Will Your Truck Accident Case Settle in Philadelphia?
A recent truck accident in Detroit sent two passengers to the hospital. One passenger remains in critical condition after the Tesla they were driving collided with a semi-trailer. The accident is still under investigation. In most cases, when a car and a truck are in an accident, passengers in the car do not fare well. The answer to will your truck accident case settle depends on both sides agreeing or disagreeing on the accident details.
Truck Versus Car Is Not a Fair Game
Driving requires coordination, skill, and attention, and driving a truck is harder than driving a car. As this accident demonstrates, even a Tesla with fully-autonomous driving requires attention from the driver. The weight, size, and tricky handling of a large truck – combined with highway speeds and a slippery road – can turn a slight skid into a fatal collision.
Any accident involving a truck can result in serious injury or fatality. Some common causes of truck accidents include:
- Driver fatigue – while there are specific standards for rest that truck drivers must adhere to by law, many truck drivers operate vehicles while extremely tired
- Uneven load distribution – even a slight miscalculation by a truck driver carrying a heavy or unevenly distributed load can result in overcorrection, causing the vehicle to overturn
- Speed – if a large, heavy truck is dangerous at normal speeds, it is even more so when exceeding the speed limit
- Tire blowout – trucks cover a lot of distance and carry a lot of weight, both of which cause tires to wear out quickly
Truck accidents are responsible for some of the most painful and debilitating injuries. Some common serious injuries from truck accidents include Traumatic Brain Injury, spinal cord injury, compound and multiple fractures of arms and legs, and severe bruising and burns.
Beyond these severe injuries, many truck accidents result in the deaths of car passengers. According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), over 70% of those killed in truck accidents are passengers in a car, not the truck itself.
If You Are In an Accident With a Truck in Philadelphia
If you have been in an accident with a truck or a family member has been injured or killed in such an accident, you have the right to take legal action. If you are considering filing a personal injury claim or a wrongful death lawsuit, you might be wondering what is going to happen, how the legal system works, and will your truck accident case settle for compensation.
What Happens Next?
First, you’ll need to hire an attorney to file your claim. The first step involves gathering information and documentation about your accident. For your case, eyewitness statements and photos need to be collected from the scene, and getting a clear picture of your physical injuries. After filing a claim on your behalf, your personal injury attorney will try to negotiate a settlement with the truck driver’s insurance company.
If the accident was caused by the truck driver’s negligence, the driver’s insurance company might be eager to offer a settlement. If the two parties are not able to reach an agreement, then the case will go to trial. Nearly all personal injury claims involving car and truck accidents are settled out of court, so the chances are good that your case will settle too.
What If Your Case Goes to Trial? Will Your Truck Accident Case Settle in Philadelphia?
When choosing an attorney to represent you in your personal injury claim, it’s important to hire someone who has both settlement negotiation and trial experience. The courtroom has its own rules, and what happens in a court case is very different from a settlement negotiation.
As I mentioned, the very vast majority of personal injury cases never reach a courtroom, so it is highly likely your case will settle. Your attorney will advise you as to whether or not you should accept whatever settlement is offered. Ultimately, though, it is up to you to accept or decline the offer.
If you're asking will your truck accident case settle, it may not if the legal team is not able to reach a settlement agreement with the insurance company. This is when your case would go to trial. When the case is heard, a jury can decide to award the damages named in your lawsuit, and in some cases can add more for pain and suffering, loss of partnership, or a permanent disability that resulted from the accident.
How a Truck Accident Attorney in Philadelphia Can Help You
Are you wondering, Will your truck accident case settle in Philadelphia? If you’ve been injured in an accident, you need a lawyer who will advocate for you. Many truck accidents result in serious injuries, with extensive pain and long-term suffering. You deserve an attorney who will get you the compensation you need and deserve so that you can focus on healing from your injuries, not on paying your hospital bills.
If you've suffered a serious injury due to the negligence of another, a truck accident attorney from Mattiacci Law wants to help you in every way possible. Contact our offices in New Jersey or Philadelphia. All of our services are free until you get paid.