When Should You Get a Lawyer for a Truck Accident?

he amount of damage caused by the size and weight of a truck in an accident rarely results in minor fender benders. Trucking accidents often cause severe damage and personal injury. In addition to these damages, truck accidents in Rhode Island are complex legal situations.

Trying to sift through the facts of a truck collision and determine liability for your damages while recovering can be an insurmountable task best tackled by a Rhode Island truck accident lawyer. Gemma Law Associates, Inc. has dedicated over 40 years to serving Rhode Island clients in some of the most challenging battles for compensation. Through our investment in state-of-the-art technology, we can efficiently serve you and meet your needs following a truck accident in Rhode Island.

Liability for a Rhode Island Truck Accident Is in Question

Multiple entities that play a role in keeping trucks on the road. Most injured Rhode Island truck accident survivors initially assume a truck driver is the liable party in a truck accident. However, any of these parties may hold all or partial responsibility for the damages you experience:

• Truck driver
• Truck’s owner or trucking company
• Cargo loaders
• Maintenance companies
• Truck manufacturer or parts supplier

Determining who is liable in a trucking accident is seemingly impossible. Gaining access to critical documentation like safety and maintenance records, black box data, and other records often requires legal actions that a Rhode Island trucking accident attorney can take. We offer more answers to your questions about why are truck accident claims complicated.

You Are Injured in a Truck Accident in RI

Unless an accident is 100% your fault, Rhode Island’s pure comparative fault rule established in RI Gen. Laws §9-20-4 allows you to seek compensation for your damages in a truck accident. Each involved party is assigned a percentage of fault. Their percentage of fault will then be deducted from their compensation.

The trucking industry is backed by a formidable team of attorneys and insurance companies who focus on negligence laws and how assigning fault to their client in a trucking accident will increase the compensation they owe you. It is a profitable and strategic business move to reduce payouts in a truck accident. However, reductions in settlements for injured truck accident survivors often leave medical debt and financial hardship.

The damages sustained in a RI truck accident may result in debilitating and costly treatment. Getting the medical care you deserve will improve the chances of an optimal recovery. A trucking accident lawyer in Rhode Island at Gemma Law Associates, Inc. recognizes minimizing claims tactics and why the burden of proof matters in an injury claim.

Treatment for Injuries in a Truck Accident Is Ongoing

Truck accidents can produce complicated injuries requiring treatments the insurance company for the at-fault party may consider unnecessary. The more complex the injuries, the more likely it will be that your treatment requires specialized medical doctors to administer it. Working with qualified medical professionals can produce a mountain of medical debt.

Even more distressing is that an insurance company will often push for a claim to be closed before the full extent of your damages is known. Reaching out to a trucking accident attorney in Rhode Island immediately allows your case to be built with solid documentation from day one. It also allows your Gemma Law Associates, Inc. truck accident lawyer to compute your future financial needs for ongoing treatment effectively.

Truck accident survivors do not have to take the first offer made by the insurance company. In fact, these settlement offers rarely reflect the compensation you may be entitled to for your damages. Discover how to respond to the first personal injury settlement offer RI and protect your claim.

You Cannot Work Because of Your Injuries

Most people want to get back to work following an accident to cover the never-ending stream of medical bills. Household bills and other debts must also be addressed during this time. The costs of living and recovery continue even when you are not physically ready or capable of going back to work, requiring you to seek compensation for:

• Lost income
• Lost bonuses or potential wages
• A loss of earning capacity

Returning to work may also require a change in duties or career because of health limitations resulting from a Rhode Island trucking accident. When any of these losses apply, you may seek compensation from a settlement for your damages. Filing a lawsuit may be necessary to ensure a fair verdict and compensation to account for these tremendous losses.

The Insurance Company Stalls or Denies Your Claim

We’ve discussed why insurance companies seek to reduce the amount of compensation in an RI truck accident. Other than offering settlements that significantly undervalue your claim, there are other tactics used to delay or deny your claim. Focusing on recovery should be the primary concern, but the injured party is often met with these frustrating actions:

• Calls and emails are not returned promptly by the adjuster
• Continual requests for more documentation occur
• Requests for complex paperwork are ongoing
• Your damages are heavily scrutinized

One of the most reassuring aspects of working with a Rhode Island trucking accident lawyer is that you have someone on your side to mitigate these demands. Gemma Law Associates, Inc. can mediate between you and the insurance company to protect your claim against unnecessary setbacks and denials.

We will also fight to negotiate a fair claim because we understand the actual value of your damages in a trucking accident and invite you to see our results for past clients.

How to Get a Truck Accident Attorney in Rhode Island

Gemma Law Associates, Inc. offers a free case evaluation to help you determine if you should get a truck accident lawyer to recover damages in a Rhode Island trucking collision. We take the guesswork out of your claim, providing trusted, experienced knowledge to help you seek fair compensation.

We strive to settle your claim before going to court using our 100 years of combined legal experience to represent you effectively.