Did you know that those small squat concrete trucks can weigh far more than a semi-truck? It’s no wonder that when these vehicles get into a crash, it’s the smaller vehicle that takes most of the damage. It’s possible you’ve suffered severe injuries, or even lost a loved one, in a wreck if you’re reading this.
Morelli Law has experience in these kinds of cases. Our Edwardsville truck accident lawyers are not afraid to take your case all the way to court to get you justice and compensation. You may be owed far more than you think, and you should get every penny if a concrete truck driver harms you in a crash.
How Will a Lawyer Help Me?
As an injured person, you may have a right to claim compensation from an insurer or to take someone to court in a lawsuit. Our concrete truck accident lawyers in Edwardsville are your guides to help you through this process and ensure you get the most compensation you can.
In fact, most of the work is done by your lawyer. Lawyers remove the burden of pursuing compensation from victims. You’d probably prefer to put your attention on your recovery and your family, not on fighting insurance companies. Hiring a lawyer helps you do that.
Morelli Law will work behind the scenes to handle tasks like:
- Investigating the crash to gather all the evidence in your case.
- Constructing a story from the facts that explains why you’re owed compensation.
- Adding up all the damages you’re owed, including many you may not know you could claim.
- Negotiating with the insurance companies to get you a fair settlement amount.
- Guiding you on what to do after your crash to maximize your chances of success.
- Suing the insurer and going to court on your behalf, if necessary, to get you justice.
Could I Sue the Driver’s Employer?
An ancient maxim of Western law is that employers are responsible for the actions of their employees when the employees are working for them. So if the concrete truck driver that hit you was on the clock at the time, their employer could become part of your lawsuit. This maxim is called respondeat superior in Latin.
There can be legal complications that could prevent it, but the odds are in your favor and our lawyers can confirm whether the driver’s employer shares liability for your crash. It’s favorable for you if they are because it creates more opportunities for compensation.
While it may take time for multiple insurers to decide who pays what in your case, more policies mean more potential money. Our lawyers will take time to investigate all potential parties that could hold liability, like who loaded the truck, who last serviced it, and others that may share fault.
Edwardsville Concrete Truck Accident Lawyer Near Me 877-751-9800
How Much Could I Get From My Claim?
You’re only entitled to get what the evidence permits in your claim. Since every case has unique evidence, your case value is also unique. To calculate your case value, we must investigate. Your Edwardsville concrete truck accident lawyer will gather evidence like:
- The crash report
- Pay stubs
- All bills related to the accident
- Medical records
- Testimony from witnesses
- Testimony from you about how your injuries changed your life
There are usually two parts to compensation packages. Economic damages are all the financial costs you’ve suffered because of the accident. These can be backed up by evidence, though some could be projected costs into the future for things like long-term medical care.
There are also non-economic damages like pain and suffering you could receive. These don’t have a dollar amount. You need a lawyer to convince the insurers to pay a reasonable amount for these, or to persuade a jury to award them.
There are also situations where you could get awarded punitive damages. These are a punishment against the defendant for acting in an especially poor manner. An example would be driving drunk on the clock and causing a wrong-way accident in a concrete truck.
FMCSA and Concrete Truck Accidents
Commercial drivers have another set of federal regulations they have to follow along with additional state regulations. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) sets rules about driving concrete trucks and other large vehicles.
When our lawyers investigate your case, we will search for ways that the driver or their employer violated FMCSA regulations. For example, they may not have followed rules on how much they can drive or about maintaining their vehicle.
One way we can prove negligence happened is by finding an FMCSA violation. We have the knowledge of federal and state trucking violations, and we know how to find evidence that the trucking company may try to hide that proves a violation.
When Should I Start Working with a Lawyer?
After any accident, your first priority is to seek medical attention. The second is to notify the authorities of the accident. After that, you should speak with a lawyer as soon as possible about what happened to you.
When you start working with an Edwardsville concrete truck accident lawyer early, it gives you the best chances of success for your truck accident settlement. It lets your lawyer:
- Preserve evidence before it disappears
- Negotiate with insurers before the statute of limitations runs out
- Prepare your case for trial in case negotiations fail
- Win compensation for you faster than if you waited longer
Illinois allows victims of personal injury two years to start a lawsuit before limiting their right to sue. Once the deadline is passed it will be nearly impossible to get compensation for your case, so we encourage you to speak to a lawyer as soon as possible about your accident.
Contact Morelli Law
If you live in Edwardsville and you’ve been hit by a concrete truck or any other vehicle, our experienced accident team is ready to help you. Learn your legal options after an accident by calling Morelli Law for a free consultation.
All of our services are free unless you win compensation for your case with our help. There is no financial risk involved nor any obligation to use our services. Make your claim for compensation before it’s too late. Contact our offices now to schedule your appointment.