You can claim economic damages, which will include your medical bills, the cost of fixing or replacing your car, as well as your lost wages.
West Virginia ranks fifth on the list of the deadliest states for truck accidents. In 2017, for instance, for every 100,000 licensed drivers in the state there were 4.47 fatalities in collisions involving commercial vehicles, according to a report published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). By comparison, in neighboring Virginia, the average number for truck accident fatalities per 100,000 registered drivers was just 1.65 for the 2007-2017 period.
What should you do if you or a loved one were involved in this type of crash? The most important step in the complex process of recovering damages is to get in touch with a skilled West Virginia truck accident lawyer.
For a minor car accident you don’t usually need a lawyer. If you have a small claim to settle, the insurance company will probably pay up. The situation is totally different when you sustain severe injuries in a large truck accident and the damages climb into the hundreds of thousand dollars. Don’t expect to walk in and find the insurance adjuster with the check already written. What you should expect is them putting up a strong fight and using whatever reason, real or bogus, to minimize the value of your claim. Also, don’t expect the trucking company to own up to any negligence and offer to compensate you for your losses.
How much does a truck accident lawyer cost?
If you’re still recovering from your injuries or mourning a loved one, you don’t need such complications in your life. You should hire a tough truck accident lawyer in Charleston, WV, and let them deal with the problem. The best thing is that it won’t cost you anything, accident lawyers know that you cannot afford to pay them at a time like this. This is why they work on a contingency fee basis. You won’t have to pay anything until they win the case, so you can be certain they will be fully motivated to do a great job.
What can a truck driver lawyer do for you?
Their main task is to determine liability or who is responsible for what happened to you. In order to file a successful personal injury claim your truck accident lawyers will have to prove that the crash was caused by someone’s negligence. It might be the driver who is fully responsible, but a thorough investigation might determine that the trucking company also bears some of the blame. Or maybe it was the shipping company, those who loaded the truck. Overloaded trucks are notoriously difficult to control. Also, if the cargo was not secured and starts shifting or falls off the truck altogether, those responsible for the loading part can be accused of negligence.
What sort of damages can you recover following a truck accident?
First of all, you can claim economic damages, which will include your medical bills, the cost of fixing or replacing your car, as well as your lost wages. Non-economic damages are meant to compensate you for your pain and suffering, and this includes the loss of enjoyment if you were left with an impairment that prohibits you from doing all those things you loved to do. In cases of gross negligence, you may also ask for punitive damages.
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