Were you injured in a truck accident involving a commercial truck in Vermilion, Ohio? You could be entitled to financial compensation for your damages. The experienced Vermilion truck accident lawyers at Wisehart Wright Trial Lawyers can help you recover financially while you focus on your physical recovery.
Our dedicated legal team has a track record of helping truck accident victims get the financial compensation they deserve after a devastating crash in Vermilion, OH. Semi-trucks and big rigs can be highly dangerous, causing severe damage when they collide with other vehicles. If you were hit by a truck, you could face mounting medical bills, lost income, out of pocket costs, and other expenses. You could also face significant pain and suffering and reduced quality of life.
Our Vermilion truck accident attorneys will fight to collect every dollar you are entitled to. Call our office today at (440) 967-6136 to schedule your free consultation today.
How Wisehart Wright Trial Lawyers Can Help You After a Truck Accident in Vermilion, OH
If you were hurt in a truck accident in Vermilion, Ohio, you deserve answers for what happened and you deserve fair payment for your losses. A knowledgeable Vermilion truck accident lawyer will investigate your claim and do whatever is necessary to maximize compensation for your damages.
Some of the things your Vermilion personal injury lawyer will do for you include:
- Sitting down for your no-risk, free consultation to talk about your claim;
- Investigating all facts of your case to determine your best options;
- Filing an insurance claim and negotiating with the insurance company;
- Not backing down when an insurance company gives you a lowball offer;
- Filing a personal injury lawsuit if a fair insurance settlement is not offered;
- Handling all stages of your truck accident lawsuit, from filing of the claim, discovery and depositions, all the way to a jury trial if needed.
Not all cases are the same, and your truck accident claim will be given the individual attention it deserves. Contact Wisehart Wright Trial Lawyers to learn more about what our Vermilion personal injury attorneys can do for you.
How Much Is My Truck Accident Claim Worth?
The value of a personal injury case involving a truck accident depends on factors such as:
- The severity of the accident
- Your injuries and medical costs
- Long-term consequences of your injuries from the accident
- How the accident affects your ability to earn income in the future
- How strong the evidence is in your favor
- Any other unique facts or circumstances.
There is not a standard value to truck accident claims. Some claims will be worth more than others. Your Ohio truck accident lawyer can likely estimate the approximate value of your truck accident claim after reviewing the facts of your claim and evidence available.
Who Is Liable for a Truck Accident in Vermilion, OH?
To collect damages in a truck accident, you will need to identify who was responsible for the crash. What makes truck accidents different from other vehicle accidents is that the at-fault party could be someone besides the driver.
In a truck accident case, any of the following could potentially be liable:
- Trucking companies
- Companies handling a truck’s cargo
- Maintenance companies
- Manufacturers of truck parts and equipment that turns out to be defective
- Government agencies responsible for overseeing regulations.
For example, a trucking company that negligently maintains its vehicles or encourages its drivers not to follow regulations can be sued themselves if the truck crashes. Parts manufacturers or manufacturers of safety equipment can be held liable if a defective product leads to the crash – often at no fault of the driver themselves.
Proving liability can be a complex and time-consuming aspect of a truck accident case. When it is not a clear case of negligence by the driver alone, it takes a skilled legal team to dig into the facts and events leading up to the crash. If the crash was caused by negligence of a trucker’s employer or some other entity, they should be held responsible for your injuries.
What Types of Damages Can I Recover in a Truck Accident Claim?
Damages in a truck accident claim usually fall into two categories: economic damages and non-economic damages.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are the actual costs, in dollars, of your costs and losses from a truck accident.
Economic damages in a truck accident lawsuit might include:
- Medical expenses
- Costs of rehabilitation and nursing care
- Lost income
- Lost earning capacity in the future
- Property damage to your vehicle
- Funeral expenses and medical costs in a wrongful death claim.
Your lawyer will work closely with you to make sure all of your costs are covered and properly addressed in your personal injury claim.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are the sometimes unseen costs of an accident. These damages can include pain and suffering, mental distress, loss of companionship with a partner, emotional anguish due to disability or disfigurement, and reduced quality of life.
Your life could be changed dramatically by the outcome of a truck accident. Sometimes, these losses are even worse than the financial costs of the accident. Our lawyers understand what you are facing and will fight for compensation that covers your non-economic damages.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Vermilion Truck Accident Lawyer?
Personal injury lawyers including truck accident lawyers normally work on a contingent fee basis. This method allows accident victims to get valuable legal help without paying fees up front. We understand that accident victims are already overwhelmed with medical bills and other costs, and can’t afford to pay an upfront retainer fee to a lawyer.
In a contingent fee agreement, a client is only responsible for attorney’s fees if the claim leads to a financial award. If the case is unsuccessful, the client is not expected to pay attorney’s fees or costs.
If the attorney succeeds in obtaining a financial settlement or jury verdict, they will receive an agreed-upon percentage of the final payment. Contact our legal team to learn more about our contingent fee arrangements for truck accident victims.
What Is Negligence in a Truck Accident and How Can I Prove It?
In a truck accident lawsuit, you would need to prove negligence by the truck driver, trucking company, or both. Your lawyer would do so by proving that the other party was more responsible than you were for the crash.
Negligence in a truck accident accident case includes the following four elements:
- Duty of care owed by the truck driver or company to other drivers;
- Breach of this duty of care by some act or failure to act;
- Causation between the breach of duty and your injuries;
- Damages suffered by the accident victim, such as medical bills and other costs.
A skilled truck accident lawyer will use the following types of evidence, and more, to prove negligence:
- Medical statements and reports
- Photos
- Video footage, often from the truck’s own video recording system
- Vehicle damage estimates
- Surveillance footage
- Witness statements
- Police reports
- Data from the truck’s black box recording system
- Driver logs and maintenance records for the truck
- Information about an employer’s hiring procedures for truck drivers
- Alcohol and drug test results.
Your lawyer’s goal is to prove that negligence occurred and caused your injuries and that you are entitled to financial recovery as a result.
Do I Have a Claim if I’m Partly at Fault for the Accident?
Ohio follows a comparative negligence law, which allows truck accident victims to collect money damages if they are less than 51% at fault for the accident. However, a driver’s compensation is reduced in connection to their share of fault. For example, if you would be entitled to collect $100,000, but were 20% at fault, your payment would be reduced by 20% to $80,000.
The important thing to remember is that even if you think you played a role in the crash, you still could be legally entitled to compensation. Don’t let your share of blame keep you from talking to a Vermilion truck accident lawyer about your options.
What Is the Statute of Limitations for a Truck Accident Claim in Ohio?
The statute of limitations to file a personal injury lawsuit after a truck accident in Ohio is two years. While there can be some exceptions, two years is the general rule. The two-year deadline to file usually starts from the date of the accident. In a tragic wrongful death claim, the timeline would begin from the date of death.
If you don’t file your lawsuit within two years, you could forever lose your right to sue the at-fault driver or truck company. Talk to an experienced lawyer as soon as you can after the accident to make sure the evidence is collected and your case is filed within the statute of limitations.
Contact a Vermilion Truck Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation
Were you or a loved one injured in a serious truck accident in Vermilion, OH? You could have important legal rights, including the right to be paid for your damages. A truck accident can be severe and devastating. Let an experienced Vermilion truck accident lawyer work for you to seek the compensation you deserve. Call our law office today to schedule your free consultation.