All too often, semi-truck collisions occur because a trucker makes a careless mistake, violates federal hours of service rules, or engages in other reckless behaviors like texting while driving. If this happened to you or a loved one, you may be eligible to file a claim against the trucking company to recover compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.
At Bressman Law, our legal team has the experience and resources necessary to navigate even the most complicated truck accident claim. We may be able to hold the driver and the trucking company liable for the full cost of your injuries and any related expenses. Our truck accident lawyer serving Hilliard can help.
Commonly Reported Causes of Truck Accidents
The difference in size and weight between a car and a large truck can increase the severity of the injuries the occupants of the car might sustain. According to Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), a fully loaded truck can require a much greater stopping distance—as much as 40% more—than a typical passenger vehicle.
Additional causes of truck versus car accidents can include:
- Driver inattention or distractions
- Alcohol or drug intoxication
- Improper vehicle maintenance
- Failure to adhere to hours-of-service regulations
- Speeding or driving too fast for conditions
- Inadequate training or driver inexperience
Our law firm works hard to uncover the cause of your truck accident. We read and review your police report and talk to witnesses to understand the accident from all available vantage points. Our investigative goal is to understand how and why the accident occurred. Our representation goal is to fight for the best possible outcome of your case.
For a free legal consultation with a truck accident attorney in Hilliard, call (614) 538-1116
How Much Money Can I Get From My Truck Accident Claim in Hilliard?
We cannot give you an exact amount to expect from your claim, but we can advise you what we believe a fair settlement might look like based on the facts of your case. How much you can collect through a truck accident claim depends on:
- The severity of your injuries
- Your actual financial losses
- The impact your injuries have on your everyday life
Forms of Damages You Could Seek in a Claim
After an accident with a big rig, you may be facing substantial impacts on your life, health, and finances. We can help you seek compensation for a range of damages resulting from the crash, including:
- Medical bills, including emergency care, ambulance services, hospitalization, visits to a doctor or specialist, surgeries, physical therapy, and more
- Future medical bills, including any treatments you expect to require in the future
- Lost wages, reflecting paychecks you could not earn during your recovery
- Reduced earning capacity, if you will no longer be able to earn as you did before the crash
- Pain and suffering, which reflects your physical pain and other hardships
- And more
We collect documentation to prove your expenses and losses, including your bills, receipts, tax forms, pay stubs, and more. Then, we use the total of these damages to calculate a fair value for your non-economic losses, often called pain and suffering damages. This allows us to estimate a fair settlement value for your case.
Hilliard Truck Accident Attorney (614) 538-1116
Why Might I Want to Work with a Truck Accident Lawyer Serving Hilliard From Bressman Law?
There are many reasons you may wish to work with a lawyer for an injury case, including in a truck accident case. These types of accidents tend to be especially complicated as a major trucking company may be responsible for paying you.
We will handle all of the details of your legal case for you, including:
- Determining a fair settlement value
- Gathering all evidence and necessary documentation for you
- Negotiating on your behalf with the insurance companies
- Understanding how any important laws may affect your case
- Taking your case to court if a fair settlement cannot be reached
- Handling any bad faith insurance practices or unfair denials of your claim
- Working to meet the state’s statute of limitations deadline, per Ohio Revised Code Section 2305.10
You do not have to deal with the back and forth of an insurance claim or lawsuit in Hilliard when you have our truck accident lawyers on your side.
We Take the Risks Out of Your Pursuit of Recoverable Damages
If you or someone you love was involved in a truck accident, your right to recover personal injury damages is generally limited to two years. Similarly, if someone you love was fatally injured in the accident, in general, you also have two years to file a wrongful death lawsuit, according to Ohio Revised Code Section 2125.02.
An expired statute of limitations is costly. If the statute of limitations that applies to your case expires:
- You will not be able to file your lawsuit in court at all.
- Your lawsuit will be dismissed without ever being heard.
- You could be left with no legal recourse for recovering damages.
We also make sure it is correctly interpreted, including any situations that cause it to fluctuate. The at-fault party’s insurance provider will be aware of the statute of limitations, so we make sure to stay on top of it. When we recover damages for you, we make sure the filing deadline is met.
See Why Other Truck Accident Victims Refer Potential Clients to Us
A collision with a large truck can change your life in the near and far-distant future. Our law firm fights hard to recover damages for the victims of truck accidents and their families. Clients we represented in the past say the following:
- Jim Streb: “My family and friends…were headed to Columbus for my son’s football game when we got rear-ended by a commercial truck…Jedidiah was able to handle our claim and totally put our family at ease…I would highly recommend Bressman Law.”
