercial Truck Wrecks
Of course, in order to file a personal injury lawsuit, someone else will need to be at fault for the accident. Evidence will need to be collected and a case built proving the fault of all responsible parties. Adding to this hurdle is the fact that multiple parties could actually be to blame for the crash.
In order to maximize your compensation, all of these parties will need to be identified and named in your lawsuit. This means that the cause of your accident will need to be thoroughly investigated by a Brockton truck accident lawyer in order to identify the fault:
- Distracted Driving – Just like with drivers of passenger cars, distracted driving is a major problem among truck drivers. Driver distraction will make the trucker at least partially at fault, but proving the distraction is the challenging part.
- Drunk or Drugged Driving – Another example of driver negligence, an intoxicated or high driver is a danger to everyone on the road. Blood and breathalyzer tests can be a huge help to your case here.
- Speeding – Driving too fast would seem to make the driver at fault, but it could also indicate negligence on the part of the trucking company if the driver was being pressured to meet a deadline.
- Drowsy Driving – A major problem in the long-haul trucking industry, fatigued driving could be the fault of both the driver and his or her employer, depending on circumstances.
- Equipment Failure – If a truck or trailer part fails and leads to a wreck, the trucking company, a maintenance crew, or even a manufacturer could be at fault.
- Dangerous Road – Even roads that weren’t kept up to code could be to blame, likely making a government agency responsible.
Truck Accident Injuries
The type and extent of your injuries are some of the most significant factors when determining your settlement, as they will indicate the type of medical care required and the amount of time needed for your recovery.
Some injuries, such as brain and spine injuries, will require medical care well into your future. Others, such as broken bones and burns, may not cause long-term damage but inflict tremendous pain and suffering and short-term financial losses. And the worst truck crashes are those that result in the wrongful death of a loved one.
Identifying all of the damages associated with your injury isn’t a simple process. Some expenses will be obvious, while others will be less so—and some expenses may not come up until sometime in your future. Finding and anticipating all of these damages are precisely why a Brockton truck accident lawyer could be the difference between getting a lowball settlement and receiving the compensation you truly need and deserve.
Work with a Brockton Semi-Truck Accident Attorney
The time after a truck crash can feel uncertain and overwhelming—but it doesn’t have to be that way. At Joel H. Schwartz, PC, we understand personal injury law and how it applies to auto wrecks. Our firm has over fifty years of experience, and we know how to get you the settlement you need for your recovery—not the one that the insurance company wants to give you.
To explore your options and find out how to get the most compensation possible for your claim, contact our office to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with an experienced Brockton truck accident lawyer. To get started, simply call 1-800-660-2270 or reach us through the contact form on this page.