4 Factors Experienced Lawyers Consider When Building Your Case

Getting in a collision with a truck can be a life-altering experience. Auto accidents are scary and dangerous enough with cars closer in size. Accidents can be much more emotionally and physically traumatic with big 18-wheelers and other types of commercial trucks and transportation vehicles. 

To find lawyers nowadays, many people simply type a phrase such as “truck accident attorney near me” into a search engine and pick one of the first few results. How much a law firm pays for advertising, or how a skilled marketing team is, doesn’t necessarily speak anything about their abilities as a legal team. 

When it comes to finding quality legal experts to represent your case, understanding more about it yourself can help you locate the right firm. Here are 4 key aspects of a truck accident case:

1. The Size of the Truck 

The size of the 18-wheeler you collided with can affect many different aspects of the case. This is because passenger vehicles are not built to withstand the impact of the weight and size of a semi-truck. Even accidents that would normally be minor with a smaller car or truck can cause more damage and injury simply due to the difference in mass and tonnage.

2. The Speed of the Truck

Obviously, the faster the 18-wheeler was going, the more serious the impact and damage will likely be. But when you are dealing with a vehicle of that size, serious damage, and injury can still happen, even at lower speeds. However, that is not the only way speed affects an accident. 

Semi-trucks take longer to slow down than passenger vehicles, meaning the higher the rate of speed (even within the speed limit), the longer it will take them to slow down and/or come to a stop. This is why many states impose a slightly slower speed limit on trucks and transport vehicles than others. Many accident victims tweak their search term to “speeding truck accident attorney near me.”

3. The Condition of the Driver

In some of the saddest cases, the condition of the truck operator may be the cause of the accident. The reason they are the saddest is because they are often preventable. Drivers can be impaired or distracted for a number of reasons, including:

• Alcohol/Drug impairment
• Exhaustion or sleep deprivation
• Excess caffeine consumption 
• Food illness or allergy
• Any other sickness

4. The Condition of the Truck

The last factor we’ll cover today is the mechanical condition of the big rig itself. Unfortunately, companies and/or operators sometimes let maintenance slide on their trucks. Although it can be expensive, mechanical care on these vehicles is even more important due to their mileage and the amount of time they spend on the road in different weather conditions.

Getting the Best “Truck Accident Attorney Near Me”

Understanding the basic factors determining truck accident litigation will help you search for competent legal counsel. In your attorney, look for someone easy to get in touch with, who has multiple areas of practice, access to expert witnesses and investigative resources, and who treats you as a person and not a number.