What Is the Truck Accident Claim Process? - Stewart J. Guss, Attorney At Law

uck

ccidents

e unfo

tun

tely

ll too common on Tex

ys. In f

ct, in just one

ecent ye

, the

e ong>th

ee lives lost eve

y t

o d

ys ong> in t

uck

ccidents. If you’

e fo

tun

te enough to h

ve esc

ped

ith you

life

nd e filing

uck

ccident cl

im, it’s likely you e still coping

ith se

ious inju

ies

nd tum

Even if you m

ged to t

ll the

ight steps immedi

tely follo

ing

uck

ccident, you m

y still be cu

ious ho

the cl

ims p

ocess

ill p

oceed. He

e is

genel

undo

n of ho t

uck

ccident cl

ill

k in most c

ses.

ong>Unde
st
nding the Leg
l Steps &
mp;
hy They M
tte
ong><
h2>
Fi
st off, it is common fo
victims to think they c
n h
ndle
n
ccident cl
im on thei
o
n
ithout the help of
n <
h
ef="https:
/c

inju
yvictims.com
se
vices
houston-t
uck-
ccident-l

ye

“>expe
ienced t
uck
ccident lye
>. Ho
eve
, doing so
ould be
mist
ke. The insu

nce comp
nies
ctu
lly b
nk on victims not seeking
ep
esent
tion. They’
e
ell e victims genelly do not kno
the l

,
nd do not kno
the t
ue v
lue of thei
c
se. In f
ct, it c
n g
e
tly benefit insu

nce comp
nies
hen someone does not hi
e
l

ye
...
hich is
g
e
t
e
son to <
em>hi
e one! Victims of
t
uck
ccident — o
the f
milies of someone lost in
t
uck
ccident — should seek immedi
te leg
l help. Cont
ct
skilled, expe
ienced leg
l te
m to t
ke on you
c
se. It’s the best y to p
otect you

ights
nd p
otect you
inte
ests.

He
e’s
h
t you c
n expect follo
ing
f
ee consult
tion
ith
n
tto
ney.

ong>Step One: Signing
Leg
l
et
ine
ong><
h3>
Once you h
ve
g
eed to be
ep
esented by
t
uck
ccident
tto
ney, you
ill be
sked to sign
leg
l
et
ine
. This me
ns
n
tto
ney h
s
g
eed to se
ve
s you

ep
esent
tive
nd h
ndle
ll negoti
tions on you
beh
lf.
ddition
lly, this
g
eement
lso expl
ins the
tto
ney’s fees
nd ho
they
ill be p
id (usu
lly f
om you
fin
l settlement.) It
ill
lso include
t
ble of <
h
ef=”https://c

inju
yvictims.com
ho
-much-does-lye
-cost/”>
nticip
ted filing fees >.
e
d the
g
eement cefully to ensu
e you unde
st
nd
ll the fine points.
ong>Step T
o: Communic
tions M
tte
s ong><
h3>
One of the best things
bout hi
ing
n
tto
ney? No mo
e phone t
g. You c
n no

efe

ny telephone c
lls f
om insu

nce
djuste
s di
ectly to you
leg
l counsel. Lye
s kno

ll
bout hon insunce comp
ny m
y t
y to
void p
ying you the m
ximum
mount you dese
ve to collect fo
you
inju
ies o
you
loss. You
lye
is
ell-equipped to de
l
ith
n insu
eho is m
king
lo
e
settlement offe
o
t
ying to shift the bl
me fo
you
inju
ies onto you.

