How To Negotiate Your Truck Accident Lawsuit Settlement

A Guide to Your Truck Accident Settlement Offer & How a Truck Accident Attorney Can Help

Victims who file truck accident lawsuits may receive settlement offers from the opposing side.

While it seems sensible to accept a truck accident settlement offer before filing a truck accident claim, be careful.

Insurance companies involved in the accident will offer truck accident settlements that may be less than what you deserve.

After all, an insurance company has one job — to indemnify its policyholders (the at-fault drivers and trucking companies) and save money.

You need a second set of eyes to ensure that you receive a fair settlement.

This is where a truck accident lawyer comes in.

Listed below are some of the ways your truck accident attorney can help you get the compensation you deserve.

Ensuring a Fair Settlement From the Opposing Side’s Insurance Company

Granted, not every insurance company will want to offer a lowball settlement.

Nevertheless, having an attorney by your side will help ensure that the settlement offer is fair and adequately compensates you.

With an attorney evaluating an offer’s viability, you’ll stand a much better chance at winning a settlement that compensates you for the extent of your personal injury or property damage.

Negotiating on Your Behalf

A personal injury lawyer who handles truck accident cases will negotiate with the truck driver, truck manufacturer, and insurance providers.

With your truck accident lawyer representing you, you can focus more on recovering and leave the negotiations to your lawyer.

For representation in your truck accident case, choose a firm with a proven track record in truck accidents and personal injury cases.

Contact TorHoerman Law and get a free case evaluation.

Representing You in Court

Not all trucking accident cases escalate to a trial.

Nonetheless, you’ll want to be prepared for the possibility.

With a truck accident lawyer, you’ll benefit from expert representation and guidance in and out of the courtroom.

An experienced attorney knows the justice system well enough to navigate it skillfully.

With your personal injury lawyer representing you, you’ll have an advocate who can maximize your chances of success in court.

How Hiring a Lawyer Can Help Maximize Your Truck Accident Settlement

An experienced lawyer who handles truck accident lawsuits and other personal injury claims can maximize your settlement in several ways.

Using various legal strategies, your lawyer will work hard to ensure that your truck accident settlements adequately compensate you for what you’ve experienced.

Here are some of the ways our personal injury and trucking accident lawyers can help you get a fair settlement.

Assessing Your Damages Thoroughly

The settlement you receive will depend on your damages.

After a truck crash, it’s easy to assume that the only damages you can recover are for severe injuries, medical expenses and vehicle repair costs.

This is incorrect.

Truck accident lawyers are familiar with different types of damages.

Using their expertise in personal injury claims, your attorney can look at your case and determine what other damages you can claim.

Examples of different truck accident damages include the following:

• Medical bills
• Future medical expenses and therapy costs
• Lost wages and lost earning capability
• Lost quality of life
• Permanent disability
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional damages
• Other compensatory and punitive damages

Place as Much Liability on Truck Drivers, Trucking Companies, and Other At-Fault Parties

Some states may award truck accident victims settlements based on the modified comparative negligence principle.

Under this principle, the amount you recover depends on the degree of fault you had in your accident.

In Illinois, for example, you forfeit any chance of recovering compensation if you are found to be more than 50% at fault for your accident.

With this in mind, you must prove negligence on the part of the liable party to recover the compensation you deserve.

This is where your lawyer comes in.

Your attorney can build a strong case that proves full negligence on the part of the truck driver and the trucking company the driver works for.

By doing this, your attorney ensures that you recover maximum compensation.

Negotiates With Insurers on Your Behalf

Insurance companies will often try to settle truck accident claims with the goal of avoiding escalation and spending too much.

This often leads to lowball settlement offers given to truck accident victims.

As mentioned earlier, your lawyer will calculate the specific damages related to the accident and demand adequate compensation, likely much higher than insurance companies may offer.

Your attorney can negotiate for a truck accident settlement that you deserve.

How To Deal With Insurance Companies

Your trucking accident and personal injury lawyer will deal with insurance companies on your behalf.

However, this doesn’t mean that the opposing party’s insurance company will be completely out of your hair.

In fact, insurance companies will try to reach you first to bypass your attorney.

When that happens, follow these tips on how to manage the situation.

Inform Your Insurer and File an Insurance Claim After Your Auto Accident

In almost every state, besides New Hampshire and Virginia, you must carry auto insurance.

Auto insurance covers your expenses in the event of car accidents.

To receive coverage, contact your insurance provider and file an insurance claim.

Your coverage will pay for your medical bills and vehicle repairs.

Your insurance provider will be one of the insurance companies you will deal with.

The other will be the other driver’s insurance provider.

Refuse Any Truck Accident Settlements From the Other Side’s Insurance Company

After trucking accidents, insurance providers will attempt to settle most truck accident cases at the least possible cost.

To mitigate a lawsuit and settle a case on behalf of the policyholders (the truck driver and the trucking company), insurance providers may offer you a settlement.

Under no circumstances should you accept the offer.

While it might seem that the offer is generous, it may not be enough to cover your injuries.

To get the compensation you deserve, refuse the offer and let your truck accident attorney deal with the insurance providers.

Challenge the Insurance Adjuster’s “Betterment Argument”

Insurance adjusters representing the other side may approach you and offer to cover your vehicle’s repairs.

However, the adjuster may bring up the concept of “betterment” to reduce the amount they would have to cover.

The adjuster may tell you that the insurance company will pay for newer and “better” parts.

From here, the adjuster will argue that because of the new parts, you will have to cover the rest of the costs.

Don’t believe the adjuster.

The adjuster will give you this argument to cover your property damage for the least possible costs.

Instead, inform your lawyer of your encounter with the adjuster.

Your attorney will deal with the insurance adjuster for you.

How Our Truck Accident Attorneys Deal With Insurance Companies

In any trucking accident or personal injury claim, your attorney should be the one dealing with insurance companies.

Our attorneys can be your advocates before the at-fault party and their insurance providers.

By letting us handle the truck accident settlement negotiations, you can focus on what matters most — recovering from your injuries.

How do we deal with insurers?

Here are some of the legal strategies we use to deal with insurance companies to get you the compensation you deserve.

Assertive Representation Throughout Your Case

We deal directly with the insurance providers on your behalf.

As we represent you, we handle everything from settlement demands to negotiations.

With us representing you, you can rest assured that your rights and interests come first.

Fierce Negotiations To Get You the Compensation You Deserve

As your advocates, we ensure that you get a fair truck accident settlement.

We never settle for less and will fight for your right to fair compensation.

Our truck accident attorneys will conduct a thorough evidence-gathering investigation and build your case while you focus on what’s most important – your recovery.

Establish Liability and Maximize Your Truck Accident Claim

Through our work, we aim to maximize your potential truck accident settlement by proving the liability of at-fault parties.

You deserve justice.

For thorough and supportive representation, contact TorHoerman Law for a free consultation.

TorHoerman Law: Your Truck Accident Law Firm

Our team of experienced truck accident lawyers can help you gather evidence, assess damages, and seek financial compensation for the full scope of your damages and injuries.

Let us put you back behind the wheel in your truck accident claim.

If you or a loved one were injured in a truck accident, you may be eligible to file a claim.

Contact TorHoerman Law for a free consultation.

You can also use the chatbot on this page to find out if you qualify for a truck accident lawsuit instantly.