Truck accidents can be the most serious and devastating accidents to be involved in. When you first begin the process of seeking compensation for your injuries after a truck accident, the insurance adjuster representing the trucking company will most likely try to convince you that you don’t need a lawyer. The insurance company may tell you that hiring a lawyer is unnecessary and expensive, or that your claim will be resolved more quickly and efficiently if you don’t “go to the trouble” of getting a lawyer. In reality, however, injured victims and plaintiffs who work with an attorney receive more money and compensation for their injuries than accident victims do not engage a lawyer. The insurance company would prefer you try the claim process on your own and without a lawyer in the hope that your inexperience and the stress of your injuries will render you overwhelmed and easier to take advantage of. Insurance companies want to pay nothing, or as little as possible. They believe if you don’t have a lawyer, you can be convinced to go away or settle cheaply.
One of the most important tasks that your attorney will perform for you is interacting with the insurance company. Once you have retained a lawyer, the insurance company must direct all communication through the attorney. Not only does this remove a significant source of stress and allows you to focus on getting better. It prevents the truck’s insurance adjuster from tricking you into saying something inadvertently damaging to your case (which he will be recording as evidence). When you do need to provide information to the insurance company – in the form of a statement, response to interrogatories, a deposition, or by submitting to a medical examination by a doctor on the insurance company’s payroll – your attorney can either be present or help you prepare, letting you know what to expect and how to avoid the insurance company’s traps.
Your lawyer will handle all the administrative and bureaucratic details in connection with your injury case, which can often be daunting to anyone without experience. He will initiate the process of filing a lawsuit, securing your right to sue in the event that settlement negotiations break down, and file any necessary documents with the court. He can also help deal with any snags regarding your health insurance, Medicaid, or Medicare, ensuring that your medical bills are paid, and your treatment is uninterrupted.
Gathering the evidence necessary to build your case can be a complex and time-consuming process. Your attorney should handle all of this for you. It is essential to begin working with a NJ personal injury lawyer as soon as possible – so the evidence is still available, and events remain fresh in the minds of witnesses. Your lawyer will obtain a copy of the police report from your truck accident, get interviews of any witnesses, and gather any photographic and video evidence available. Photographs of your vehicle, the accident site, and even your injuries may be essential to proving key points in your case, and the information contained in such photographs is highly time-sensitive and must be captured before any changes occur. Police officers may have body worn camera video that your attorney can obtain. Your attorney will also collect any other documents needed to support your case and assemble a list of questions for the truck driver to answer.
The most important role that your attorney may play in your injury case is in fighting for a successful resolution involving fair compensation for your injuries. This means negotiating a settlement directly with the insurance company. The settlement negotiation process is generally quicker than a trial, though it can still time to resolve. Your attorney will need to convince the insurance adjuster that compensating you adequately is less risky for the insurance company than allowing the case to go before a jury. The evidence that your lawyer has collected for a possible trial will come into play here, as your attorney argues the strength of your case and the likelihood that the insurance company could suffer a costly defeat in court. Insurance adjusters are professional negotiators and have a vast repertoire of rhetorical tricks to convince you that your claim is weaker than it actually is, or that an unreasonably-low settlement figure is the best you can expect. Having an experienced NJ personal injury lawyer on your side of the negotiating table is an invaluable asset in the settlement negotiation process, equalizing the scales of justice.
If direct negotiation fails, your lawyer’s experience becomes even more vital. Some cases will go through mediation or arbitration – more formalized negotiation processes intended to resolve an injury case without a trial. Both processes involve an impartial third-party with legal experience helping the process along; in mediation, that third party acts as a facilitator, while in arbitration he or she takes the place of a judge and jury. If your case makes it into the courtroom, your attorney takes center stage once again, presenting your case through the evidence he has collected and fighting to win you the fair compensation you deserve.
Contact MyNJInjuryLawyer
If you or a loved one suffered an injury in a truck accident in NJ, you should contact an attorney familiar with handling these claims. An experienced NJ Injury Lawyer will know how to obtain medical records, videos, photographs, experts, locate witnesses and contact the insurance company so you can make a claim for your injuries.
My NJ Injury Lawyer Howard P. Lesnik, Esq. offers complimentary strategy sessions to address any issue or questions you may have for your injury claim in NJ.
Please contact NJ Injury Lawyer Howard Lesnik, Esq., immediately if you were involved in an accident. I personally handle NJ personal injury cases on a regular basis. Please contact me now by email, by phoning 908.264.7701, or by completing the form to the right to schedule your complimentary 30-minute strategy session.
