Role of a Nashville Truck Accident Lawyer
Trucks play an important role in the transportation of goods throughout the United States. As a result, there can be a lot of pressure on truck drivers to drive in a manner that is dangerous, in an effort to transport as many goods as possible, within a short period of time. A truck driver’s negligence could result in a serious car accident. If you have been injured in a truck accident due to a negligent truck driver, it is imperative that you get in touch with a determined truck accident attorney who could fight for you. The role of a Nashville truck accident lawyer is that of an advocate. They can advocate for you by speaking with witnesses, collecting evidence, and filing a claim on your behalf. Speak with a skilled attorney today and know that you are in capable hands.
Importance of Promptness in Truck Accident Cases
Promptness is very important when a car driver is involved in an accident with a truck in Nashville. The trucking company and its insurance company usually are experts at defending those cases and usually have an investigator on the scene within 24 hours gathering witness statements, favorable ones if possible. The car driver may be at a hospital or getting other medical care and may not realize the importance of getting their side represented early. That is why it is very important for the car driver to get a lawyer promptly, one who knows how to pursue those types of cases.
Comparative Negligence in Nashville Truck Accident Cases
Comparative-fault negligence comes into play in a truck accident case just as it would in any other case. Among the considerations taken into account is how the accident happened. There will be witness statements, the drivers’ statements, photographs of the scene, and police reports that will be studied to determine who had the right of way, who was at fault, and what laws may have been broken.
Sometimes, all of that is very clear. When it is not, the matter goes to the next level and the lawyer must dig deeper to get information that is unique to truck accident cases. The role of a Nashville truck accident lawyer is to Most trucks today are equipped with an electronic control module and other monitoring systems that can produce factual data of the truck’s operation. Some of that black box data will show the speed, whether the blinkers were on, and when the brakes were applied. An expert will be able to download all of that information, reconstruct the accident, and determine who was at fault. A lawyer could also look at how long the truck driver has been on the road, whether driver fatigue was involved. That could be important information to present to a jury.
Steps to Take Following a Truck Accident
The first thing someone should do is to give the lawyer all the information they have about the accident. If they do not have a police report, the lawyer can get that. It is common today for people to have a camera on their phone, so photographs of the scene can be taken quickly and given to the lawyer. The role of a Nashville truck accident lawyer is to use that evidence to evaluate the case and determine how they will present an individual’s claim.
The injured party should avoid social media and not give a recorded statement or otherwise talk about the accident. They should contact a lawyer as soon as they are able, preferably an experienced truck accident lawyer. Having the potential client’s photographs of the scene, even emailed to the law firm, has become a great equalizer. With email, a lawyer can send a contract, or releases, to the individual quickly. That is particularly important in truck accident cases where timely action is important before evidence can be lost or destroyed.
Reasons for Contacting a Truck Accident Lawyer
The most important reason for contacting a truck accident lawyer if you have been injured in a truck accident in Nashville, Knoxville or anywhere in Tennessee or the United States is that the trucking industry is federally regulated. The regulator is the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. It has set out very specific rules governing driving time, record-keeping, how big a driver’s load can be, and who can and cannot drive. They are complicated regulations and they are extensive. The role of a Nashville truck accident lawyer is to help you make sense of these complicated regulations and to help you navigate the truck accident claim process.
It is very important to contact a truck accident attorney who has experience handling these types of cases because they are more complex than a simple car accident. An experienced law firm understands that. It knows those laws, has worked on those cases and has experts who also understand them and work on the cases the attorneys. Contact an adept truck accident attorney today and know that you are in good hands.
Author Bio
Jim Higgins, founder of the Higgins Firm, is a seasoned personal injury attorney with deep roots in Nashville, Tennessee. A 4th generation Nashvillian, Jim carries on the legal legacy of his father, a judge for over 30 years. After graduating from the University of Memphis School of Law, Jim’s career began on the other side of the courtroom, defending insurance companies and learning their tactics for minimizing settlements. However, he soon realized his true calling was fighting for the rights of the injured, and for the past several years, he has exclusively represented plaintiffs in personal injury cases.
Since then, his dedication and skill have earned him membership in the prestigious Million Dollar Advocates Forum, an organization limited to attorneys who have secured million and multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements for their clients. Licensed to practice in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Georgia, Jim focuses on personal injury, product liability, medical malpractice, and workers’ compensation cases. His exceptional work has been recognized by his peers, earning him a spot on the Super Lawyers list from 2021 to 2024, a distinction awarded to only a select group of accomplished attorneys in each state.
