If you have been injured in a truck accident in Baton Rouge, you are likely dealing with pain, mounting medical bills, missed work, and a vehicle that may be totaled. Additionally, you need to figure out how to pursue a legal claim against a trucking company and its insurer.
Truck accident claims are more complicated than typical car accident claims, and the process of filing one is not something most people should try to navigate alone. You need a Baton Rouge truck accident lawyer with a proven record of success to help you secure maximum compensation for your damages.
At Chris Corzo Injury Attorneys, we have helped injury victims secure billions of dollars in compensation, and we are committed to building your strongest case so you can recover every dollar you are entitled to.
Steps For FIling a Baton Rouge Truck Accident Claim
To file a successful truck accident claim in Baton Rouge, you should take these steps:
- Seek immediate medical attention. Prompt medical attention can save your life. It also creates documentation that links your injuries to the accident. Waiting days or weeks before seeing a doctor can be devastating to your health and your Baton Rouge truck accident claim.
- Preserve and gather evidence before it disappears. The truck’s electronic logging device (ELD), event data recorder (EDR), and surveillance video may all be overwritten quickly if legal steps are not taken to preserve them. You’ll need to recover the truck driver’s logs, hours-of-service (HOS) record, vehicle inspection reports, maintenance records, the driver’s employment history, and communications between the driver and the trucking company near the time of the crash.
- Don’t talk to the trucking company’s insurance adjuster. The insurance adjuster is not your friend. Their job is to save the insurance company money and to settle your claim for as little as possible. Consult an experienced Baton Rouge truck accident attorney before speaking to an insurance adjuster after an accident.
- Determine what parties are liable and build your claim. You need to have a thorough investigation of your accident to identify all contributing factors and potentially liable parties. Then, you will need to conduct discovery, establish and accurately value your damages, and build your strongest case.
- Negotiate with the insurance companies. You should send a demand letter to the defendants and their insurers documenting your damages, setting forth your claim, and requesting payment of the full value of your case. Once the defendants respond, you can begin negotiating to try to reach a fair settlement.
If a fair settlement is not quickly reached, you will need to prepare and file your lawsuit before the legal deadline. You may continue negotiating while preparing for trial. If you do not settle, you will need to try your case in court.
Because truck accident claims are very complex, you’ll need the help of an experienced truck accident lawyer to protect your rights and help you secure the compensation you deserve.
Why Truck Accident Claims Are Not Like Car Accident Claims
Commercial trucking is a heavily regulated industry. Trucking companies and their drivers are governed by both Louisiana law and federal regulations established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), covering everything from how many hours a driver can spend behind the wheel to how cargo must be loaded and secured.
When a company or driver violates those rules and someone gets hurt, that evidence of noncompliance can be powerful in building your case. An experienced truck accident attorney knows how to uncover that evidence and how to use it to build your strongest claim.
In a truck accident, you are often dealing with multiple defendants, insurance companies, and attorneys. Liable parties may include the driver, the trucking company, a cargo loader, a vehicle maintenance contractor, or even the truck manufacturer if a defective part contributed to the crash. Identifying all potentially liable parties and acting quickly before evidence disappears are essential to a successful outcome.
Insurance companies typically have much more at stake in truck accident claims because commercial truck drivers are required to carry substantially greater coverage than standard vehicle drivers. Because of this, insurance companies are usually even more aggressive in truck accident claims.
At Chris Corzo Injury Attorneys, our truck accident lawyers in Baton Rouge know the state and federal trucking laws inside and out. We know how to investigate truck accidents to uncover strong evidence and build your best case. Our truck accident attorneys also know how to deal with the tactics used by insurance companies, so our clients can recover maximum compensation.
Schedule a Free Consultation With a Baton Rouge Truck Accident Attorney
At Chris Corzo Injury Attorneys, our team or truck accident lawyers has the experience, the resources, and the drive to take on your claim and win. We handle every claim on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.
Call an experienced truck accident attorney in Baton Rouge at (225) 999-1111 or complete the short form on our contact page to schedule your free consultation.