Semi-truck drivers have noticeably large blindspots. Moreover, these drivers get put through their paces regularly, with daily routes making them drive hundreds of miles with only a few breaks. While semi-truck agencies and related parties should look out for drivers’ best interests, some truck drivers may often feel pushed beyond their limits.
Does any of this excuse the negligence that led to your recent semi-truck accident? No. It does, however, lay the groundwork you may need to accuse a truck driver or their employer of unchecked negligence. You can work with South Bend semi-truck accident lawyers to make your accusations and demand loss-based compensation accordingly.
If you have questions about your right to legal action after a semi-truck accident, you can reach out to South Bend’s truck accident lawyers to schedule a free, no-obligation case evaluation.
What to Do After a Semi-Truck Accident
The personal injury lawyers in South Bend recommend that you take time to rest and recuperate from a semi-truck accident. These accidents can leave you with debilitating injuries that demand treatments that last for months or years.
You don’t have to waive your right to action while you’re recovering, though. You can schedule a free case evaluation with a semi-truck accident lawyer in South Bend to discuss how to secure compensation for your losses. Our team can recommend reaching out to an insurance claims adjuster or going to civil court.
Considering Your Right to Civil Action
Indiana affords accident survivors like you the right to civil action in the wake of a negligence-based semi-truck accident. That said, if you want to take action, you need to bring a complete personal injury claim forward within the deadline set by Indiana Code section 34-11-2-4.
This statute of limitations gives you no more than two years to gather all of the evidence relevant to your case. Your claim must reach a civil judge’s desk within this two-year period if you want to argue for your right to semi-truck accident compensation.
Your Case Will Get
The Attention It Deserves
Why Can’t I Initiate Criminal Action Against a Negligent Semi-Truck Driver?
It’s easy to assume that if a truck driver caused your recent accident, they must have broken roadway laws. Why, then, can’t you initiate criminal action against a negligent truck driver? Only the state can open a criminal case against an offending party, no matter what circumstances led to your accident.
If the state opens a criminal investigation into your accident, a state representative may call on you to testify as to the nature of your accident and related losses. You, in the meanwhile, can act in civil court to secure the compensation you deserve for your losses.
Your semi-truck accident attorney in South Bend can keep an ear to the ground if it seems like the state intends to open a criminal case against the party liable for your recent crash. A guilty verdict in criminal court can serve as proof of negligence in your civil case, thereby making it easier for you to fight for the accident compensation you deserve.
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The Benefits of Going to Civil Court
Going to civil court can seem unnecessarily stressful, particularly if this is your first experience interacting with Indiana’s civil court system. The process is worth the effort, though. First and foremost, it allows you to control the narrative around your case. That narrative control can prevent insurance providers, corporations, and liable parties from denying fault in a case.
Moreover, personal injury claims allow you to demand loss-based damages from the party responsible for your accident.
Should you receive those damages, you can use the financial support to pay off any accident-related bills. There are some instances wherein the damages you receive may exceed the value of your losses, thereby allowing you to get back on your feet all the faster.
How to Calculate Semi-Truck Accident Damages
You have the right and responsibility to calculate the supposed value of your semi-truck accident damages before you take a personal injury claim to civil court. What losses do you have the right to include in your claim, though? You may only include losses that you can tie back to your accident with concrete evidence.
That said, not every loss you can integrate into a claim is tangible. You have the right to non-economic damages as well as economic ones. Your non-economic truck accident damages may include your pain and suffering, emotional distress, and accident-related stress. Our team can determine the dollar value of these losses before integrating them into your claim.
Your semi-truck economic losses generate bills, making them easier to value than their non-economic counterparts. It’s in your best interest to keep track of all of your accident-related receipts and invoices if you want to accurately assess the cost of your accident. You can also bring forward pay stubs to account for any reduction in wages caused by your accident.
Let an Experienced Lawyer Build Your Truck Accident Claim
Semi-truck accidents don’t have to devastate your financial well-being. You can take legal action against a negligent driver in civil court to win the financial aid you need to keep your life in order. The semi-truck accident attorneys in South Bend can help you compose a claim and defend your demands for compensation in and out of court.
You don’t have to commit to legal action straight away after an accident, but the clock’s ticking. Indiana’s personal injury statute of limitations soundly caps the amount of time you have to build your claim. If you have questions about your right to legal action or if you want help bringing a claim together, contact Vaughan & Vaughan today.
