Truck accidents often leave victims with physical, emotional, and financial damages. While your attorney may not be able to do too much about the first two, they can certainly help protect you against the third. Your attorney will hopefully even be able to help secure enough compensation that you can use some of the money to address your physical and emotional trauma as well.
An experienced truck accident lawyer in James Island knows about the struggles that victims face after a collision. They will be able to properly assess the damages you are dealing with and can help you recover the compensation you need to get your life back to normal after an accident.
Is a Truck Accident Lawyer in James Island Affordable?
Truck accident law falls under the broader scope of personal injury law. Personal injury lawyers typically operate differently from most other attorneys. Everyone can afford to hire a personal injury lawyer because these lawyers all generally work on a contingency fee basis.
That means that unlike other lawyers who will likely charge you for every moment they spend speaking with you or working on your case, a truck accident lawyer will only collect a single fee once your case is complete, and they will only get that money if they are able to secure compensation for you.
The money that your attorney will receive will be in the form of a pre-arranged percentage of your compensation package. That means that unlike with other lawyers, where the more work they do, the more it costs you, with personal injury lawyers, the more work they put in, the more money you are likely to receive.
What Does a James Island Truck Accident Lawyer Do?
In the simplest terms, a truck accident lawyer fights to recover compensation for their client to pay for the damages they have suffered as a result of their accident. The details of how your lawyer will go about securing this compensation may vary, but they generally follow a basic outline.
Investigating Your Accident
The first action your lawyer will likely take is to begin an investigation into your accident. Your attorney will review the accident report filed by the police as well as discuss what happened with you to get a general overview of the sequence of events. They will also visit the scene of the crash, speak with s and witnesses to the incident, and review your medical files.
The purpose of this inquiry will be to establish who is liable and assess the full array of damages you have experienced.
Filing an Insurance Claim or a Lawsuit
Once your attorney has determined fault in your accident and calculated the full value of your damages, they will either file a claim with the at-fault party’s insurance company or file a lawsuit with the court.
The path you take will depend upon the insurance coverage of the at-fault party and the extent of your damages.
Preparing for Court
If you are filing a lawsuit, your attorney will then begin the pre-trial process. They will go through all of the steps of preparing for court, and if a settlement agreement has not been reached by your court date, they will represent you at trial.
Negotiating
In parallel with completing all of the steps listed above, your attorney will also be negotiating with the opposition to try and reach a settlement agreement. The majority of truck accident cases never reach the courtroom. That is because both sides are typically better off if a fair settlement can be negotiated.
While a settlement agreement may be ideal, you should always still be ready and prepared for court. It will put your attorney in a much stronger bargaining position. If the other side knows that you are not willing to fight it out in court, they have bargaining power and are unlikely to rise above a lowball offer.
How Long Do You Have to File a Truck Accident Lawsuit in South Carolina?
The statute of limitations varies from state to state. If you were injured in a James Island truck accident, South Carolina allows victims to file lawsuits up to three years after the date of their injury.
However, for a variety of reasons, it is best to get started as soon as possible. There may be special circumstances that apply to your accident, which limit the amount of time you have to file a claim. Additionally, your case is likely to be strongest if you are able to gather evidence as soon as possible and record witness testimony while their memories are still fresh.
Our James Island Truck Accident Lawyers Work for You
It is vital that you find the right lawyer for your case. Some of the most important things to consider when hiring a truck accident lawyer in James Island are:
- Their level of experience in truck accident cases
- Their history of recovering compensation for their clients
- Whether or not you are on the same page about how to proceed with your case
Contact Miller, Dawson, Sigal & Ward Injury Attorneys to schedule a free case evaluation with a member of our team. We will review your case and advise you of your options. We are happy to answer any questions you may have and give you the chance to see if we are a good fit, with no obligation to retain our services.
Contact Our Truck Accident Attorneys in James Island for Help Today
Give us a call or fill out our contact form to get started today. The sooner you begin, the sooner you can get your life back to normal.