In 2015, 83,000 truck accidents resulted in injuries and over 3,500 of these accidents were fatal. If you were injured in a truck crash, you could be facing serious medical bills and lost wages if you don’t have sufficient coverage. You can contact a lawyer to help get compensation so you can get back on your feet after the crash. Now, choosing the right lawyer can be rather tricky. To help you out, we thought it would be useful to put together a set of questions that you should ask to help you choose the right lawyer for the job. If this is something that you're interested in learning more about, read on for five important questions to ask your truck accident lawyer.

Who Is Responsible for the Crash?

A truck driver might not be responsible if he ran a red light and hit your car, but his employer probably is. Vicarious liability is a legal doctrine that means the boss will be liable for the driver’s action. An investigation should find out who was responsible for your wreck. Your lawyer should find out if the driver was at fault, or if the trucking company or even the auto manufacturer was responsible for a faulty part. Those responsible parties will have to pay for your damages.

What Damages Can Be Recovered?

The damages you are eligible to collect are the financial losses you experienced because of the wreck. Your lawyer can tally up those damages in order to give you an estimate of what your case could be worth.

Truck accidents are always a difficult case for insurance companies to value; economic damages are much easier to determine, but the non-economic damages are more difficult to quantify. For example, the emotional turmoil that results from a serious truck accident is much more difficult than your physical pain to quantify. This is why you'll want to have an experienced lawyer in your corner so that they can advise you during this process.

Here’s what you can expect for your case:

Economic Damages

• Medical Costs: This includes doctor visits, hospital stays, imaging, medication, rehabilitation, and medical devices. Essentially any care your physician deems necessary for your recovery will be paid for by the insurance company with the exception of very serious injuries, where future medical costs will be based on a lump sum payment.
• Lost Wages: Missing work causes you to lose money. If you cannot make money, you cannot pay your bills. Luckily, truck accident injury cases often merit future lost wages.
• Residential Modifications: Injuries such as spinal cord injuries, broken bones, and traumatic brain injuries can make it difficult to move around your own home. Many people choose to install modifications like wheelchair ramps, handrails, and stairlifts for added convenience. However, many health insurance plans only cover a fraction of the installation costs. Talk to your attorney so you can figure out some solutions.

Non-Economic Damages

• Mental Anguish: While the physical impact of accidents are well documented, the mental and emotional side is often under-discussed. Accidents affect one’s mental health as well. Depression, anxiety, PTSD, and sleep disorders are common. 
• Loss of Enjoyment of Life: Accidents can be life-changing and can negatively affect your life.  Losing the ability to participate in an activity before a truck accident can be devastating. Truck accident cases should compensate for this loss.
• Loss of Companionship: Humans are social animals. We rely on our personal relationships. A serious injury can change the dynamic of a relationship or, in some cases, render it unable to exist. You deserve to be compensated for this emotional loss.
• Wrongful Death: Sadly, thousands of people die in truck accidents every year. Money can’t bring a loved one back, but it can help you cover the expenses that result from the accident.

How Will Compensation Be Secured?

Most lawyers are likely to get you a financial settlement by filing an insurance claim and arguing your case directly with the insurance company. They are more likely to successfully settle out of court than to go to trial where you would have to pay more in legal fees. A lawyer with experience negotiating against big trucking companies and their legal representation will be better able to help you get a fair settlement.

Are You Experienced In These Types of Cases?

In a truck accident, there's a lot of evidence you can use to prove who was at fault. For example, you may need to request the driver's rest logs, maintenance history of the truck, and any other data that can help your case. Federal law requires every trucking company to store this data, but a lawyer will help you request and interpret it.

Can You Represent Me In Court?

Sometimes, a trucking company will refuse to offer fair compensation to victims of a crash. If that happens in your case, you need a lawyer with litigation experience who can take your case to court and seek just compensation to recover the money you need.

When you decide to sign on with an attorney, it is good to figure out how involved you will be in your case. Some attorneys ask you to gather all records pertaining to your case. Others may only involve you when your signature is needed.

Conclusion

We hope this article proves to be useful when it comes to helping you find the right lawyer. While these cases may seem daunting, it’s not something that you won’t be able to overcome with the right help. Be sure to keep everything we’ve discussed here in mind so that you can make the most informed decisions regarding your choice of lawyers.

If you are looking for experienced accident lawyers in Los Angeles, CA, then we at Mendez & Sanchez Law are at your service. Our attorneys and team members are here to help you through the difficult legal landscape as we pursue the compensation you deserve. Call us today and let us discuss your current accident-related situation.