Don’t Settle a Trucking Accident Before You Talk with Us

Your Trucking Accident Settlement Should be Higher

For the most part, driving is not a particularly dangerous activity. Unless someone is negligent, distracted, intoxicated, or otherwise impaired. In these situations you may become the innocent victim of an accident. When that accident occurs with a large truck (defined as a truck weighing over 10,000 pounds; in other words, a semi-truck), you may end up being pressured into a settlement by the trucking company’s attorneys. You do not have to take that settlement! In fact, you should not accept the settlement until you have talked with a trucking accident attorney from Arentz Law.

In 2013 there were 342,000 accidents involving large trucks. Some were due to negligence on behalf of the truck driver. When this is the case, the innocent victim deserves compensation! But most trucking companies will offer a bare minimum settlement that barely covers the damages done (or sometimes doesn’t even cover them at all). Before you agree to a settlement, contact semi-truck attorney from Arentz Law Group P.C. by calling 1-800-305-6000, or by filling out the contact form on this page.

What Can I be Compensated for in my Trucking Lawsuit?

When you are involved in an accident, there is more damage than just what the vehicle sustains. Even beyond the injuries that you may be facing, the long-term effects of being involved in a semi-truck accident can be devastating. You want to make sure that you are compensated for damages that show up now, damages that will arise in the future, and damages that many people don’t even realize they are incurring.

Let’s start with the obvious. When the trucking company offers you a settlement, they are hoping that you just add up these damages, and take their low-ball offer.

Medical Expenses – If you have been involved in a trucking accident where you were struck by a large truck, chances are you have sustained some pretty serious injuries. Your medical bills may be substantial, and if you were not at fault for the accident, then you shouldn’t have to pay anything for medical intervention.

Vehicle Damages – Many accidents result in a complete loss of the smaller vehicle. Simply speaking a 15,000 to 80,000 pound truck, even moving at relatively slow speeds, will destroy a 3,000 pound car. Unfortunately, many insurance companies will try to low-ball the amount and give a settlement that doesn’t come close to replacing the destroyed vehicle.

It may seem like that is all there is to the accident. Your vehicle is damaged and you suffer injuries. But if we dig just a little bit deeper, we can see that there is more to it than that. The trucking company may not offer compensation for these.

Lost Wages – While you’re in the hospital, or even while you’re out looking for a new vehicle to drive, you are losing money by not working. If the accident had never occurred, you would still be at your job, but as it is, you need to be compensated for being unable to work.

Future Medical Problems – Depending on the severity of the injuries, the immediate medical attention may not be enough to cover everything. Sure, you may look and feel fine now, but what about a year from now? 5 years from now? 10 years from now? Many injuries have problems that pop up down the road.

Some settlements may include those items and look like good settlements. But more happens when you are involved in a trucking accident; especially if someone is killed.

Loss of Companionship – Suppose you and your spouse were involved in the accident, and your spouse was killed. How are you compensated for that? There may be years of therapy required, special accommodations, and there is the loss of their earnings to account for.

Pain and Suffering – You may never be able to drive again due to the fear of being in another accident. You may have to upgrade from a small car to a large SUV to feel safe. You might have trouble sleeping, trouble maintaining relationships, or trouble finding peace. These are hard to put a price tag on them, but they need to be considered.

As you can see, your trucking accident, whether it occurred in Southern California, in the Pacific Northwest, on the East Coast, or somewhere in the middle, has a lot of factors that will ultimately determine your settlement. If you want a fair settlement after your life has been turned upside down, you need a trucking attorney from Arentz Law Group. Call us at 1-800-305-6000 to get started on the road to justice.

Do I have to be the Victim of the Accident to Sue?

Trucking accidents occur every day. Every day major injuries and even fatalities occur. One of the questions that we often receive is whether or not a person must be the victim in order to file the lawsuit and ultimately receive compensation for the accident. The answer is: no, but special circumstances must be present.

