Have you been involved in a Commercial Vehicle Collision? Here is a Guide to What You Need to Know Before You Proceed
When we injure ourselves in road vehicle accidents there is a lot to think about. When that accident is commercial, we have even more to concern us. There are policies and procedures in place in every shipping and hauling firm throughout the USA. That doesn’t mean that the driver is likely to take the blame, though. If you are injured by a commercial vehicle, we therefore recommend that you follow this advice to keep yourself legally protected.
What is the Legal Process for a Commercial Vehicle Accident Claim?
The legal process for a commercial vehicle accident is strikingly like the process behind an ordinary vehicular incident. Both parties will have the opportunity to explain what happened to a judge. The main difference here is that the commercial company will have a team of lawyers and you won’t. That’s what makes it so important that you choose a commercial vehicle accident law firm that you can depend on.
After the accident, the lawyers will go about collecting all the information that they can. They will want to prove that your version of events was the version that happened. To do this, they will consult with you on medical records, police records, and any other evidence you have. The opposing party will do the same. Once both parties have presented their cases to the judge, the judge will decide on who is to blame for the accident.
Once blame has been assigned, you can proceed with the negotiation stages. The guilty party will present an offer to settle with while the victim decides to accept it or not. If the offers are too low, the victim may wish to take the case to court. Consult with your lawyers to decide if you want to accept offers or not.
How to Make Your Claim Stronger?
If you want to give your lawyer the best chance of helping you prove you were not to blame in a commercial vehicle accident, you should gather evidence for them. This starts at the scene of the incident, where you can look for and interview witnesses. You may wish to revisit the accident and take pictures to show which direction you were traveling in and to help the judge better understand the accident.
You can make your claim stronger by getting the police to take your witness statement at the scene. You can also visit the police station later to give your version of events. It helps if you make a trip to A&E, since this allows the nursing staff to record that you were in an accident and you received treatment. All this documentation helps create a paper trail of evidence which the judge can follow to see your whole story. It also helps you get the correct amount of compensation that you deserve, should your commercial vehicle accident case go in your favor.
