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Why You Should Hire a Truck Accident Lawyer
Contacting a Missouri truck accident lawyer is essential if you have been injured in a commercial truck accident. Your time is limited by a statute of limitations that applies to personal injury lawsuits and wrongful death claims. Delay in filing your claim may limit your ability to get compensation from the at-fault party. Instead of waiting a year or more, you should contact a Missouri truck accident attorney as soon as possible.
Duty of care for commercial truck drivers
While all drivers have a duty of care to others, truck drivers have an even higher standard of care. Federal law mandates a higher standard of care for commercial truck drivers, as their size and weight impose an even higher risk. Listed below are some reasons that truckers should exercise even greater care. But what are some other factors that should be considered when hiring truck drivers? Read on to find out. Weighing both the importance and danger of hiring a truck driver and the potential liability of this relationship.
First, the driver must know how and where to stop and park his vehicle. The driver must obey all traffic laws, including yielding to smaller vehicles. He or she must know how to properly distribute cargo inside and outside of his vehicle. Moreover, truck drivers must know how to secure the cargo, and must observe all the necessary equipment and security measures. The duty of care for commercial truck drivers requires them to stop when they see any signs of open fire or other danger.
Poor roads and work zones
While trucks pose a major danger when driving on the open road, they are particularly dangerous when they encounter construction zones. While work zones are necessary for road maintenance, they can also be dangerous because of the change in traffic patterns they cause on a daily basis. Construction vehicles are sometimes involved in accidents, either while entering or exiting the work zone or when they hit parked cars on the side of the road.
In Missouri, for example, truck accidents often result from poor roads and work zones. One out of every five highways is in poor condition and over 45,000 bridges are not properly maintained. Thankfully, there is legislation in the works to fix these problems. However, despite this, trucks still cause accidents on our roadways every day. In some cases, trucks hit pedestrians or bicyclists in such dangerous circumstances.
Insurance resources available to compensate you after a truck accident
You can receive compensation from a variety of insurance resources after a truck accident, depending on the extent of your injuries. For example, your health insurance company may seek reimbursement for accident-related expenses. This reimbursement may reduce the total amount of compensation you are entitled to receive after an accident. In addition, nearly every medical insurance policy states that it has the right to collect reimbursement from the liability insurance of the at-fault party. State and federal programs such as Medicare and Medicaid also seek reimbursement.
While simple rear-end accidents may not require you to contact your insurance company, more complex accidents should be reported to your insurance provider. In these cases, you can seek compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, physical pain, and other losses to your quality of life. Whether you can get a claim from your insurance company depends on a number of factors, including how much liability coverage your insurance policy covers, which may include fault or liability, and the type of coverage you have.
Ways to contact a truck accident lawyer
If you have been involved in a Missouri trucking accident, you probably have a lot of questions. Truck accident cases can be complex puzzles. The fault for the wreck could lie with many parties, including the driver of the commercial truck, the shipper, the manufacturer, distributor, and the other motorists on the road. To make the most of your claim, you’ll need a skilled truck accident lawyer on your side.
The amount of the settlement depends on several factors, including the kind of truck involved, the severity of the injuries, and the lawyer’s ability to identify the responsible parties. Although there is no set legal formula for pain and suffering, you can expect to receive anywhere from $15,000 to millions of dollars, depending on the circumstances. It’s important to note that some types of accidents may be more severe than others, but it’s still worth contacting a Missouri truck accident attorney to find out what you can expect.
