Semi-trucks drive through Clifton constantly delivering goods to businesses, or just passing through on their way to their next destination. Most truckers are professionals who take great care to avoid accidents, but it only takes one negligent trucker to cause a devastating accident.
If a trucker has slammed their semi-truck into your vehicle, you may not know where to turn. Turn to Morelli Law and our team of Clifton truck accident lawyers. Our attorneys can explain your legal options and support you in your quest for justice after a truck accident.
New Jersey’s PIP Insurance and Truck Accidents
New Jersey auto insurance uses a no-fault system, but it has more flexibility than other no-fault states. Drivers can opt to pay more to retain the right to sue. If your policy allows it, our Clifton semi-truck accident attorneys can help you get your claim started against the driver immediately.
If you do not have the unlimited right to sue on your policy, you still have a limited right to do so if your injuries meet a certain standard. If an injury is permanent or will last months, chances are it will meet this standard and you can sue.
In either case, you can still make a claim on your PIP insurance to get an early payment for your damages. It may not be enough to cover all of your costs though, and it won’t cover your pain and suffering. For that, you need the help of a lawyer.
Damages in Semi-Truck Accident Cases
Damages are the consequences after an accident that you can get compensation for through a lawsuit or insurance claim. Calculating up the amount of your damages is an important task of your lawyer. You can get compensatory damages and sometimes punitive damages after a truck accident.
Compensatory damages cover both the financial costs of your case and the non-financial ones. Financial costs include your medical bills, lost wages, and property damage. Non-economic costs include your pain and suffering, mental anguish, disfigurement, and other intangible consequences of your crash.
If the trucker was grossly negligent, you may also qualify for punitive damages. A court awards these to you as a punishment against the defendant for their conduct. Gross negligence may include things like driving a truck while intoxicated or a trucker deliberately crashing into you.
Clifton Semi-Truck Accident Lawyer Near Me 877-751-9800
Who Gets Sued in Semi-Truck Accidents?
In most auto accidents, the only party to make a claim against is the other drivers involved. In semi-truck accidents, there may be more parties. Employers share a responsibility for the conduct of their employees. Therefore, you may be able to sue the trucking company along with the trucker.
Semi-trucks carry heavy loads that can spill or shift to cause an accident. If we can determine that caused the crash, then the company that loaded the truck may be liable. In rare cases, the truck’s mechanic, a truck manufacturer, or even a governmental agency could share liability.
Having multiple parties to sue is a good thing for you because it means there are more routes to compensation and more insurance policies to use. This is one reason semi-truck accident claims can pay more to victims than auto insurance claims.
How Will You Win My Case?
No lawyer can guarantee a win, but we can tell you what we must do to win. Your semi-truck accident lawyer in Clifton must show four things to the insurer or the court to prove that the defendant owes you compensation.
- Was the defendant involved in the accident and owed you a legal duty of care?
- Did the defendant break that duty of care and create a dangerous situation?
- Did that breach cause an accident with you?
- Did the accident cause you damages?
In the early stages of our work, your semi-truck accident attorney in Clifton will gather evidence about what happened to you to prove these four things. If you took any photos or video of the accident or your injuries, bring them with you to the consultation. That will help us evaluate how strong your case is.
Also, before speaking with a lawyer, it’s best to see a doctor to get a checkup if you haven’t yet. Tell them you were in a truck accident. You should do this even if you feel fine after the accident because you may have hidden injuries. Delaying medical treatment or ignoring your doctor’s advice can affect your chances of success.
Are Your Services Expensive?
Since anyone could get into a semi-truck accident, we believe it’s unfair to charge a per-hour rate or to charge an upfront retainer for our services. That’s why we use a contingency fee system at Morelli Law for semi-truck accident representation. What does this mean?
First, it means that we only get paid if and when you get compensation with our help. If you lose your case and get nothing, you will owe us nothing for our services. If you win, we also only get paid through your compensation, and not through your personal assets.
How much do we win? We win a percentage of whatever you get, which may vary depending on the complexity of your case. When you come to us for a consultation, we will discuss our contingency percentage with you. We’ll also explain how our services will net you more money that you’d get on your own even after our fee is taken out.
Hire Our Clifton Semi-Truck Accident Lawyers Now
If a trucker crashed into you while you were driving in Clifton, don’t settle for just what your PIP insurance pays you. You could be owed much more. Find out how much more and how we can help you by calling Morelli Law to schedule a free case consultation.
Our attorneys have helped our clients secure over a billion dollars in compensation over our years of service, and we’ve secured multi-million dollar awards for individual clients. Don’t settle your case for less than you’re owed. Call today.