Truck accidents. They can be fatal not only in damage to the vehicle but also in bodily harm.
Unfortunately, over 50,000 motor vehicles are involved in fatal accidents every year. If you are driving a truck, the damage could be even more severe.
People that drive a gas truck and are involved in an accident that is not their fault may wonder if they have any recourse.
The answer is yes. However, to do this, you need a natural gas truck accident lawyer.
What can this lawyer do for you? What are the biggest benefits that they can provide for you?
This is your guide.
Collecting and Reviewing Evidence
One thing that a lawyer can do for you is collect evidence and go over any evidence that you already have. You may have filed a police report and gone to a doctor to get yourself checked out.
This is a good start and a lawyer is going to need that to help build your case. However, they can take this a step further.
They can ask further questions of the doctor such as the exact time a person is going to be out of work and if there is a definitive cause of these injuries. Experienced doctors tend to know the signs of injuries from a motor vehicle accident, so they should be useful in this situation.
Lawyers tend to be detail oriented. This means that they can go over the evidence that you guys already have and potentially find something that could help change the outcome of your case.
That involves hours of reviewing paperwork and knowing what to look for. Someone inexperienced in this field likely will not know what to look for, so it is good to have someone by your side who knows exactly what to look for in certain situations.
Get Expert Witnesses
The next thing that a truck accident lawyer can do for your case is getting an expert witness to testify on your behalf. This is a witness that is considered an authority in their field and since they are under oath, they are expected to tell the truth to any question they are asked in a trial.
Having an expert witness testify on your behalf can be a crucial part of your case. The reason is that given the above information, it adds a lot of credibility to your claim.
For example, let’s say that you got a concussion as a result of a truck accident. If you are a truck driver, you may not be able to drive a truck for several weeks as a result of this.
In this scenario, this claim would be for the lost salary that you had over those few weeks. Now, a doctor can come in and verify the injuries that you had. They can say that you sustained these injuries and verify that the recovery time you are claiming was necessary before you could safely get back on the road.
Essentially, a courtroom is likely to take you more safely if you have an expert in their field backing up your claim.
Negotiates for You
One thing that you may underestimate about a lawyer is their negotiation skills. Think about it.
When it comes to criminal cases, they are negotiating time served or even keeping people out of jail. When it comes to civil cases like this, they are negotiating the amount of money that you are going to receive in a settlement.
This is a key skill to have because you are likely going up against an insurance company here. They could have a team of lawyers at their disposal or just hold a strong position if they think you are by yourself.
You need someone that knows how to break through to them and help you get taken more seriously. In these types of situations, lawyers have an extra incentive to be good negotiators because they are taking what is called a contingency fee.
A contingency fee is a percentage of the settlement that you could end up getting from the defendant. The average contingency fee is usually around 33% but can be as high as 40%.
That means that this lawyer is not only negotiating to get you more money but get them more money as well.
Provides Legal Counsel
Finally, a good lawyer will provide you with the legal counsel that you need to navigate this case correctly. They will tell you all of the information that you need to know, tell you exactly what you need to do, and give you insight into what their plan of attack is.
For example, if there is a crucial detail about the condition of the truck that a lawyer wants to emphasize, they will tell you that they are going to do that. They would also tell you how much information they need from your doctor and how witnesses may benefit you or hurt you in this case.
The point is that they have the experience to know what needs to be done and can guide you on the right path.
Hire a Gas Truck Accident Lawyer
These are some of the benefits of hiring a Houston gas truck accident lawyer. You get someone that can provide you with the proper legal counsel, someone that is good at reviewing evidence, someone that can get you expert witnesses, and a good negotiator.
If you have all of this, you increase your chances of winning.
Are you ready to hire a gas truck accident lawyer? Message us today for a free case review.