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Injured In A Truck Accident: 3 Facts You Should Know About Contacting An Attorney

by Kristin Hawkins

Being injured in an accident with a commercial truck can have a devastating effect on many aspects of your life. Not only will you need to deal with the physical injuries that you sustained, but you may also find yourself dealing with a loss of income, property damage, and mental anguish as a result of this accident. If the accident that led to these damages was the result of negligence on the part of the other driver, you have the right to collect compensation for all of this trauma. Contacting a truck accident attorney in your area can help to ensure you are able to collect this compensation. However, before you reach out to an attorney, there are a few facts that you should know. 

#1: Your Time Is Limited

The law limits the amount of time that the other driver can be held legally liable for causing your injuries. This statute of limitations is put in place to prevent individuals from coming back years later looking for compensation in regards to a past accident. In order to ensure that any time limits associated with your claim are not allowed to lapse, it is always best to contact a truck accident attorney to review your claim as soon as possible after the date of your accident.

#2: Commercial Drivers Are Held To Different Legal Standard

The law holds commercial drivers to a different standard than other drivers on the road. For instance, while the average person has no legal limit placed on how many hours they can drive in a single day, the law does dictate how many hours a truck driver can spend behind the wheel in a 24-hour period. These laws are designed to ensure that drivers of large commercial vehicles are operating these potentially deadly pieces of equipment in the safest manner possible. Thanks to their expertise in the field, a truck accident attorney will be able to determine if the other driver in your case failed to meet the legal standard when operating a commercial vehicle. 

#3: A Consultation Is Typically Free 

If you have been putting off contacting a truck accident attorney because you are worried about your ability to pay for these legal services, you should know that most injury attorneys will offer an initial consultation at no charge. If after reviewing the facts in your case the attorney determines that you have an actionable claim for damages, they will typically offer to represent you on a contingency basis. What this means is that you do not pay anything for their services unless they are able to collect a settlement on your behalf. 

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