Don't Be Bullied by Insurance Companies: How a San Antonio 18 Wheeler Accident Attorney Can Help

Getting injured in an 18-wheeler accident can cause catastrophic injuries to a person in a passenger vehicle in San Antonio. The big rig is heavy and can easily overtake a smaller vehicle if things go wrong. When a commercial driver is at fault, the company that owns the vehicle may be responsible for the damages and have a legal team already in place to mitigate financial losses. Hiring a lawyer is the best way to level that advantage, so you can receive adequate compensation for your injuries.

The San Antonio personal injury attorneys at Carabin Shaw understand the advantages that commercial trucking companies have in a lawsuit. With decades of experience, we have the knowledge to help you win your case. Call our toll-free number at 1-800-862-1260 to schedule a free consultation. We have English- AND Spanish-speaking staff available 24/7 to answer your call.

After an accident with a big rig, a commercial insurance company will likely try to settle with you out-of-court and pay for your vehicle repairs and medical bills. The quicker they can get you to agree to a settlement, the less they will have to pay. The most important thing you can do during this time is hire an attorney, so you can better understand the Texas Civil Court system and the damages the company should pay.

Damages in a Texas 18-wheeler accident may include (but are not limited to):

• Current medical bills
• Future medical bills
• Car repairs (compensation for property loss)
• Lost wages while recovering from injuries
• Lost future income from long-term injury
• Loss of consortium or relationship
• Disfigurement
• Disability
• Pain and suffering
• Other emotional losses
• Wrongful death and affiliated costs

In addition to economic and noneconomic losses, the court may award exemplary damages to punish a company for gross negligence. Your San Antonio 18 wheeler accident lawyer will use the cause of the accident and your damages to help you receive the most compensation possible.

Insurance companies will do their best to minimize the payout to the injured party, as their focus is on their bottom line. When you file a lawsuit, they will look into your driving record and try to find evidence that you were partially or completely at fault in the accident. Not only does this make them have an unfair advantage due to their access to a legal team, but it adds stress to your situation as the injured party.

Hiring a lawyer ensures that you have access to information about the driver who was responsible for the accident and whether that driver was violating safety regulations. Maybe the driver has a poor driving record or previous accidents that could make the company face additional negligence charges for letting that person drive.

Many 18-wheeler accidents have causes that are similar to other crashes involving only passenger vehicles. Distracted driving, fatigue, and speeding cause many trucking accidents. However, these wrecks are worsened by the size of the big rig, which may weigh up to 30 times more than a passenger vehicle. The 18-wheeler cannot overcorrect or stop quickly to prevent a crash, and when a crash happens, the smaller vehicle is vulnerable to more damage.

Truck drivers may also engage in repetitive safety violations, or they may drive under the influence of intoxicants. Without a San Antonio TX truck accident attorney, you may not be able to locate the record of the 18-wheeler driver. Having access to a poor driving record increases the chances for proving negligence, and it may increase the amount of the judgment in cases of gross negligence.

A Texas truck accident lawyer free consultation will show that you need a personal injury lawyer to handle your lawsuit, so you won’t be bullied by the commercial truck insurance company. At Carabin Shaw, our team is dedicated to your successful lawsuit. Our client reviews show that we are compassionate about your injuries, and we offer our services on a contingency-fee basis, so you don’t have to worry about upfront legal fees. Call today, and receive the compensation you deserve after an 18-wheeler accident.

For more information:

• Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)
• CaseText
• Texas Department of Public Safety