The Most Important Things to Do After a Joliet, IL Truck Accident
There is no limit to the severity of injuries and emotional trauma that ensues after colliding with a truck. And, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation, these types of serious accidents are all too common.
If you or a loved one suffered injuries in a truck accident, you may be able to pursue financial recovery that covers the cost of your economic and noneconomic losses. When deciding if you want to work with a lawyer, keep in mind that truck accidents sometimes feature more than one liable party, which can complicate proceedings.
While having the option of moving forward with a civil action against multiple parties may open additional avenues of compensation, it can be challenging to do so by yourself. Without an intricate knowledge of Illinois law, you may find yourself adding layer upon layer of frustration and confusion onto an already difficult situation.
The Kryder Law Group, LLC is here to help. Our dedicated team of injury attorneys works on contingency, meaning that there are no fees until the successful conclusion of your case. To learn more about what a Joliet truck accident lawyer can do for you, start your free case review by calling us today.
Services Our Legal Team Provides
Your interests are at the forefront of our minds when we begin examining how we can help you. One of our first steps will involve determining who is responsible for your accident. At the onset of our partnership, we encourage you to speak freely about your collision, as even the smallest detail can be a gamechanger when it comes to fighting for financial recovery.
Questions we may ask include:
At the scene of the accident, was there any debris or external hazards that may have caused your collision?
Did you see the other motorist engaged in distracted driving practices or risky behaviors?
What actions did law enforcement take upon arriving at the scene of the accident?
How has your insurance company handled your case?
Have you been contacted by the negligent party’s representatives? If so, what did they ask?
While some of these inquiries may seem simple, they will allow us to paint a picture of the circumstances that caused your accident and to prove liability. For example, if your accident was caused by poorly paved roads, we may be able to pursue damages from the other driver and the municipality overseeing that roadway.
If the trucker was clearly engaging in negligent driving practices, we can hold them and their employer responsible under respondeat superior. The doctrine of vicarious liability allows us to hold the trucker’s employer accountable for the actions of their workers.
We Can Collect Evidence by Conducting an Investigation
Every detail of your collision will factor into your potential for compensation. To prove that another party is responsible for your semi-truck accident, a Joliet lawyer will need to collect relevant evidence that illustrates negligence, including:
The police report made at the scene
Photographs showcasing your injuries and property damage
Medical documents listing what treatments you needed
Any available traffic surveillance footage
Information from the trucker’s logbook
Expert testimony from a medical professional or accident reconstruction specialist
We may be able to collect other evidence, aside from the items we have listed here. Speaking with an attorney can explain what other documents may prove helpful in asserting your claim.
Financial Recovery May Cover Your Incurred Losses
The compensation that you may recover at the conclusion of your case will likely be different than another claimant in a similar situation. Damages may even vary amongst the occupants in one vehicle at the time of the accident, since they may have suffered different injuries. If you are successful in recovering damages, they will be divided into economic and noneconomic damages.
Economic damages cover losses that have a specific value and can have their worth proven by using receipts, bills, and other records, including:
Medical expenses, including hospital visits and aftercare costs
Lost wages
Diminished earning capacity
Property damage
Noneconomic damages extend to items that do not have a price tag and cannot have value so easily assigned to them. Typically, the compensation you receive for these types of losses directly correlates with the extent of your injuries.
Examples of noneconomic damages include:
Pain and suffering and inconvenience
Loss of consortium
Emotional trauma
Disfigurement
Reduced quality of life
A tractor-trailer accident lawyer in Joliet can explain how much you may be able to collect in compensation, depending on the specifics of your situation and the value of your unique losses.
Measures You Can Take to Promote Success of Your Legal Action
While your legal team diligently works to prove your losses, you may be curious to know what you can do during this time to promote a beneficial resolution to your case.
Consider the following:
Seek Prompt Medical Attention
No matter how minor your injuries may appear, some conditions (such as brain damage or spinal cord injuries) do not manifest right away. Make sure that while speaking with your doctor, you keep all documents relating to your injuries and treatment.
Limit Your Conversations With Insurance Adjusters
Do not share unnecessary information with your insurance company or the other party’s legal team. Even the most harmless comment can be twisted into an admission of fault. Only tell the insurance adjuster the facts and do not engage in small talk.
Take a Social Media Break
Refrain from posting about your accident to social media. Insurance adjusters are known to scroll through the public profiles of claimants, searching for evidence to downplay their injuries. Even if you post a photo from an event that happened a long time ago, it can still complicate legal proceedings.
There is no guarantee that these measures will win your case. However, they can prove to be extremely useful while your lawyer is fighting for your right to compensation.
Call the Kryder Law Group, LLC to Find Out How a Joliet Truck Accident Attorney Can Help
You can start on the road to securing financial recovery with just one phone call. Be aware, however, that 735 ILCS 5/13-202 imposes a statute of limitations of up to two years following a collision. The details of your situation will determine how long you have to move forward. Failing to act within the state’s timeframe may make you ineligible to pursue damages. When you work with us, we are determined to do what we can to promote your case’s success within the appropriate time frame.
To begin your free case review, call the Joliet truck accident lawyers at Kryder Law Group, LLC.
(312) 223-1700