Why It’s Imperative to Contact an Attorney Immediately After a Truck Accident

Attorney John M. Totten, P.C., has extensive experience and inside knowledge of the challenges truckers, trucking companies, and insurance companies face in the aftermath of truck accidents. Unlike other accidents on the road, accidents involving semis or tractor-trailers are governed by different standards and carry an exponential risk for serious injuries.

It’s important to contact an attorney following any serious accident, but the urgency to notify your attorney after a truck-involved accident is ever-present. We want to explore the reasons you cannot afford to ignore this urgency if you’re ever involved in such a crash.

Major financial ramifications

The fact-finding and accident reconstruction must begin right away. An experienced attorney will know who to contact to bring to the scene as quickly as possible to review all available evidence. Police aren’t the only agency that can carry out an accident reconstruction to review what happened and determine possible fault.

This process plays a key role in the prosecution or defense of those involved in crashes. For trucking or insurance companies, this process could be the difference between minor and major costs following a crash.

Trucking companies and the driver may be responsible for major damages and even wrongful death lawsuits after an accident. These cases are far more common due to the sheer size and impact of 18-wheelers coupled with the fact that people are more likely to pursue a company such as a trucking company for damages than an individual in an accident.

Heavy regulations

Truckers must follow strict regulations to be on the road. These regulations will be reviewed following most accidents, and if a trucker is found to be in violation of those regulations then the liability factor could rise significantly.

Regulations such as drive time, weight restrictions, mandatory break times, truck repair standards, cargo security, and more will play a role in the overall review. If a trucker is found to have violated those regulations then the cost of a crash could be devastating.

Once you get an attorney involved, they will be able to review overall compliance with these regulations and prepare a defense should violations be discovered. The longer you wait, the less time you have to review and prepare your case.

Several companies of interest

The sooner an attorney is involved, the faster all of the involved parties will be accounted for and held accountable. Truck accidents will be of interest to the trucking company, the shipping company, the manufacturer of the truck, and the maintenance company that verified the truck’s compliance with the regulations mentioned above.

On top of the actual companies who could be exposed to liability, there are likely to be several insurance companies involved. Each of the previously mentioned companies is likely to have a form of insurance to protect them against liability due to the severe nature of truck accidents. Nobody should have to deal with each of those companies and their insurance companies on their own. An experienced attorney will approach each insurance company and get the proper information and paperwork in order.

Attorney John M. Totten, P.C. has handled trucking accidents throughout his career and understands the urgency in these cases. Whether it’s a victim, the truck driver, the trucking company, or the insurance company, he has handled the case. Don’t wait until it’s too late, call our offices immediately after your crash. You won’t have to pay a cent unless we win your case.

John M. Totten