You can negotiate a higher truck accident settlement in Louisiana by hiring a New Orleans truck accident lawyer to assess your claim, track all your losses, and establish another party’s liability for the crash.
Your attorney can negotiate aggressively with the insurance company representing the at-fault party, counter any lowball offers, and make it clear that you aren’t afraid to take your claim to court if the company refuses to negotiate fairly.
How Lawyers Negotiate a Higher Truck Accident Settlement
A New Orleans personal injury lawyer can work to secure a high settlement for clients injured in truck accidents by:
Collecting Evidence
Lawyers need evidence about the causes of a collision so they can negotiate with the insurance company from a position of strength. Attorneys can collect evidence by:
- Visiting the scene of the truck crash
- Getting information from the truck’s black box data recorder
- Collecting photos and video that show the crash
- Reviewing the trucker’s driving record
- Going over the hiring and maintenance records of the truck company
- Working with expert witnesses
It’s essential that you contact a lawyer quickly after a crash to give the law firm the best chance of collecting all relevant evidence. The truck company may try to obscure or remove evidence if you hesitate before hiring an attorney.
Tracking All Your Losses
Your attorney needs to know the full extent of your losses to push for a bigger truck accident settlement. Lawyers will track all of the expenses you face after a crash and collect documentation that proves that these losses came from your crash.
Assessing All Settlement Offers
The insurance company representing the trucking company will likely send a settlement offer quickly after a crash. It’s important that you allow your attorney to review this offer before you sign anything.
Insurance companies often push subpar offers immediately after a crash, hoping that you accept these deals so they can protect their bottom line.
Once you accept a deal, you may lose your chance to secure additional compensation. A lawyer can review this deal and push for negotiations if you need more money to cover your losses.
Arguing for More Compensation
A New Orleans insurance claims lawyer will handle all paperwork and meetings during the negotiation process. Attorneys present the evidence they collected regarding fault for the crash and the extent of your losses to negotiate a higher truck accident settlement.
What if the Insurance Company Refuses to Negotiate?
Your lawyer can pursue other methods to bring you fair compensation if the insurance company refuses to provide a fair settlement offer after negotiations.
You can rely on your attorney to help with a personal injury lawsuit in this situation. Your lawyer can sue the party responsible for your truck crash. Depending on your circumstances, you could file a lawsuit against the trucking company, the truck driver, or other motorists.
The insurance company may negotiate more readily if you have help from a law firm with a reputation for aggressively litigating cases in New Orleans because they know it will be harder to push you around.
Can You Help With Truck Accident Settlement Negotiations?
You can take several steps to help your lawyer negotiate a bigger truck accident settlement on your behalf. You can collect evidence at the accident scene by:
- Getting contact information from all eyewitnesses
- Reporting the truck crash to the police
- Taking pictures of your injuries and all the vehicles in the crash
Additionally, the professionals recommend that you immediately get treatment for any injuries that you sustained. Getting fast medical care can make it clear that your injuries came from the crash instead of another source.
Things to Avoid After a Truck Crash
You should avoid certain actions after a collision to give yourself the best chance of securing fair compensation through settlement negotiations. Your lawyer may advise you to avoid:
- Providing the insurance company with a recorded statement
- Apologizing or admitting fault for the crash
- Posting about the collision on social media
You should follow all guidance from your lawyer to strengthen your claim.
How Long does It Take to Negotiate a Truck Accident Settlement?
Negotiating a truck accident settlement can take a significant amount of time. Law firms may complete this process in a few months if the insurance company cooperates after a collision.
It may take longer to secure compensation if the insurance company refuses to negotiate and you have to file a lawsuit. You may expect your lawsuit to take a year or more to resolve.
Talk to Us About Getting a Fair Truck Accident Settlement
Are you wondering how to negotiate a higher truck accident settlement in New Orleans? Our legal team at Scott Vicknair Injury Lawyers can help you with insurance negotiations and represent your best interests after a crash.
We have over 30 years of combined experience to draw on, and we’re ready to help with complicated truck accident claims. Call or complete our online contact form to learn more.
