Truck drivers operating in Indiana owe you a duty of care. Negligence violates that duty. What does that mean for you, though? If you suspect your recent truck accident stemmed from someone else’s negligence, you have the right to hold that liable party legally accountable for your losses – and our Plymouth truck accident lawyers can help. Vaughan & Vaughan can connect you with lawyers who bring decades of experience to your pursuit of support. Our personal injury lawyers in Plymouth can investigate the negligence that led to your crash before passionately advocating for your right to loss-based support. You can learn more about our available services during a FREE case evaluation today.
When to File a Lawsuit After a Truck Accident
The negligence that led to your truck accident entitles you to legal action. You can work with an experienced truck accident attorney in Plymouth to file a personal injury lawsuit against the party responsible for your accident. Doing so allows you to recover loss-based damages, thereby ensuring that you can protect your financial future. If you decide that you want to take legal action against the party or parties responsible for your recent truck accident, you need to act quickly. According to Ind. Code § 34-11-2-4(a)(1), Indiana caps your right to act at two years. This means it may be impossible for you to file a personal injury claim against a liable party after the second anniversary of your accident.How to Hold Someone Responsible for a Truck Accident
Personal injury claims include a lot of information about the nature of an accident and the identity of a liable party. You cannot bring a personal injury claim forward in civil court if you don’t have proof of a liable party’s negligence on hand.Accounting for Evidence
Most of the time, your right to hold someone accountable for a truck accident depends on what evidence of that person’s negligence you can find at an accident scene. The evidence you can integrate into a personal injury claim can include the following:- Electronic evidence of negligence
- Photos from the accident scene
- Video footage of the accident
- Physical debris
- Black box data
- Witness testimony
- Expert witness statements
- Information in an accident report
Accounting for Contracts
Most of today’s truck drivers work as independent contractors. These contractors aren’t employees within a larger company. They’re independent businesses and must subsequently represent themselves in the wake of an accident. If you get into an accident with an independent contractor, you may have the right to sue that individual but not their clients. If you get into an accident with a corporate employee, matters change. Anyone protected by a corporation or agency may see their employer step in to take legal responsibility for their actions on the road. If you get into an accident with an on-duty employee, you may have the right to sue their employer for your losses. Alternatively, that employer may reach out to you with a settlement offer. It’s always in your best interest to determine the employment status of the person who hit you. Our personal injury lawyers can help you determine who you can hold accountable for your losses based on the contracts involved in your case.How to Demand Fair Compensation After a Truck Accident
The compensation you request in a truck accident claim should include the cost of losses sustained due to a negligent party’s bad behavior. These losses may include the following:- Emergency medical care
- Temporary or permanent disability compensation
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Property restoration
- Lost wages
- Emotional distress