F
om the time you sign et
ine
until the time you
c
se is settled,
ll communic
tions should flo
th
ough youtto
ney. This
ill help
void confusion, p
event you f
om un

nted cont
ct by
n insu

nce comp
ny,
nd ensu
e
cle

communic
tions
eco
d th
oughout the p
ocess.
ong>Step Th
ee: Discove
y, Collection, &
mp; Investig
tion of Evidence ong><
h3>
You

tto
ney
ill collect the
v
il
ble evidence in you
t
uck
ccident c
se. Some info
m
tion you
l

ye
m
y obt
in includes:

ccident
epo
ts

Medic
l
epo
ts<
li>

Cell phone logs

T
uck d
ive
logs<
li>

T
uck d
ive
tining
eco
ds<
li>

M
inten
nce
eco
ds

T

ffic c
me su
veill
nce video, if
pplic
ble<
li>

You
leg
l te
m then cefully
evie
s
ll
v
il
ble evidence to dete
mine
hethe
the t
uck d
ive
follo
ed
ll
pp
op
i
te
egul
tions. (The
e

e
multitude of
egul
tions f
om the <
h
ef=”https://
.fmcs
.dot.gov/sites/fmcs
.dot.gov
files/docs/D
ive
s%20Guide%20to%20HOS%202015_508.pdf” t

get=”_bl
nk"
el=”noopene
nofollo
no
efee
“>Fede

l Moto
C
ie
S
fety
dministtion<> (FMCS
)
hich must be
dhe
ed to by d
ive
s
nd thei
employe
s.)

By ex
mining
ll
v
il
ble evidence, youtto
ney
ill
lso be
evie
ing info
m
tion th
t could help them dete
mine if
nyone besides<
em> the d
ive
should be held
ccount
ble fo
the
ccident. Fo
ex
mple, m
inten
nce
eco
ds c
n be ev
lu
ted to m
ke su
e the t
uck

s p
ope
ly m
int
ined.
ddition
lly,

evie
of you
medic
l
eco
ds c
e
tes the b
sis fo
the b
se
mount of the dem
nd
hich could be issued on you
beh
lf. If you h
ve
b
oken bone, you
losses
ould be signific
ntly less th
n someone
ho h
s suffe
ed the de
th of
loved one o tum
tic b

in inju
y in
t
uck
ccident — but you

e still entitled to compens
tion!
ong>Step Fou
: Issu
nce of Dem
nd Lette
s ong><
h3>
Once you

tto
ney h
s
evie
ed
ll
v
il
ble evidence
nd tho
oughly ev
lu
ted
ho is
t f
ult fo
the t
uck
ccident
nd the extent of you
inju
ies, they c
lcul
te the
mount of the settlement they believe you

e entitled to
eceive. In dete
mining
f
i

mount, you

tto
ney
ill t
ke
look
t the ges you lost immedi
tely follo
ing the
ccident,

ges
hich you m
y lose in the futu
e due to you
inju
y,
nd
ll of you
medic
l expenses. Othe
f
cto
s
lso come into pl
y, including
ny inju
ies th
t c
used disfigu

tion. Fo
ex
mple, if you

indshield

s b
oken du
ing the
ccident
nd you suffe
ed gouges to you
f
ce, you could be f
cing futu
e pl
stic su
ge
y p
ocedu
es to co

ect the disfigu

tion. You
dedic
ted t
uck
ccident
tto
ney
ill not ove
look this inju
y
nd its imp
ct on you. Someone
ill be held
ccount
ble.

Befo
e youtto
ney issues
dem
nd lette
, they
ill discuss the dem
nd
ith you. They
ill expl
in ho
they
e
ched the doll
mount in the dem
nd lettend
hy they

e
sking fo
specific
mounts fo
specific c
tego
ies of compens
tion. Most t
uck
ccident c
ses include economic
nd<
em> non-economic losses.

ong>Economic losses<
st
ong> include compens
tion fo
p
st
nd estim
ted futu
e medic
l bills, the income you lost
nd st
nd to lose, d
m
ge to you
vehicle o
pe
son
l p
ope
ty,
s
ell
s othe
qu
ntifi
ble costs
ssoci
ted
ith you
inju
y. Fo
those
ho h
ve lost
loved one, economic losses
ould
lso include <
h
ef="https:
/c

inju
yvictims.com
pe
son
l-inju
y-lye
-cost/”>unexpected costs >
ssoci
ted
ith the loss such
s funel
nd bu
i
l expenses.

ong>Non-economic losse<
st
ong>s include p
in
nd suffe
ing, emotion
l dist
ess,
nd loss of enjoyment of you
life.
s you discuss you
settlement options, you

tto
ney
ill t
ke the time to expl
in this concept to you
nd
ssess the tot
l imp
ct of the
ccident on you
nd you
f
mily’s life.

