Truck Accident FAQ
Our Portland accident lawyers fight for the injured in Maine
If you’ve been hurt in a truck accident, you may not be sure about what to do next. When your accident was caused by negligence on the part of the driver or trucking company, you deserve financial compensation. The claims process can be confusing and frustrating. You may be left with a lot of questions.
At Jabar LaLiberty, LLC, our experienced truck accident attorneys can help you get answers. We investigate your truck accident to identify the negligent parties. We build strong cases to hold them accountable. Our lawyers fight to help you recover the compensation you need and deserve.
Some frequently asked questions about truck accidents:
- What kind of trucks are involved in accidents?
- What should I do if I’ve been in a truck accident?
- Should I talk to the insurance carrier for the trucking company?
- How can I prove that the crash was the truck driver’s fault?
- How much compensation can I get after a truck accident?
- Do I need a truck accident lawyer?
- What regulations do truck drivers and trucking companies need to follow?
- How long do I have to file a claim for my truck accident?
Our law firm has been helping the injured in Waterville, Portland and throughout Maine since 1979. We’ve recovered tens of millions of dollars for accident victims and are ready to help you with your case. Contact us to schedule a consultation with one of our truck accident attorneys. There’s no cost and no obligation.
What kind of trucks are involved in accidents?
Truck accidents happen every year and involve vehicles of all shapes and sizes. They include 18-wheelers (also known as tractor-trailers, semi-trucks and big rigs), delivery trucks, box trucks, refrigerated trucks, logging trucks, flatbed trucks, dump trucks, cement and concrete trucks and tanker trucks. All can leave people with serious injuries in an accident.
Whatever the type of truck, the challenges of recovering financial compensation are often the same. You need to establish that the truck driver, trucking company or other party was negligent. Our firm has been helping people involved in truck accidents since 1979 and have recovered tens of millions for the injured.
What should I do if I’ve been in a truck accident?
Call the police or have someone else call. Get medical attention, even if you seem to feel OK. You could be injured without realizing it. There are other steps you can take, if you are able to. Take photos of the accident scene and the vehicles involved. Get the names and contact information for everyone involved, as well as witnesses.
Next, contact an experienced truck accident lawyer as soon as possible. A lawyer can take steps to protect your rights. An attorney can also take action to preserve evidence under the control of the trucking company, such as hours of service (HOS) logs and data from the truck’s event data recorder. An experienced lawyer can build a strong case to help you recover compensation.
Should I talk to the insurance carrier for the trucking company?
No, and you are under no obligation to do so. The trucking company insurance carrier may contact you soon after the crash, wanting to ask you some questions. Their real goal is to try to get you to say something that makes it sound like you were at fault. If you are contacted by the insurance company, politely decline to answer questions and explain that you need to talk to your lawyer first.
You are required to report the accident to your own insurance company. Just stick to the facts. Don’t discuss any issues related to fault. Our experienced truck accident lawyers know how insurance companies operate. We can go over your rights and responsibilities during a free consultation. We can also answer any questions you have.
How can I prove that the crash was the truck driver’s fault?
Negligent truck drivers aren’t likely to accept responsibility after an accident and may deny doing anything wrong. The insurance company is only too happy to believe that, because they want to pay you as little as possible. They may even try to blame you. That’s why our truck accident lawyers investigate your crash to get the facts.
Our legal team examines hours of service (HOS) logs to check whether the driver was following federal regulations. We check phone records for evidence a driver was texting before the crash. We also take action to gain access to data from the truck’s event data recorder for evidence on how the driver was operating the truck. Our experienced lawyers know how to build strong cases that hold negligent parties accountable.
How much compensation can I get after a truck accident?
There’s no simple answer to this question, as it depends on many different factors. These include the type of accident you were involved in, the cause of the accident, the severity of your injuries, the parties responsible for the crash and insurance policy limits. There may also be issues involving comparative negligence, which could reduce your compensation.
Our experienced truck accident lawyers can thoroughly review the details of your case to give you more information about how much compensation you can reasonably expect. We can go over all your legal options and answer any questions you have during a consultation at our Waterville or Portland office.
Do I need a truck accident lawyer?
Technically, the answer is no – there is no requirement that says you need a lawyer to seek financial compensation if you’ve been in a truck accident. It is a very good idea to get one, however. Truck accidents can be complicated and may involve multiple parties. In addition, trucking companies will try to prevent you from seeing evidence under their control.
Most people don’t have the resources to pursue a case against trucking companies, and insurance companies know that. Our firm has the resources to investigate your crash and build strong cases to hold negligent parties accountable. Our experienced accident lawyers also know the tactics insurance companies use to try to limit your compensation and we don’t put up with them.
What regulations do truck drivers and trucking companies need to follow?
Truck drivers and trucking companies need to follow Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations. These regulations cover nearly every aspect of the trucking industry. They are intended to make trucking safe and protect others on the road. If truckers or trucking companies violate these regulations, it can be used as evidence of negligence.
The regulations are extensive. They limit the weight of fully loaded tractor-trailers. They require routine inspections and maintenance of trucks in a company’s fleet. They also limit the number of hours drivers can spend on the road. When there’s an accident, our legal team investigates to see if any regulations were not followed.
How long do I have to file a claim for my truck accident?
There is a statute of limitations that limits the amount of time you have to seek compensation after a truck accident. In Maine, you have six years from the date of your truck accident to take legal action against any negligent parties. That sounds like a long time, and you may think that there’s no rush to see a lawyer. The truth is time is not on your side.
It can take many months to investigate a truck accident and build a strong case for compensation. The longer you wait, the more likely it is that evidence can be lost or destroyed and the memories of witnesses can fade. That’s why it’s important to get legal advice as soon as possible following a truck accident.