Top Ways to Maximize Your Truck Accident Settlement in Phoenix

There is a huge risk of being seriously injured if you collide with a truck while you are inside a smaller vehicle. Often, truck accident victims suffer not only physical injuries but also emotional trauma. There may be many accident victims, each of whom is making a claim for damages against the at-fault parties. You may be able to obtain compensation after a truck accident in Arizona if you can establish liability. However, compensation can vary considerably, and it is important to consider these top ways to maximize your truck accident settlement. Phoenix truck accident lawyer Freddy Saavedra can help you build a case for liability.

You will need to take certain steps to claim compensation after a truck accident. You cannot simply state that you suffered harm due to a negligent truck driver. In many cases, a victim and their attorney will need to hire an accident reconstruction expert to establish a truck driver or other potential party’s liability. The accident reconstruction expert can look at your situation and determine all the reasons for the accident and the extent to which each of these reasons can be treated as a contributing cause. For example, bad weather may be a reason for a truck accident, but the more relevant question may be whether the truck driver reacted appropriately to the bad weather. Did the truck driver slow down and show more care as a result of the bad weather?

Seek Medical Care

You will need to seek medical care after being injured in a truck accident to get your injuries evaluated and treated. Doctors should document your injuries and develop a plan of treatment. This documentation allows the defendant and its insurers to understand the scope of your tangible harm and the harm that you are likely to suffer in the future as a result of the truck accident. When a doctor recommends a treatment plan, you should carefully follow that plan, and that may include seeking physical therapy and emotional therapy.

Take Photographs

Assuming that you are physically able to do so, you should take photographs of the scene. You will want to take photographs of the damage to all the vehicles, skid marks, and injuries. You should also note the witnesses’ contact information.

Establishing Liability

One of the top ways to maximize your truck accident settlement involves appropriately gathering evidence after the truck accident. An accident may be caused by someone other than the truck driver. It is important to evaluate the conduct of a trucking company, a third-party loader, a mechanic, and a truck manufacturer. Any of these parties may be held accountable, but only if your attorney can present some evidence to show that their conduct contributed to the accident. When a case is fully prepared for trial, insurers are likely to be more worried about going to trial, and they are therefore more likely to pay a sufficient amount in a settlement.

Preparing Your Lawsuit

To maximize your settlement or verdict, we will need to prepare your case thoroughly. During the lawsuit, we will need to serve discovery demands on the other side. We may need to conduct depositions or ask for records. Sometimes the other side will challenge the medical evidence related to your injuries. You may need to be seen by various medical experts. Other experts may need to be retained during the litigation to support items of damages or provide opinions about causation.

Retain an Attorney Promptly to Avoid the Expiration of the Statute of Limitations

Once an accident occurs, there are time constraints in bringing a case. You should not wait to file your lawsuit. Evidence can vanish, and the longer you wait, the less likely it is that your attorney’s accident reconstruction expert will be able to gather evidence distinct from what has been collected by the insurer to reduce or evade liability. Moreover, after the statute of limitations expires, you can be barred from bringing your claim.

Do Not Sign a Waiver Without Consulting an Attorney

Some people feel anxious about their injuries and want a check as soon as possible because they are concerned about impending medical bills and lost wages. However, insurers often lowball accident victims initially. If you accept the first offer, you will need to sign a waiver, and this waiver will prevent you from recovering damages later if it turns out that you are more seriously injured than you initially believed. It can take time for the full scope of catastrophic injuries to manifest, so you should think carefully before accepting an offer.

Discuss Your Case with a Phoenix Attorney

If you or a loved one has been harmed in an Arizona truck accident, we can advise you on the top ways to maximize your truck accident settlement. The Saavedra Law Firm represents truck accident victims in Phoenix and elsewhere in Maricopa County. Contact us at (602) 878-6625 or via our online form.

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