The roads in Carmel are as populated with commercial drivers as they are private ones, and those commercial drivers aren’t immune to accidents. Unfortunately, contending with the aftermath of a commercial vehicle accident can prove more challenging, or at least more legally complex, than addressing a private accident.
That said, you still have the right to economic and non-economic damages in the wake of a commercial vehicle accident. You can learn more about your right to financial support during an initial consultation with a Carmel commercial vehicle accident attorney at Vaughan & Vaughan can help you outline your losses, file a civil claim, and argue for your right to support in court.
Reacting to a Commercial Vehicle Accident
You have the immediate aftermath of a commercial vehicle accident handled. You’ve explained your circumstances to the police and worked with emergency responders. Now you’re left with a damaged car, possible injuries, and questions about how to proceed. Post-accident confusion is natural, as is related stress, especially if you don’t have emergency funds to fall back on.
What’s more, the amount of time in which you can take legal action has its limits. Indiana Code section 34-11-2-4, or Indiana’s personal injury statute of limitations, gives you no more than two years to bring a complaint detailing your losses before a civil judge. If you fail to act within that time period, you lose your right to demand support from a liable party.
How, then, are you meant to react to a commercial vehicle accident? Many survivors try to tackle their recovery alone out of fear of the complexities of the civil system and legal fees. Vaughan & Vaughan knows this and subsequently strives to make it as easy as possible for commercial vehicle accident survivors to take their first step into the world of civil court.
Calling a Carmel Commercial Vehicle Accident Lawyer
Carmel commercial vehicle accident attorneys can begin working with you within hours of your accident. The sooner you call an attorney, the easier it can be for you to communicate information about your losses and control the narrative surrounding your accident.
Moreover, calling an attorney within a few days of your accident lets you make the most out of the time in which you can file a personal injury claim. Vaughan & Vaughan attorneys can specifically help you:
Communicate With Your Insurance Provider
Insurance providers operating in Indiana often expect you to reach out with information regarding your accident and related losses within 24 hours of the crash. Unfortunately, communicating the extent of your losses to an insurance provider can prove difficult while you’re still processing the nature of your accident.
Compound those complications with an insurance adjuster’s desire to keep your payout low, and you may walk away from a consultation with significantly less financial support than you deserve. Fortunately, this is where an attorney can step in.
Vaughan & Vaughan lawyers can contact an insurance provider on your behalf after an accident. We can accurately value your accident-related losses and prevent an insurance provider from underselling the value of your case. We can even negotiate for more comprehensive coverage if the need to do so arises.
Investigate the Role Contracts Have on Your Right to a Civil Lawsuit
One of the most important things a commercial vehicle accident attorney in Carmel can do on your behalf is sort through the miasma of contracts related to your case. Consider this: you get into an accident with an on-duty truck driver. Do you hold the trucking agency or the driver responsible for your losses? That depends on the driver’s contract.
If drivers operate as independent contractors, they buy their own insurance and represent themselves in civil court. It doesn’t matter whether they were on duty at the time of an accident or not. Alternatively, drivers who operate as full- or part-time employees benefit from their employer’s insurance and subsequent legal protection.
We need to establish the specific role a contract plays in your case if we want to accurately address the complaint you take to civil court. Fortunately, you can focus on recovering while we read through the relevant paperwork and find the evidence of negligence needed to prove your right to compensation.
We Give You Control Over the Way Your Case Proceeds
Our responsibility, as your attorney, is to give you the tools you need to recover from an accident with a commercial vehicle. Before we file your claim, that means investigating your losses and finding evidence of negligence. Once your claim moves forward, our role in your case changes. We represent your best interests, yes, but in the way that best suits your needs.
In other words, you can count on Vaughan & Vaughan to help you seize control over your post-accident legal proceedings. You can choose whether to negotiate for a commercial vehicle accident settlement or take a liable party to civil court. Whatever path suits you best, you can trust our team to expertly guide you.
There’s no right or wrong way to approach a conversation about an accident settlement. Rather, you can discuss negotiations and a trial with our team. We can recommend a path forward based on a defendant’s behavior, the availability of evidence, and your desired compensation timeline. At the end of the day, though, you get a say in how your case progresses.
It’s Time for You to Hold the Right People Accountable for Your Roadway Losses
Holding a corporation or related party liable for commercial vehicle losses can feel intimidating. Don’t let the size of a liable company prevent you from securing the financial support you deserve after one of their drivers’ negligence, though. You can call on Carmel, IN, commercial vehicle accident lawyers to stand with you as you take a corporation to court.
Vaughan & Vaughan knows how to approach corporate legal teams on your behalf. You can rely on our decades of experience when it comes time to seek damages for the losses you endured on the road. To learn more about how we negotiate for commercial vehicle accident settlements on your behalf, call our office or contact us online through our digital contact form.
