Napa Truck Accident Lawyers

What to do After a Truck Accident

If you are involved in a truck accident, your first priority should always be the health and safety of you and your passengers. Once you and your passengers are safe, you can help your attorney and protect your rights by taking the following additional steps after a truck accident:

• Move your car to safety to avoid any secondary collisions;  
• Call 9-1-1 and request the reporting officer complete an accident report; 
• Exchange information with the truck driver, including their name, employer, address, phone number, and insurance information;
• Photograph and record the scene, including the vehicles involved, the accident scene, and your injuries;
• Obtain the names and contact information of any witnesses; 
• Get a complete medication evaluation to record all injuries resulting from the collision; 
• Notify your insurance company; and
• Contact a qualified attorney.

After a truck accident, you must act quickly. Even if you cannot carry out these steps due to your injuries, don’t lose hope. California truck accident lawyers help you collect and combine evidence with building a solid case for the compensation you need to move forward.  

How Can a Lawyer Help Me? 

As you focus on your recovery, your California truck accident lawyer will work on your case. In addition to possessing a wealth of knowledge and expertise in this area of law, your attorney also assists in other valuable ways. 

Investigate Your Case 

A skilled attorney investigates the facts and circumstances of your crash, including what parties may be liable. Your attorney also researches any relevant statute of limitations to ensure you have plenty of time to file a lawsuit if negotiations fail. 

Gather Evidence 

With a wealth of available resources, your attorney begins to gather all relevant evidence surrounding your truck accident. Vital evidence that assists in constructing a solid case on your behalf includes the following: 

• Reviewing photographs, videos, and other evidence of the accident scene; 
• Contacting witnesses and reviewing their statements;
• Obtaining copies of police accident reports;
• Reviewing insurance policy coverage information for all involved parties; 
• Evaluating medical reports to understand the extent of your injuries and harm; and 
• Contacting insurance adjusters and opposing counsel involved in the case. 

Your attorney may also use experts to review the available evidence and establish the truck driver’s liability. Through the evidence, your attorney gains a clearer picture of the extent of your damages and may begin calculating the value of your case. 

Negotiation 

Negotiating is one of the most valuable skills your attorney provides. Insurance companies may contact you initially to persuade you to accept a settlement offer. These offers usually fail to grasp the extent of your injuries and losses.

In fact, they are typically lowball offers intentionally designed to save the insurer money by paying you as little as possible. Insurers know you are likely having a tough time financially as medical bills pile up at a time when you likely cannot work.

They are hoping that you’ll jump at any offer of money, thereby letting them off the hook for further expenses you might encounter. Remember, once you accept an offer, you can never go back for more money—no matter how much more your injuries end up costing you.

Having your attorney calculate the value of your case and negotiate for you avoids this unfortunate result. An attorney will not let them get away with these tactics and will ensure that negotiations are productive and provide you with the compensation you need. 

Litigation

Taking your case to trial delays its conclusion and your compensation payment. A case may go to trial if settlement negotiations fail to progress or if the liable party fails to take responsibility for their actions.

While relatively few personal injury cases go to trial, your attorney always prepares your case for litigation. Why? Because it is better to be prepared and because it is leverage in negotiations if the opposition knows you are ready to fight if necessary. 

Common Causes of Truck Accidents 

Despite our best efforts to drive safely, we hope that other drivers, especially truck drivers, take the same precautions. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. Many truck accidents result from the negligent behavior of truck drivers, companies, or manufacturers.

The most common causes of truck accidents include the following: 

• Distracted driving, 
• Fatigue, 
• Exceeding the mandated number of driving hours, 
• Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, 
• Speeding, 
• Reckless driving, 
• Inadequate vehicle maintenance, 
• Improper loading and cargo placement, and
• Inadequate training of drivers. 

Investigating the cause of your truck accident is the first step in holding the proper party responsible for your harm.

Recoverable Damages After a Napa Truck Accident 

California permits victims injured in truck accidents to recover compensatory damages. These are called economic and non-economic damages. 

Economic damages represent calculable losses directly stemming from the accident. You calculate their value by adding up medical bills, invoices, pay stubs, and receipts that document the following losses: 

• Medical expenses, 
• Lost wages, 
• Loss of future earnings, and
• Property damage. 

Retain all documentation related to your accident to help your lawyer calculate an accurate value of your economic losses. 

Non-economic losses are more challenging to calculate, as they relate to the subjective and less tangible psychological and emotional impact of your injuries. These losses vary significantly from person to person and include the following: 

• Pain and suffering, 
• Emotional distress, 
• Permanent injury, 
• Disfigurement, 
• Loss of enjoyment of life, and
• Loss of consortium. 

Many injured victims find that non-economic losses more adequately capture the true impact that their accident has had on their lives. From a permanent injury to a post-traumatic stress disorder diagnosis, recovering non-economic damages is vital to injured victims reclaiming some semblance of their life before their accident.

Contact a Napa, California Truck Accident Lawyer Today 

At Wells Call Injury Lawyers, clients from across California and the Western U.S. count on our experience and knowledge in personal injury cases. Though we never guarantee a particular outcome, our strong track record of success puts our clients at ease, and we won’t rest until you achieve the justice you deserve.

In our 40 years of practice, we’ve recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for our clients. When you speak to our attorneys, you learn about our commitment to helping accident victims protect their rights, so they can recover the compensation they need and deserve.

You can count on our attorneys to hold the at-fault parties accountable for your devastating losses since your accident. We are dedicated to getting you started on the road to recovery and don’t charge a fee unless we successfully secure a settlement or judgment.

Contact us today by phone or email. Our case reviews are always free. Learn more about how Wells Call Injury Lawyers can help you when needed!