- Roseann Moore: “Mr. David Bressman is a very thorough attorney. He will fight for you and is not afraid to take your case to trial. He is truly there for you and wants to help you get what you deserve. He is Awesome!!! I would highly recommend him.”
Our previous clients and their families can attest to our client-focused legal team. Read more about our commitment to outstanding client service by browsing our client testimonials page.
Our Truck Accident Attorneys Serving Hilliard Can Get to Work for You for No Upfront Fees
We don’t want to add to the financial challenges you face at this time. We will get to work for you based on contingency, which means that:
- You owe us nothing up front to get started.
- You don’t have to worry about any hourly rates or retainers.
- We take a percentage from your potential compensation.
Bressman Law Understands Truck Accident Cases in Central Ohio
As Hilliard residents know, traffic on I-270 and around the Columbus area can lead to serious accidents. We have seen the devastation caused by major semi accidents in Central Ohio, and we will use our understanding of these kinds of cases to seek the best possible results.
In one truck accident case, we secured a $450,000 settlement for a victim with multiple injuries that required surgery. We are ready to get to work for you.
Click to contact our Hilliard Personal Injury Lawyers today
Who Is Responsible for Paying My Bills After a Truck Accident in Hilliard?
While every driver on the road has a certain responsibility to uphold traffic laws and drive safely, state and federal laws hold professional semi-truck drivers to an even higher standard. Like any other car accident, when drivers break these rules and cause a crash, they are responsible for any injuries they cause.
In the event of a truck accident, however, there is also another party involved: the trucker’s employer. Known as “vicarious liability,” the law states that an employer is responsible for anything its employees do while completing their job duties. When the employee is a trucker, this includes causing a car accident. This means the trucking company is also liable in most Ohio truck accident cases.
Rarely, a truck accident occurs because of an issue with the truck and not because the truck driver acted negligently. However, the trucking company is often still liable in these cases because skipped maintenance or failed inspections led to the problem. In other cases, though, another party might be liable.
This may include:
- Truck manufacturers
- Parts manufacturers
- Tire manufacturers
- Companies hired for repairs or maintenance
Truck accident cases are rarely simple. We can evaluate your case and help you understand the role the driver, trucking company, and third parties played in causing your accident. We will identify all parties who played a role in your crash and hold each of them responsible by filing an insurance claim and collecting compensation to cover your damages.
How Does the Truck Accident Claims Process Work in Central Ohio?
We can settle most Ohio truck accident cases by filing a claim with the trucking company’s insurer. This process can take several months of intense, tireless work. We collect all available evidence supporting your claim and interview all available witnesses. We may also consult other resources, including accident reconstruction experts and other truck accident experts.
Using all the information we uncover, we take on the insurance company. They usually attempt to offer an initial settlement amount that comes nowhere close to covering your accident-related losses. We will demand a higher payout, negotiating a larger settlement that covers your current bills, future care needs, and pain and suffering damages.
If the insurer refuses to offer a fair settlement, we can pursue a civil suit. This lawsuit asks a judge and jury to decide how much you receive. Often, though, the trucking company will offer a larger payout before we go to court. It is usually cheaper to simply pay you than to cover the cost of a lawsuit.
Why Are Truck Accident Claims More Complex Than Other Crashes?
Because you are taking on a trucking company instead of an individual, truck accident claims are more difficult to handle than a regular car accident case. Trucking companies and their insurers often have entire teams of corporate lawyers, which you likely do not want to face on your own. In addition, there is another factor that makes these claims more difficult to navigate and win.
In a normal car accident, the evidence is there for all to see. You can request the police report, talk to witnesses, and take pictures of the scene. In a truck accident, however, there is much more evidence available—but most of it is in possession of the trucking company.
This includes key evidence such as:
- The driver’s logs
- Truck maintenance logs
- Data from the truck’s computer
- Post-accident drug and alcohol test results
- Other information about the driver or truck
- The truck itself
To gain access to this important evidence, we need to notify the trucking company of our intent to file a claim and ask it to collect and protect these items. We do this by sending a spoliation letter. It is often one of the first actions we take after agreeing to take on an Ohio truck accident case, and it is certainly one of the most important.
By protecting this evidence, we have a much better chance of proving negligence and liability—and collecting the full amount of compensation due to you.
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The Truck Accident Team Serving Hilliard at Bressman Law Can Help
At Bressman Law, our accident lawyers understand how difficult it can be to get the money you need and deserve after a Central Ohio truck accident. Our consultations are always free.
If you were injured in a truck accident in or around Hilliard, call us today for your free case review.
Call or text (614) 538-1116 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
