Tractor Trailer Accident Case Settlement: How Long Does it Take?
The timing of a settlement after a truck accident depends on many factors, including how long it takes to recover from your injuries, how much medical treatment you need, how many vehicles were involved in the accident, how many people were injured, and which trucking company was involved. Because tractor trailer accident case settlements, due to investigations and preparation for possible litigation, are often much more complex than auto accident settlements, the timing of a truck accident settlement is hard to predict. However, several factors listed below may either shorten or lengthen the time to settlement.
Mike Ritchie discusses tractor trailer accident settlements in this video:
Truck Accident: Recovering from Serious Injuries
A truck accident may may cause a vast range of injuries, from minor soreness and bruising to more severe injuries including a traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injuries, internal injuries, and broken bones. Some people who have been injured in tractor trailer accidents undergo multiple surgeries and face long periods of recovery and medical treatment.
Obviously, the more serious an injury is after a commercial truck accident, the longer it will take to reach any possible settlement. This is because your personal injury lawyer will want to make sure they understand your complete medical picture before settling your case. The law firm handling your case will want to collect all of your medical bills and have a good idea what your total lost wages will be before making a demand to the liability insurance company to settle your claim.
If you are likely to need more medical treatment, incur more medical bills, and it’s uncertain how much longer you will continue to accumulate more lost wages, your truck accident attorneys should want to wait at least until you approach the end of your medical treatment. Along with giving your truck accident law firm the complete picture about your case, waiting until all treatment is complete and you are back on your feet may also increase the value of any potential settlement.
Truck Driver: Insurance Company Will Want to Protect
After a semi truck accident, you can expect that the insurance company covering the truck driver and trucking company will act very quickly to try to protect themselves. The insurance company is experienced in handling truck accident claims and will work quickly to secure an accident reconstructionist, take photos of the scene, interview witnesses, and get their lawyers on the case. If you don’t have the same team of experts working for you, the insurance company will have an advantage over you.
To make sure you level the playing field in your truck accident claim, it will be important for you to hire an experienced truck accident attorney to make sure the insurance company doesn’t get the upper hand.
If you decide to handle your truck accident case on your own, the trucking company may try to make a quick and low settlement offer to get rid of the case. Beware if this happens to you! Your claim may be worth far more than the trucking company initially offers you. Usually cases involving semi truck accidents take a longer time to settle than the typical motor vehicle accident.
Truck Accident Claim: How Many Involved and Injured?
The time to settlement in tractor trailer crashes is also dependent on how many other vehicles were involved in the trucking accident and how many other people may have been injured. If more than two vehicles were involved in the tractor trailer collision, the process of investigating the accident and determining liability may take longer than if only two vehicles are involved.
Additionally, the number of people injured in the truck accident will also affect the time to settlement of the truck accident case. If there are multiple people injured in the crash, the truck accident cases resulting from that wreck may take longer to settle since there will be a maximum amount of insurance coverage that must be shared among all those who were injured.
Which Trucking Company Was Involved?
Lastly, the time it takes for a semi truck accident settlement will also depend on which trucking company or companies are involved. Some trucking companies and their insurance carriers are notorious for defending every truck accident lawsuit through the trial phase. Many times, these companies refuse to make an offer until the eve of trial. Obviously, if your personal injury case involves one of these trucking companies or liability insurance carriers, your case will probably take longer than others to settle.
Talk with a Tractor Trailer Accident Lawyer
If you or a loved one are involved in a collision with a tractor trailer and truck driver, knowing your rights will be of utmost importance. It will be important for you to understand how to receive compensation for your truck accident injuries, medical expenses and lost wages, and to understand how pain and suffering are determined. These are usually questions that you’ll want answered by a personal injury lawyer who is experienced in handling these types of cases. Even if you decide not to hire a lawyer to help with your case, most truck accident lawyers offer free consultations to help answer your questions. Check out the Ritchie Law Firm’s case settlements and recoveries in tractor trailer accidents.
If you’ve been injured in a collision involving a tractor trailer, the Ritchie Law Firm is here to help. DON’T GET HURT TWICE!! Call a truck accident lawyer today! We have helped thousands of injured people get the money they deserve.
Contact the Ritchie Law Firm truck accident attorneys by phone at 800-277-6124 or by using our online contact form.
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Ritchie Law Firm is a personal injury law firm devoted to helping individuals who have suffered serious and catastrophic injuries or lost a loved one as a result of someone else’s negligence. Ritchie Law Firm serves all of Virginia, while helping clients in cities and surrounding areas of Harrisonburg, Charlottesville, Staunton, and Winchester also serves clients in West Virginia, including Martinsburg, WV.
