Truck accident cases in Vancouver, Washington, can be quite complex depending on the details of how the accident occurred and who has liability. That is why there are certain steps you will need to take when pursuing a truck accident settlement to cover things like property damage and physical injuries.
If you are the victim of a truck accident in Vancouver, Washington, you need to take the step of hiring a truck accident attorney to represent your case. At Henderson Taylor Law Firm, our team of truck accident lawyers has handled hundreds of truck accident case cases in Washington and can help you get a fair truck accident settlement amount.
Keep reading to find out how the truck accident settlement process works and the different factors that can influence the outcome.
Truck Accident Settlements: How Do They Work?
After you have been involved in a truck accident in Vancouver, you need to act quickly to get your truck accident settlement started. You have a certain amount of time to file a claim, and the sooner you do this, the better, as your evidence will be easier to gather.
The first thing you need to do is hire a truck accident attorney to represent you and help you gather critical pieces of evidence for your claim. An attorney will also help handle negotiation on your behalf so that you are not pressured into accepting an unfair settlement offer.
Here are the steps you need to take when you pursue a commercial truck accident settlement:
- Report to the insurance company: Not only are you legally responsible for reporting any auto accidents to your insurance provider, but you also need to report the accident to the at-fault driver’s insurance company. One of the benefits of hiring an attorney is that they can help you do this, ensuring you do not provide unnecessary information or say anything that is incriminating.
- Gather evidence: Before you file your claim, you need to gather evidence to support your stance that you are the victim of the truck accident. Your attorney can help you to do this by getting witness testimonies, expert testimonies, photographs, and footage. If you are having trouble locating evidence for your claim, you can get access to the police report, which should include much of what you need.
- File your claim: The next step you need to take is to file your truck accident claim with all of the details of the accident and the evidence you have gathered. The insurance company will examine your claim and can either deny or accept it or even make you a counteroffer.
- Negotiations: It is not uncommon for the at-fault driver’s insurance company to either deny your claim or rebuttal it with a settlement offer of their own. If that is the case, your attorney can handle negotiation with the insurance company to try to come to an agreement. If the insurance company denies your claim outright or will not offer a fair settlement, you can proceed with filing a lawsuit and taking your case to trial.
How Long Does a Truck Accident Settlement Take?
If you are ready to pursue a truck accident settlement, you need to have a realistic idea of how long this entire process could take. The unfortunate reality is that any type of truck accident claim or lawsuit often comes with a lengthy process, especially if the insurance company is fighting you.
Here is a breakdown of how the settlement timeline looks when broken down into steps:
- Gathering and filing paperwork and evidence.
- Filing a truck accident claim.
- Waiting for a settlement offer.
- Negotiating on a settlement.
- Filing a lawsuit.
- Attend the truck accident trial.
Keep in mind that not every truck accident case is going to look exactly like this as it is dependent on how your claim proceeds. For instance, the insurance company may accept the details of your truck accident claim, which would result in a much quicker process since there wouldn’t be the need for negotiations or filing a lawsuit.
Another thing to keep in mind is that you may not actually have to go to trial even if you file a lawsuit. In some instances, negotiation can still go on behind the scenes up until the trial date and an agreement may eventually be settled on without having to attend court.
Average Semi-Truck Accident Settlement Amount
There is no realistic way to give an average semi-truck accident settlement amount, as every claim is so unique. If you file an 18-wheeler accident lawsuit, the settlement you could receive will often be dependent on your damages and the extent of liability on the truck driver or trucking company.
Here are some examples of how damages will be calculated to determine a settlement amount:
- The extent of your injuries
- How much time you will miss from work
- Whether you are disabled
- Pain and suffering
- Current and future medical expenses
Another factor that will have a significant impact on your settlement amount is your evidence. You need to gather extensive evidence and get an expert to testify to strengthen your claim and prove that you were not liable for the accident.
Some examples of evidence you should try to locate and include with your claim include photos of damages, medical bills, doctor’s notes, dash cam footage, surveillance footage, and witness testimonies. The more evidence you can provide, the better, as this will create a strong foundation and will reduce the risk of having your claim denied by the insurance company.
Hire an Experienced Truck Accident Attorney at Henderson Taylor Law Firm
If you are the victim of a truck accident in Washington, you most likely have extensive property damage as well as medical bills you need covered. As complicated as truck accident claims can be, you have every right to pursue compensation if you were not the one at fault.
At Henderson Taylor Law Firm, our truck accident lawyers in Washington are committed to defending the downtrodden and helping victims of truck accidents get the settlement they deserve. For expert legal representation from one of our attorneys, contact us today at 360-737-1478 or fill out our online form.
