A Close Call: Getting into an Accident with an 18 Wheeler

by | Dec 28, 2015 | Law

You’re calmly driving down a road one day, minding your own business and staying within the speed limit, when all of a sudden you get rear-ended by a tractor trailer truck that was following you too closely. You both stop, you look at the damage and the driver of the truck sheepishly looks at you and says, “Oops, buddy! Sorry about that.” If you are ever placed in this situation, the most obvious thought going through mind is “Oops?! Is that all you can say?! You nearly killed me!” Most accidents involving an 18-wheeler normally don’t end so well; those trucks are huge and it is very likely that they can cause major damage to you or your vehicle if they hit you even in passing.

What to do
In this situation, you need to take stock of several factors so that you can build up as strong a case as necessary when it comes to dealing with this problem legally. Yes, legally—you can’t just let your insurance deal with this issue. Not only could it potentially adversely affect your standing with the insurance company, thereby increasing your premiums, but now your car has been damaged. This hampers your ability to properly get to work, pick up your kids, etc. Not only that, a damaged car, even if it has been repaired, is of far less value when resold. This accident can have a lot of negative consequences for you down the line, which you need to factor into when it comes to the necessary financial compensation. When you get the details of the driver, you need to examine the extent of the damage, how this situation occurred, and what you were doing at the time. You also need to detail how this accident could have potentially ended your life, considering the difference in size between a normal car and an 18-wheeler.

Getting a Lawyer
To properly deal with this circumstance, you need to find a trucking accident lawyer in Elgin that has experience in dealing with vehicular accidents that have only resulted in damage to the vehicle. These types of lawyers focus mainly on the compensatory damages and can quickly get a case resolved with as little fuss as possible.

Just remember, an “oops” and a “sorry” are not enough when it comes to accidents that could have been potentially fatal. You can’t just let this go and let your insurance handle it. You need to stand up for your rights and get the compensation you need for the massive inconvenience and potential death this could have caused.

For more details on the lawyers specializing in vehicular accidents, please visit the website of Woodruff lawyers for more details.

Latest Articles

Categories

Archives