Accidents can happen anytime and devastate the injured and their family members. However, unlike other accidents, collisions involving 18-wheelers with a regular motor vehicle can be extremely dangerous and even lead to fatalities. Since commercial trucks are massive in size, the impact of a truck accident can cause serious damage to bones, spinal cords, head and neck, brain or any other body part causing significant injuries or long-term disabilities and disfigurement. 

These injuries result in an enormous financial burden- handling the medical expenses followed by an accident and the future loss of income. The accident victim tries to seek financial relief by seeking compensation from the insurers. However, it is not as easy as it seems. Insurers are unwilling to immediately pay you the deserved amount and use several tactics to discourage you. Without the proper legal knowledge, your odds of pursuing a worthy compensation amount are low. Here is where a truck accident lawyer can help you. In this blog, you will learn what a truck accident lawyer does and how they can assist you in pursuing the case. 

Investigating the Accident Site and Case

Commercial trucking is a million-dollar industry and handles most of the cross-country freight movement in the United States. They often hire accident investigators and legal defense attorneys to protect themselves. Their investigators reach the accident site soon after and may try to hide or alter the evidence obtained from the site. 

Your truck accident attorney will analyze your case and examine the-

Records of trucking company- Their log book and inspection documents.

Event Data Recorder: It is similar to the flight's black box. The downloaded data helps in predicting the actual reasons for the collision.

Witness interviews- Your lawyer will interview the witnesses, police officers, law enforcement officials and anybody related to the case.
 
Determine the liable party for the truck accident

It is not easy to determine liability in a truck accident. It is a complicated issue and requires a thorough investigation and an official examination of the records to assess the case. Your attorney can help to evaluate the liability claim and even work with the reconstruction specialists for a detailed interpretation of the accident case. 

Multiple parties can be held liable after a truck accident-

The Truck Carrier- A trucking company is accountable for hiring responsible drivers and adhering to the specified hours of service limits a driver is allowed to drive as per law. A trucking company will be held responsible if any violation is found. 
The Truck Driver- If the accident was caused due to the negligent behavior of the driver, such as overspeeding, distracted driving, etc.
The Truck Manufacturer- Some accidents can be caused by a machine or component failure. If it is proved that the failed part, such as tires, brakes, etc., was defective from the start, the truck manufacturer can be held liable. 
Cargoloader- the contractors or companies that loaded cargo on the truck. There are many individuals involved further- shipper, loader and transporter. 
Other vendors 

Examine the medical evidence and severity of your injuries

There is a considerable difference between the size of a standard vehicle and an 18-wheeler commercial truck. Such collisions are impactful and can cause severe injuries or even the death of the passengers involved. Hence, the priority should be seeking immediate medical attention. Even injuries that seem minor in the first place may be serious inside. It is important to be examined by a doctor. Medical evidence plays an important role in a truck accident case. A skilled attorney will examine your medical records and talk to the doctors to examine your case and build a strong plan accordingly. 

Calculate the Damages

The damages caused by truck accidents are determined by many factors- economic and non-economic loss. It is difficult to assess the actual worth of your damages without the help of an attorney. Expert lawyers calculate the damages by examining the present expense, property loss, and future losses that the patient had to bear.

Conclusion

Truck accident victims are frequently unaware of how much compensation they can ask. A skilled truck accident attorney can evaluate the data, assess the case, and establish the overall amount of your losses.