Within the past five years, I-37 through Martinsville has undergone significant construction. Where it used to be easy for traffic to frequent Martinsville’s many storefronts, the new I-69 streamlines travel through the city. That effort does reduce Martinsville residents’ chances of interacting with trucks on the road, but it doesn’t eliminate the possibility.In fact, motorists passing through Martinsville on the new I-69 may find themselves in more frequent contact with semi-truck drivers. Unfortunately, this means that private motorists have to rely on a semi-truck driver’s diligence if they want to avoid an accident in the Martinsville area.A truck driver’s negligence can see accident survivors contend with long-lasting, if not lifelong, injuries and financial distress. The good news, however, is that Martinsville personal injury lawyer with Vaughan & Vaughan can help survivors like you facilitate an easier recovery. You can specifically work with the truck accident attorneys in Martinsville to take your losses to court.
Recovering from a Martinsville Truck Accident
You deserve time and space to recover from a truck accident. Our attorneys recommend that, no matter what your interest in long-term legal action might look like, you work with emergency responders and medical professionals to address your injuries before addressing anything else at your accident scene.Only after you and your loved ones are back on your feet should you begin documenting your accident scene for signs of negligence. You don’t even have to gather evidence of negligence on the same day your accident occurs. So long as you bring your concerns about the role negligence played in your accident forward to our team, we can initiate an investigation on your behalf.
When to Take Legal Action
Vaughan & Vaughan wants you to take as much time as possible to recover from the aftermath of a truck accident. That said, the state of Indiana does put a time limit on your right to investigate your losses. You have no more than two years, according to Indiana Code section 34-11-2-4, to file a personal injury claim against an allegedly-negligent party.The state refers to this deadline as your case’s personal injury statute of limitations. If you try to submit a personal injury claim outside of this statute of limitations, the court can dismiss your right to compensation. This is the case regardless of the circumstances that led to your accident.
Working With Your Insurance Provider
If you want more immediate financial assistance, you can file a truck accident claim with an insurance provider after an accident. The settlement you receive from an insurance provider isn’t likely to address all of your post-accident losses. That said, this support may help you with your most pressing bills.Unfortunately, some insurance providers may try to undervalue your truck accident losses and subsequently award you an insufficient settlement. If you receive an insufficient offer or an insurance provider denies your claim, you can turn to our Martinsville, IN, truck accident lawyers for support.Vaughan & Vaughan can work with you to appeal a denied claim or take an insurance provider to civil court in the face of a bad-faith settlement offer. We make a point of interfacing with an insurance provider on your behalf to protect your rights. These efforts can prevent an insurance provider from manipulating you into accepting insufficient or undervalued financial aid.
The Benefits of Filing a Truck Accident Claim
Many truck accident survivors initially find themselves reluctant to take legal action against the party responsible for their crash. The thought of spending time in court can prove intimidating, even to someone who’s interacted with Indiana’s civil court system before.However, there are inherent benefits to pursuing a personal injury claim after a truck accident. First and foremost, this effort allows you to demand accident damages from the party liable for your losses. The economic and non-economic damages you receive from a liable party can help you fund your post-accident recovery.What’s more, filing a claim allows you to dictate how conversations about your right to post-accident compensation take place. For example, you can work with a personal injury attorney to arrange out-of-court negotiations with the party liable for your truck accident. You can alternatively take your case straight to civil court.
Evidence and Contracts Determine Truck Accident Liability
Before you can take a claim to civil court, you need to have an idea of what party you want to hold liable for your truck accident losses. You establish that idea by assessing the evidence available at your accident scene. You can work with our Martinsville truck accident lawyers to bring forward dash cam footage, bystander statements, and expert witnesses’ opinions regarding the negligence that led to your crash.You should, however, be aware that the contract a truck driver or similar party has with a corporation may alter your right to hold certain parties liable for their misconduct. For example, independent contractors assume responsibility for their own negligence on the road. Employed truck drivers, comparatively, may see their corporations assume responsibility for their behavior.Our attorneys can investigate the relationships that exist between a liable party, like a truck driver and their trucking agency. Once we complete these investigations, we can ensure that your civil complaint takes the right party to civil court.
Let’s Talk About Your Right to Legal Action Today
Martinsville plays host to one of the most popularly-traveled interstates in Indiana, outside of Indianapolis’s Spaghetti Bowl. This means the average driver will interact with as many trucks as they will with private motorists or corporate vehicles. A motorist like you deserves to feel safe when driving alongside the roadway’s giants and to take action in the face of negligence.If you’re in the process of recovering from a truck accident, Martinsville lawyers can help you build a personal injury claim against the party liable for your losses. You can schedule a free case consultation with Vaughan & Vaughan today to begin discussing what strategies you can use to argue for your right to financial support in civil court.Contact us to begin your legal journey.
Exceptional Truck Accident Knowledge
Attorney Charles J. Vaughan is the only lawyer in the State of Indiana to hold a Class A Commercial Driver’s License (CDL). This distinction provides our clients with a clear advantage in trucking and other commercial vehicle accident cases.