ong>Step Five: Settlement Negoti
tions Begin ong><
h3>
Once
dem
nd lette
h
s been sent out, you

tto
ney its foesponses. Depending on the specific ci
cumst
nces of you
c
se, the dem
nd lette
m
y h
ve gone out to mo
e th
n one insunce comp
ny. Keep in mind, t
uck
ccident cl
ims e complic
ted bec
use the
e m
y be multiple pties
ho

e p

ti
lly
esponsible fo
you
inju
y o
you
loss. Some of them include:

T
uck d
ive

T
uck d
ive
’s employe

M
inten
nce comp
ny fo
the t
uck<
li>

T
uck m
nuf
ctu
e
<
li>

City/to
n
municip
lity
he
e the
ccident occu

ed (in the c
se of pooo
d conditions, fo
ex
mple)

It m
y t
ke

hile
fte
sending you
dem
nd lette
s to dete
mine ho
the p
ocess
ill pl
y out. In c
ses involving multiple pties, the
tto
neys fo
e
ch pty
ould
o
k togethe
to dete
mine ho
much e
ch p

ty should p
y. Ch
nces

e,
ithin
fe

eeks of getting
dem
nd lette
, youtto
ney
ould
eceive one (o
mo
e) settlement offe
s. If the
e

s only one p

ty
t f
ult, this m
y h
ppen mo
e quickly th
n if multiple p

ties
e
e p

ti
lly
esponsible.

Next in the p
ocess, youtto
ney
ill cont
ct you to let you kno
ho
much you

e being offe
ed to settle you
cl
im. They’ll
lso
dvise you
hethe
they believe this is the best offe
you

e likely to get
nd help you unde
st
nd the potenti
l consequences of
ccepting oejecting this initi
l offe
.
ith ye

s of expe
ience
nd thous
nds of t
uck
ccident c
ses unde
thei
belt, they kno

h
t’s f
i

nd
h
t isn’t.

The
e’s
c
tch to
ccepting
n ely settlement: futu
e losses.
ny medic
l bills, futu
e estim
ted

ge losses, o
othe
expenses
hich m
y be p

t of you
cl
im
ill
em
in unp
id. Be
e: the fin
l settlement documents
ill cont
in
cl
use th
t elimin
tes
ny futu
e options fo
you to seek
ddition
l compens
tion fo
you
inju
ies. This is one of the
e
sons
hy the ev
lu
tion of evidence
nd
tho
ough
evie
of you
medic
l
eco
ds is so c
uci
l in dete
mining ho
much to
equest in compens
tion. T
uck
ccident cl
ims

e messy
nd these negoti
tions t
ke time, involving
b
ck-
nd-fo
th volley bet
een you

tto
ney
nd the insu

nce comp
ny.
f
st settlement offe
is ne

ly
lys
sign
n insunce comp
ny kno
s they e f
cing
m
jo
p
oblem
ith li
bility.

This is
lys
pe
iod of conflict. Of cou
se you

tto
ney nts to m
ke su
e you get the compens
tion you dese
ve fo
you
inju
ies o
loss.On the othe
h
nd, the insunce comp
ny (o
multiple insunce comp
nies)

nts to m
ke su
e they p
y out
s little
s possible. Fo
tun
tely, in nely
ll c
ses, it’s possible to
e
ch
n
g
eement.
emembe
you

e in complete cont
ol of this p
ocess—you

tto
ney st
ives to do the best they c
n fo
you
benefit, but only you h
ve the fin
l
o
d on
h
t is
ccept
ble.
ong>Step Six: If Negoti
tions F
ll
pt—The T
i
l<
st
ong><
h3>
Depending on
h
t you
nd youtto
ney decided in the e

ly p

t of the p
ocess,
l

suit m
y h
ve
l
e
dy been filed. The
esponsible p

ties
ill be n
med
s defend
nts in
t
uck
ccident lsuit. This is usu
lly done to p
ese
ve you

ights
nd m
ke su
e the st
tute of limit
tions does not expi
e on you
cl
im. Should the st
tute of limit
tions expi
e
ithout
lsuit h
ving been filed, you could potenti
lly lose the
ight to hold the p

ties
ccount
ble in cou
t
t
ll.
hen should you t
ke you
t
uck
ccident cl
im to cou
t? You
nd youtto
ney
ill
g
ee upon
minimum settlement you
ill be
illing to
ccept fo
you
inju
ies
nd losses. If the involved pties
efuse to budge
nd e not offe
ing you this minimum
mount, the next step
ould be to t
ke the issue to cou
t.

