What Not to Do After an Accident With a Commercial Truck
Most people are aware of the fact that they can take legal action after an accident with a semi-truck or large commercial vehicle. What you may not be aware of is that there is a right way and a wrong way to handle the legal process. Your best course of action is to retain a Houston truck accident attorney and let them take care of everything. However, if you don’t retain an attorney right away, you’re putting yourself at a disadvantage against the trucking company. Following is a look at what not to do after a truck accident:
Don’t Try to Represent Yourself
Trying to represent yourself against the insurance company for the truck operator is the fastest way for you to lose any advantage you have after the accident. The insurance company and the trucking company has lawyers at the ready to protect themselves against lawsuits. You as the accident victim are viewed as a potential lawsuit. When you represent yourself against lawyers who know their craft well, you’re not very likely to succeed against them.
Don’t Accept a Settlement Offer
It may be tempting to accept a settlement offer before you’ve had a Houston truck accident attorney look it over. Settlements can seem reasonable and may even offer enough to take care of your bills, plus a little extra.
What looks good on the surface may have “gotchas” that prevent you from taking further action against the trucking company and insurer. Or you’re offered part of the settlement in advance with the rest promised later. The insurance company and trucking company have no obligation to play fair during the settlement process, especially if you don’t have a lawyer, and take advantage of your naivety. You get shortchanged and denied further legal recourse.
Don’t Wait to Get Legal Representation
Texas statutes of limitations gives you up to two years to file a personal injury lawsuit, but you don’t want to wait that long to take action. The fresher the information regarding the accident, the better your chances of getting a settlement or monetary award that’s favorable to you. In the event you’ve been hospitalized after the accident and you’re unable to contact a Houston truck accident attorney right away, don’t panic. You can have a family member contact an attorney on your behalf and get a conversation about representation started.
The sooner you have representation, the better it is for you. A truck accident lawyer can take action on your behalf with finding and preserving evidence, communicating with the trucking company and their insurance company, and handling the processes that begin after an accident with a truck.
Having a truck accident lawyer representing your interests can be of benefit to your health and your financial situation. The trucking and insurance companies have lawyers; so should you.
