We all get a little nervous when we drive alongside a huge eighteen-wheeler. These are giant vehicles capable of serious harm in the event of an accident. After being in such an accident, call a lawyer after getting emergency help.
An attorney can help you find evidence to support your case, assess your damages accurately, and prepare the necessary legal paperwork and forms, among other things. Damages in your case might be quite substantial. Considering how severe truck accidents can be, you might have high medical costs, expensive auto repairs, and other losses and painful experiences. We might need to investigate further to determine who should be held responsible. Truckers, their employers, and other drivers in the crash might all be named in your case. It is important to speak to a lawyer soon, as you have only 2 years to submit a claim for damages.
Get in touch with our truck accident lawyers at the Rhatigan Law Offices for a confidential, free case review by calling (312) 578-8502.
What Your Lawyer Can Do to Get Your Cicero, IL Truck Accident Case Into Court
First, our truck accident attorneys can help you investigate your crash for evidence. Some evidence might come from the accident scene. If you took any pictures or recorded videos immediately after the crash, show those recordings to your lawyer. They might contain valuable information we can use to begin building a case. We can also help you talk to witnesses, gather medical records, and determine what other evidence is necessary for your case.
Next, your legal team can assess your damages. Damages are only awarded at the end of a case, but the value of these damages must be determined at the very beginning. We need to figure out what your damages are worth, what compensation you need, and the evidence needed to back up these claims. The types and extent of possible damages are discussed more thoroughly below.
A big part of any civil lawsuit is paperwork. Paperwork might feel tedious, but creating an accurate record of your case is important. Not only must forms and paperwork contain very specific types of information, but they must also follow specific formats set by law and the court. Your attorney can help you make sure all paperwork is filled out correctly and according to the rules.
Damages Available in Cicero, IL Truck Accident Cases
Generally, damages are considered economic or non-economic, and tallying them up can be difficult. Economic damages are based on money. If you spent money as a direct result of the truck accident, we might want to include those expenses in your damages.
Common economic damages include medical expenses and emergency medical care at the accident scene. This tends to be a major component of damages in truck accidents because plaintiffs often have serious injuries. You can also claim the cost of repairing your car or totally replacing it. If you need time away from work for a while to recover, we can help you claim your lost wages.
Non-economic damages are harder to pin down. Rather than being based on money, non-economic damages are based on subjective painful experiences. You might hear the term “pain and suffering” used to describe many non-economic damages. If the truck accident leaves you in serious psychological distress (e.g., PTSD, anxiety, depression), we can help you claim those experiences in your damages.
While economic and non-economic damages are more common in accident cases, your case might also be eligible for punitive damages. These damages are not meant to make up for anything you lost or endured. Instead, punitive damages are meant to punish defendants for extremely shocking or offensive behavior.
According to 735 I.L.C.S. § 5/2-1115.05(b), you might be awarded punitive damages if we can prove that the defendant acted with an evil motive or reckless indifference to a highly unreasonable safety risk with a conscious indifference to others’ safety. Considering the serious risks of a truck accident, you should talk to your attorney about whether the defendant’s actions warrant punitive damages. Remember that punitive damages are rare and tend to be hard to prove.
If you are awarded punitive damages, the court may enforce statutory limits. Punitive damages may be worth no more than 3 times the value of your economic damages.
Who Should Have to Pay for Your Damages After a Truck Collision in Cicero, IL?
Truck crashes are often big events, and many people might be hurt or involved. You can talk to your lawyer about your accident to determine which person or people should be named in your case.
The Trucker
The truck driver is often the main focus of a truck accident case. Negligence from truckers is a serious problem and a common factor in many cases. Perhaps the driver fell asleep at the wheel after driving for hours without breaks or rest. Drivers are required to rest to avoid this exact scenario.
The trucker might instead have committed a very common traffic violation. Speeding, accidentally running a red light, or failing to yield are frequent occurrences on the road. When a trucker commits a traffic violation, the consequences might be far greater than in other situations because they drive a huge, heavy truck.
The Trucker’s Employer
We should also think about suing the company that hired the driver of the truck in your accident. Employers may be held liable for injuries caused by a negligent employee if that employee acted within the ordinary scope of their job functions. A trucking company may be liable even though a representative from the company was not present at the accident.
How Much Time You Have to File Your Truck Accident Claims in Cicero, IL
Be sure to speak to a lawyer about your truck accident quickly. It is normal to take some time to recover and explore your legal options, but you have a limited time to file a lawsuit. According to 735 I.L.C.S. § 5/13-202, the statute of limitations for injury cases is 2 years.
Depending on how long you wait after the accident to get help from an attorney, this might be a very tight deadline.
Speak to Our Cicero, IL Truck Accident Lawyers for Legal Support
Get in touch with our truck accident lawyers by calling the Rhatigan Law Offices at (312) 578-8502 and ask for a confidential, free case review.
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