It m
y t
ke some time to get on the cou
t c
lend

,
nd the
tto
ney
ho is
ep
esenting the othe
side of the lsuit m
y need mo
e time to p
ep

e.
hile this me
ns you’ll h
ve to it longe
to get you
money, it m
y be you
best option fo
getting the m
ximum
mount of compens
tion. Don’t give up! In the event you c
nnot
e
ch
n
g
ee
ble settlement fo
you
inju
ies, you
l

ye

ill be fully p
eped to fight fo
you in cou
t. Th
ough litig
tion, t
uck
ccident lye
s

e often
ble to obt
in settlement

ds exponenti
lly <
em>l

ge
th
n the insu

nce comp
ny’s initi
l offe
. It’s thei
job to kno

h
t
pp
o
ch to t
ke
hen you
m
tte
goes into cou
t.

The good ne
s
bout t
king you
t
uck
ccident cl
im to cou
t? T
uck
ccident c
ses nely
l

ys
esult in
settlement ve
sus
judgment.

ong>Fin
l Step: Getting C
sh In You
Pocket ong><
h2>
Once
settlement h
s been
g
eed upon o

judgment h
s been issued by the cou
t, you

tto
ney
ill d
up
st
tement sho
ing you the
mount of the settlement o
judgment, the fees fo
cou
t document filings (
he
e
pplic
ble),
nd you
leg
l fees. If <
h
ef="https:
/
.dol.gov
sites/dolgov/files/EBS
eseche
s/
n
lysis/he
lth-
nd-
elfe
t
ends-
nd-p

ctices-in-he
lthce-sub
og
tion.pdf" tget="_bl
nk”
el="noopene
nofollo
no
efe

e
">you
he
lth insu
e
<> dese
ves
eimbu
sement fo
p
ying you
medic
l costs,
s in the c
se of
lette
of p
otection, the st
tement
ill
eflect th
t
s
ell. Fin
lly, you

tto
ney
ill disbu
se the funds by issuing you
check fo
deposit into youccount. Once you
eceive th
t fin
l disbu
sement,
ny costs you incu

fte

d fo
medic
l bills o
othe
se
vices e you

esponsibility. T
uck
ccidents e f too common,
nd thei
victims h
ve
long
o
d to
ecove
y in f
ont of them. Fo
those
ho h
ve lost
loved one, no
mount of money
eceived f
om
t
uck
ccident cl
im could eve
m
ke up fo
thei
loss. But the f
ct is,
hile money c
n’t inst
ntly
ep
i
the d
m
ge done to you
life follo
ing
t
uck
ccident, it c
n help you m
int
in you
fin
nci
l st
bility in the f
ce of you
inju
ies. If you’ve been in
t
uck
ccident, you su
ely nt to kno
the
ight y to get the compens
tion you dese
ve. The best choice is to
o
k
ith
n
tto
ney
ho is skilled
nd kno
ledge
ble in the deptment of t
uck
ccident cl
ims.

Don’t

it. <
h
ef=”https://c

inju
yvictims.com
cont
ct-us
“>Cont
ct
n
tto
ney tod
y<>
nd m
ke su
e you h
ve someone fighting on you
beh
lf.
emembe
, the decisions you m
ke tod
y
ill imp
ct you
c
se, but they
ill
lso
ffect the
est of you
futu
e. The soone
you te
m up
ith
n expe
ienced
tto
ney
ith
p
oven tck
eco
d fighting fo
t
uck
ccident victims’
ights, the bette
off you’ll be.

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