Truck accident victims often experience devastating, life-altering injuries that require months or even years of medical care. These treatments can be expensive, placing a financial burden on a victim and his or her family.

Richmond truck accident pa 300x300 1At Geoff McDonald and Associates, we have been representing accident victims in Virginia for more than two decades and have recovered more than $400 million in settlements and awards for our clients. Our CEO and President Geoff McDonald is a member of the American Association for Justice.

Learn more about your legal options by scheduling a free consultation with a Richmond truck accident attorney from our firm. We are prepared to answer your legal questions and determine whether you may have a valid case. There is no obligation for you to retain our services. If we represent you, you will not owe us anything upfront unless and until we help you obtain compensation.

Call 804-203-0678 today for more information about our services.

Do I Have a Valid Truck Accident Case?

Determining whether you may have a valid case is difficult without understanding all of the circumstances involved in the crash. Truck crashes can be very complex and take a long time to properly investigate.

This is why we recommend consulting with a knowledgeable attorney. He or she could help determine if the commercial truck driver or another party was a negligent driver and whether this carelessness caused the accident and your injury. Our legal team has many years of experience proving negligence in these types of cases.

Four elements of negligence must be present to be eligible to take legal action:

  • The at-fault party owed you a duty of care to reasonably avoid actions that could cause you harm
  • The at-fault party breached this duty of care by failing to act in a safe or reasonable manner
  • The injuries you incurred were directly caused by the at-fault party’s breach of duty
  • The at-fault party’s breach of duty resulted in damages, such as medical bills or loss of income

Proving negligence for a truck accident can be challenging. If you have a case, our Richmond truck accident attorneys are prepared to protect your best interests throughout the legal process.

Contact our Richmond Truck Accident Lawyers Today: 804-203-0678

Who May Be Liable For My Damages?

Trucking accidents have multiple parties who may share liability for the damages you suffered. This includes:

  • Truck operator–The operator of the truck could be held responsible for several driver errors, such as distracted driving, impaired driving due to driver fatigue, or operating under the influence.
  • Truck owner– Owners of commercial trucks are responsible for maintenance issues. If there was a known hazard, such as worn tires or faulty brakes, and the owner failed to correct the problem, he or she could be liable if an investigation shows that the hazard contributed to the accident.
  • Owner of the trailer– Similar to a truck owner, the owner of the trailer could be liable if a known defect was ignored, and it contributed to the accident.
  • Haulage company– Often a haulage company is responsible for training a commercial motorist and may also share liability for the condition of the vehicle if there was a known problem that was not properly reported or mitigated.
  • Cargo loading company– The loading company could be liable for multiple issues related to how the cargo is loaded and balanced. Any errors can potentially impact the operator’s ability to safely maneuver the commercial vehicle.
  • Company responsible for maintenance– If the company responsible for maintaining a truck neglects the care of a vehicle and sends it out on the road with known defects that contribute to an accident, it may share liability for damages incurred in an accident.

Richmond truck accident lawyer 4What Types Of Damages Can I Pursue For a Truck Accident?

Truck accident lawsuits vary as do the injuries involved. Cases may involve traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and in the most unfortunate cases, surviving family members may have to file a wrongful death lawsuit. Determining the types and amount of damages an injury victim can pursue after a truck accident varies on a case-by-case basis. Our legal team needs to review your situation in great detail, including the extent of your injuries and medical care you have incurred and will continue to incur until you make a recovery.

Some of the typical damages you may be eligible to pursue include:

  • Loss of income if you were unable to work while recovering
  • Emergency care, including the cost of ambulance transportation
  • All reasonable medical expenses
  • Property damage
  • Pain and suffering
  • Mental anguish
  • Loss of enjoyment of life
  • Loss of companionship or consortium

How Long Do I Have To File a Claim?

Virginia’s statute of limitations, which defines how long you have to file a claim, provides injury victims two years from the date of the accident to file a claim. Failure to file within the two-year window will likely result in the court dismissing the case and being barred from obtaining a recovery.

It is also important to note that certain exceptions could require you to file sooner or later. For this reason, we recommend that you do not delay contacting our personal injury lawyers at Geoff McDonald and Associates for legal advice. We have extensive knowledge of Virginia laws and what may apply in your situation.

Call Geoff McDonald & Associates to get started. We are prepared to help: 804-203-0678

How Can Hiring a Truck Accident Lawyer Help?

Richmond truck accident pa 2 300x300 1Hiring a lawyer provides a legal representative who is on your side, protecting your rights and pursuing your best interests throughout the legal process. Truck accident cases are especially complicated because of the multiple parties involved. Additionally, it is known that injury victims who retain legal help often receive significantly higher settlement awards than those who try to pursue a claim on their own.

Our Richmond truck accident lawyers have decades of experience handling different types of truck accidents. These cases are often quite different from regular auto accidents. We are familiar with the tactics insurance companies may try to use to devalue your claim, and know how to investigate accident scenes to prove negligence and establish liability to seek maximum compensation for you. If a fair settlement is not reached, we are also ready to go to court, if necessary.

Accepting An Insurance Company’s Settlement Offer

It is in your best interest that you not accept a settle offer from an insurance company without speaking with a lawyer. Insurance companies for the liable party are notorious for offering lowball settlements for a case that they know is worth significantly more. Their goal is to make money, not to pay fair compensation for severe injuries.

We understand how to accurately calculate the value of a claim and ensure that more than your current medical costs are covered. A settlement needs to take your long-term care and recovery into consideration as well. What many injury victims may not know is that commercial trucks and trucking companies often have multiple insurance policies.

If you have a valid case, you may be able to claim damages from multiple sources, including:

  • The semi – truck driver’s liability insurance
  • Cargo insurance
  • Uninsured motorist/underinsured motorist insurances (UM/UIM)
  • Motor-carrier insurance
  • Carrier insurance
  • Medical payment insurance

Learn more in a consultation with one of our qualified lawyers. It is a completely free, no-obligation opportunity to get answers to your legal questions, including what you can expect from a truck accident claim.

Call a Richmond Truck Accident Attorney to Get Started

If you have been injured in a commercial truck accident and are unsure if you have a valid case, an experienced attorney at Geoff McDonald and Associates are here to help. Should we represent you, we are prepared to help you build a strong case by gathering essential evidence such as medical records, photographs of the accident scene and your truck accident injuries, the truck’s black box, trucking company records and anything else deemed relevant.

Schedule a free consultation with a member of our legal team. There is no obligation to take legal action and no upfront fees unless you recover compensation.
Our office in Richmond is located about 20 minutes away from VCU Medical Center

Geoff McDonald and Associates: 804-203-0678.

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