In 2021, 117,300 large trucks were involved in crashes that resulted in an injury. This was an increase of 12% from 2020.
With so many large trucks on the road, it’s common for there to be accidents and injuries. If you’ve been in an accident involving a large truck, it’s important that you get the compensation you need to cover medical expenses and emotional trauma that has resulted from it.
Before hiring a truck accident lawyer, however, be sure to ask them the 5 questions below.
1. What Is Your Experience With Truck Accident Cases?
One of the essential questions to ask a truck accident attorney is how long they’ve been focusing on truck accident cases.
Truck accident cases are unique and many times they involve more than one party. There’s also a lot of specific types of evidence that will play a part in truck driving accidents such as compliance issues, vehicle maintenance reports, and more.
You need to be sure that the lawyer you hire has experience in handling truck accident cases.
2. How Many Cases Go to Trial?
You should also ask a truck accident attorney how often they end up going to trial as opposed to settling a case.
While the majority of truck driving cases will settle out of court, it’s important to have a lawyer who is willing to go to trial if necessary. Sometimes insurance companies are difficult to deal with and the party that is at fault doesn’t want to settle.
Finding out whether an attorney has a record of actually going to trial when necessary will be helpful in these situations.
3. What Is Your Communication Style?
Another thing that you should ask when you hire a lawyer is how they’ll communicate with you.
You need to be sure that they’ll be transparent and will offer a level of communication that you’re comfortable with. Some lawyers will communicate with you often while others won’t communicate with you very frequently.
Additionally, you should also find out how much you’ll be involved in the decision-making process as this can vary between lawyers as well.
4. Who Will Handle My Case?
In some instances, the person you meet with for a consultation won’t handle the case. It could even be handled primarily by support staff.
You should find out what to expect and ensure that your case will get the level of attention it needs. Finding out which lawyer in the law firm will be handling your case can help you decide whether they’re the right choice or not.
5. What Are the Costs?
In most instances, a truck accident lawyer or personal injury lawyer will provide services on a contingency fee basis. This means that you won’t have to pay the lawyer unless they win the case for you.
It’s important to understand exactly how much the truck accident lawyer will charge you and understand all of the fees that will be involved as well. This will help you stay within your budget and ensure that you don’t end up paying more than you expected.
Asking a Truck Accident Lawyer the Right Questions
If you need to hire a truck accident lawyer in Birmingham, be sure that you make a good decision. Ensure that you’ve verified the experience of the attorney and that you fully understand the costs of working with the law firm you hire.
Need help with a truck accident case in Birmingham, AL? Contact us today to learn more about the legal help we can provide.