In order to initiate the lawsuit, you must have a vested interest. If your neighbor is killed in a trucking accident, you may experience the loss of a friend. However, you don’t really have a vested interest in the accident. You have not been hurt monetarily, and the psychological damage, while it may be very real, would be hard to prove.

However, let’s suppose your spouse, parent, or child was killed in the accident. While it is impossible to put a dollar value on their lives, you do have a vested interest in them. Losing a close family member can result in year’s worth of trauma and grieving. You may end up requiring mental health counseling, and you shouldn’t have to pay for that!

There is one condition to suing on behalf of a family member though. If that family member was involved in the accident, and they have decided not to file a lawsuit, your suit would not be very effective. Depending on their condition, ownership of vehicles, and a variety of other factors, you may not be able to bring litigation against the trucking company, even if you have a vested interest.

Has a family member been injured or killed in a trucking accident? Are you at a loss for where to turn to ensure that you receive the justice that you deserve? Then you need to call a trucking attorney with Arentz Law right away. Our number is 1-800-305-6000, and semi-truck accident lawyers are ready to help with your case.

Should I take a Trucking Accident Settlement?

As we mentioned up above, a trucking accident runs the risk of a whole host of damages. Some of those damages are unseen for many years, and accepting a settlement may not cover everything that you experience.

For example: suppose you are in an accident with a large truck. Your vehicle, which appraises at $10,000 is destroyed, and you suffer from a fractured wrist. Your medical bills amount to $10,000. The company will be in a hurry to settle the claim, and may offer you a check for $22,000. It seems like a good deal, 10% more than the actual damages.

However, 5 years from now, you are having trouble writing. It turns out that due to the fracture your tendons aren’t aligned, and you have to have surgery to correct the issue. And even with modern medicine, that surgery isn’t 100% corrective, so every 10 years for the rest of your life, you need another surgery. Suddenly that 10% bonus isn’t nearly enough to cover your medical bills.

On top of that, you experience panic whenever you drive near a truck. You have to upgrade to a larger vehicle to feel calm and safe, so while your old vehicle was only worth $10,000, it costs $20,000 to get into a newer and safer vehicle. That bigger vehicle costs more to maintain, and now you’re out thousands of dollars just to drive safely on the roads again.

The bottom line: no, you should not take the trucking accident settlement when it is first offered. It will likely not be enough to cover your current expenses, nor your future expenses. Instead, enlist the help of a semi-truck accident attorney with Arentz Law. Our highly trained attorneys know the laws, they understand what compensation you deserve, and they can help you navigate through a complicated world while you’re already shaken up. Call us at 1-800-305-6000.

How Often Do Trucking Accidents in Southern California Occur?

Why point out Southern California specifically when it comes to truck accidents? Statistically speaking, more accidents occur where there are more people. Southern California is home to over 22.6 million people. Include those in the area visiting for work or leisure, and that number is much higher. With such an intricate network of freeways, those travelling in the area are likely to encounter big rig trucks.

But how often do trucks actually crash? It all depends on which state you live in of course. According to data on crashes that occurred in 2012 (there were 332,000 truck accidents that year, which caused nearly 4,000 fatalities), California ranked second for the most fatal truck accidents. In 2012, 244 people lost their lives in fatal crashes. The only state that had more fatal accidents was Texas, with 534 (due to a number of factors, some of which are oil-field and fracking problems, large open spaces where drive fatigue comes into play, and a large population on the east side of the state).

How often do truck accidents occur in Southern California? We can extrapolate that these accidents occur every single day, and nearly every day someone loses their life because of an accident that was likely 100% preventable.

Has a truck accident affected your life? It doesn’t matter where you live, or where that accident occurred. Trucking accident lawyers with Arentz Law can help you get the justice that you deserve. Call us today at 1-800-305-6000 to learn more about your options for justice.

Will an Attorney Help with my Semi-Truck Accident?

