Angel: Hi Jason, my family is dealing with a recent accident with an 18-wheeler. I just wanted to know what it was like to deal with a trucking company if we sue them.
Jason: Thanks for your question, Angel. Do you believe that the 18-wheeler was at fault for the accident?
Angel: Yes, the trucker had a tire blowout and ran right into my son’s car. We’re lucky he survived the whole thing. It was pretty bad.
Jason: I’m sorry to hear this, Angel. Based on what you’ve shared with me, it sounds like your family has just cause for filing a claim. But I would still expect some resistance from the trucking company.
Angel: What do you mean?
Jason: Many trucking companies, and especially the larger ones, have teams of investigators and attorneys whose whole job is to minimize and challenge accident claims that they face. They will even go as far as throwing their own driver under the bus if it means they can pay less money for the accident.
Angel: Oh that’s terrible! How do they get away with this, Jason?
Jason: There are a lot of different tactics they’ll use. For example, the trucking company’s insurance may contact you after the accident and try to get a recorded statement. They’ll say it is to better understand what happened, but the truth is they want to get you on record saying something that could harm your case.
Angel: Well what do we say when they call? My son hasn’t talked to anyone yet. It just happened and he is still recovering from his injuries.
Jason: Angel, he is not required to answer any of their questions without advice from an attorney. If you haven’t already hired one, I would do that ASAP.
Angel: Is there a certain kind of lawyer we should work with on this?
Jason: My recommendation is that you find a personal injury lawyer who has a winning record with cases like your son’s. There are many ways that the trucking companies’ insurance will fight you on this – like destroying evidence, delaying claims, or even making a low settlement and trying to convince you that it’s all your case is worth.
Angel: How do we know if the attorney has experience with these kinds of things?
Jason: You can ask him or her about their record. When you meet for a consultation, ask them to tell you about a case similar to yours, how they handled it, and what the results were. An experienced attorney should be more than happy to share this information with you. I personally post information about cases I’ve won on my website for anyone to see.
Angel: Thank you Jason, this is very helpful!
DeSouza Law firm is a leading personal injury firm representing accident victims throughout Texas.
If you’ve been injured by a car, truck, 18-wheeler, company vehicle, or in the oilfield, call Jason DeSouza personally today at 210-591-9777 or 361-799-2222 or visit the firm online at https://jfdlawfirm.com.