4 Tips for a Successful Baton Rouge Truck Accident Lawsuit

Semi-trucks, 18-wheelers, and tractor-trailers are used throughout the United States to deliver food, gas, medical supplies, and other much needed goods. Most truck drivers do their job very well and provide a valuable service. But some truck drivers fail to follow the rules of the road, and the results are often catastrophic. 

Due to their large size, these commercial trucks pose significant dangers to other drivers on the roads. When truck accidents happen, they often result in devastating injuries, such as spinal cord damage, fractured vertebrae, paraplegia, quadriplegia, and wrongful death.

If you or someone you care about has been injured in a truck accident in Baton Rouge, a truck accident lawyer in Baton Rouge can help you file a lawsuit against the negligent truck driver or trucking company to recover compensation for your injuries and damages. However, pursuing a truck accident lawsuit isn’t as easy as it sounds, so here are four tips that can help you succeed:

• Get Checked Out by a Qualified Doctor

The first thing a victim needs to do after being involved in an accident with a large truck is get checked out by a qualified doctor who can identify their injuries and treat them. Unfortunately, people who have been involved in truck accidents and other auto accidents don’t always get their injuries properly diagnosed and treated.

It is important that victims be thoroughly evaluated by a qualified doctor as soon as possible after their truck accident. Any delays in seeking proper medical treatment can jeopardize the victim’s ability to recover damages later.

• Hire an Experienced Baton Rouge Truck Accident Lawyer

After they have been checked out by a qualified doctor, a truck accident victim should hire an attorney who has experience handling truck accident cases. This is very important because truck crashes can’t be handled like any other crash. There are federal regulations governing aspects of the trucking industry including maintenance requirements, how many consecutive hours a truck driver can be behind the wheel, what records that truck drivers and trucking companies must keep, and more.

The attorney must understand these federal regulations as well as common customs and practices in the trucking industry. For example, suppose a client was involved in a hit-and-run accident with a truck. In that case, the attorney should know that they can locate the truck simply by accessing the truck’s onboard computer, which is linked by satellite to the central office of the trucking company. From there, the lawyer could also find out other important information about the truck, such as:

• Where the truck had been
• How long the truck had been on the road
• How fast the truck was travelingHow long the truck took to get to its destination
• If the truck driver had taken the rest breaks, they are required to take under federal regulations

Only an attorney who has actual experience handling truck accident cases will know how to access this information and use it to build a strong truck accident case for their client. 

• Choose a Truck Accident Lawyer with Trial Experience

Along with seeking out an experienced truck accident lawyer, Baton Rouge truck accident victims should also look for an attorney with a decent amount of actual trial experience. When a truck accident victim is represented by an experienced trial attorney, the insurance company knows that they are dealing with an accident victim who is serious about their claim. They also know they are facing a lawyer who is willing and able to take the case to trial and do a good job of trying the case if it gets to that point.

An experienced Baton Rouge truck accident lawyer who has proven experience going head-to-head with large insurance companies will increase the chances that the lawsuit will be settled out of court for a fair amount, saving victims time and money.

• Get a Qualified Lawyer Involved Right Away

A truck accident victim has the burden of proving that the defendant driver or trucking company was negligent and/or caused the accident. To prove negligence, it is important to hire a qualified personal injury lawyer to investigate the accident immediately and obtain and preserve any evidence as soon as possible. 

Our Baton Rouge truck accident lawyers often get to the accident scene right away when called, and we regularly retain experts in accident reconstruction to recreate the accident scene to help prove our clients’ claims. In addition, we often send a spoliation letter to the trucking company requesting that they preserve evidence, such as the truck’s black box and driver’s logbooks. We also attempt to identify and interview any eyewitnesses before they disappear or their memories fade.

Call the Baton Rouge Truck Accident Lawyers at Dudley DeBosier

At Dudley DeBosier, we have dedicated our careers to helping accident victims recover fair compensation for their injuries. We employ skilled attorneys who have experience in litigating complex truck accident cases. We attempt to obtain fair compensation through settlement, but if a settlement offer is not fair, we will discuss having the case tried before a judge or jury.

Remember, truck accident cases must be handled differently than regular auto accident cases. Therefore, if you or a loved one was injured in a truck accident in Baton Rouge, please do not hesitate to contact us for a free consultation with one of our experienced Baton Rouge truck accident lawyers. 

At Dudley DeBosier, we love to help people protect their future and get what they deserve. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation.

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