When you’re involved in a truck accident, there is a lot that will happen in the first few days. Before anything happens, you need to get an attorney on your side to ensure that you receive the proper compensation when it comes time, and that you receive the justice that you deserve.

After the accident occurs, the trucking company legally is required to preserve the evidence of the accident. However, there is a statute of limitations on that evidence, and if that runs out they can do whatever they want to “hide” the evidence. Whether their intent is to hide it, or if their intent is to simply repair their vehicles and get back on the road, it becomes much more difficult to pursue compensation if any evidence has been changed, altered, or destroyed.

Having an attorney on your side will allow all damages to be documented, and all the evidence to be recorded properly. But it is imperative that you call and get the attorney working on your case right away.

The longer that you wait before calling a semi-truck attorney, the harder it is for your attorney to get all the information needed. There are interviews that may need conducted with medical staff, police, witnesses, yourself, and the truck driver. As the crash becomes further from people’s minds, the fewer details they will recall, and it will be harder to prove your case.

Have you been involved with an accident with a large truck? Then we want to speak with you! Our passion is to ensure that you get the justice that you deserve. Let’s get started helping you receive compensation after your rights were infringed upon. Call 1-800-305-6000 to start your free consultation.

What Are the Causes of a Truck Accident?

Just like driving a car, there are many hazards when a person is driving a truck. However, those who operate these rigs, some of which may weigh up to 80,000 pounds, have the responsibility to ensure they are properly trained, not driving under the influence, and are safe on the road. There are a number of different causes for truck accidents.

Driver Inexperience – One of the major reasons a big truck will crash is simply because the driver does not know how to operate the vehicle he or she is driving. This happens often with areas that have a lot of oil fracking during oil booms. The oil company needs a driver now, and they may not be properly trained.

Driver Fatigue – Many truck drivers are on a tight schedule. They have to get to their destination quickly in order to make sure they are earning a reasonable wage (often they are paid based on the delivery and not by the day or hour). Driving long hours leads to poor decisions.

Driver Intoxication – No matter how good you are at driving, consuming alcohol or using substances is going to impair your ability to make good decisions on the road. Truck drivers are held to a higher standard and cannot drive if they have a blood alcohol content of .04%.

Driver Negligence – On occasion we all make bad decisions. When a person is behind the wheel of a truck that weighs many thousands of pounds more than the average vehicle on the road, those bad decisions can lead to death. Driving too fast, failing to stop, and driving recklessly are major causes of big rig crashes.

Mechanical Failure – Before every trip the truck driver needs to inspect the vehicle. However, some will skip over this important step, or they will not know what to look for. When the vehicle fails, it is often the other occupants of the road that are put in harm’s way.

Road Conditions – If the roads are wet or icy, you slow down. While a large truck will have an easier time gripping the road due to its sheer weight, the driver still needs to drive safely for the conditions. Blaming the roads is no excuse, and it all comes down to keeping control of the vehicle despite exterior conditions.

There are many factors that can lead to a truck accident. If you have been hit by a semi-truck, and you were not at fault, you need the help of an attorney to make sure that you receive the justice that you deserve! The trucking company will likely low-ball the offer for compensation; you don’t have to take it! Call us at 1-800-305-6000 to start your free consultation.

Hire Arentz Law to Help with Your Settlement!

Arentz Law Group P.C. has one passion: to ensure that you receive justice. Whether we are dealing with giant pharmaceutical companies, dangerous devices, or semi-truck accidents, we want you to know that you are well taken care of with our expert attorneys guiding the way.

If you have been in an accident with a semi-truck, a trucking attorney from Arentz Law will help your voice be heard, and help you recover from the accident. Call us today at 1-800-305-6000, or fill out the contact form on this page, to enlist the help of best legal representation you can find.

While many trucking accidents occur in Southern California, Texas, Arizona, and other places that are highly populated, we aren’t limited to state borders! It doesn’t matter where you live, or where the accident occurred. Our team of highly trained attorneys can work with you and help you.

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