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In the aftermath of a catastrophic truck accident, you probably have many questions: how will I pay for my medical bills? What are the next steps I take? What happens to my totaled car? How will I make ends meet if I cannot go back to work right away? Will I get justice for what was done to me?
These are normal and valid questions. At Regan Zambri Long, our truck accident lawyers have two main missions. The first is to secure fair compensation for you and your loved ones. The second is to make sure you understand every single part of the process.
At Regan Zambri Long, we believe knowledge is power and we are ready to equip our clients with as much knowledge as possible. If you still have questions after reading the FAQs about truck accidents, please reach out for a free consultation with a seasoned truck accident lawyer who will give you a reasonable assessment of your claim.
The main difference between truck accidents and car accidents is the severity of the injuries and property damage. There is a big difference between getting hit by a vehicle that is the same size as yours and one that is 23 times the size of yours. Large commercial trucks, especially semi-trucks and tractor-trailers can cause catastrophic injuries to the occupants of a passenger vehicle.
There are also differences in how personal injury claims are dealt with after a truck accident. In a regular car accident, the driver who caused the accident is most likely the only liable party. In truck accidents, there are many different parties that can be held accountable. The most important thing for a truck accident victim to do, aside from seeking the proper medical attention, is to contact a truck accident lawyer to guide them through a very complex claims process.
Commercial truck accidents can be caused by a problem that occurs at the moment of the accident (i.e. the driver runs a red light 
or falls asleep at the wheel). Semi-truck accidents can also happen as a result of negligence from weeks or months before (i.e. the commercial vehicle was never serviced after the last trip). Although not every accident is preventable, you will see that most causes listed below could have been avoided.
There are several different kinds of truck accidents that can occur. Each one is dangerous but has different effects on the car passengers and other cars on the road. The most common truck accidents that occur on DC, Maryland, and Virginia roads are:
Underride accidents are dangerous to occupants in a passenger vehicle because of where the impact occurs on the car. Since cars slip underneath the truck in an underride accident, there is very little protection for the car passengers. In fact, in underride accidents, the truck will make impact on the car at the windshield level. This exposes the occupants’ necks, backs, and spinal cords. Underride accident injuries are often extremely serious and many of these accidents lead to one or more deaths.
Driving while you’re fatigued is deadly. When a driver is drowsy, his or her reaction times are slowed down. The driver’s cognitive abilities are diminished and he or she may fall asleep at the wheel. When a driver drives drowsy, they may veer into other lanes or oncoming traffic.
Truck drivers are often pressured into driving long hours to speed up delivery times. When this happens and accidents are caused, someone needs to pay. If a fatigued truck driver caused your accident, reach out to a Regan Zambri Long truck accident attorney who will make sure the liable parties are held accountable.
Accidents are the leading cause of injuries to truck drivers. However, because the weight and size of the truck are greater than a passenger car, the truck driver tends to suffer fewer permanent injuries than the passengers in the car. Injuries that truck drivers and car passengers can sustain in a truck accident are:
Truck accident claims, especially when they are trucks that belong to large commercial trucking companies, can get very complicated. Of course, the negligent driver must be held accountable for his or her actions. However, the liability does not stop with the driver. This is why it is so important to have a Regan Zambri Long truck accident lawyer by your side. We will be able to determine all the parties who are liable for the accident and we will pursue damages against every single party. The possible liable parties in a truck accident are:
Negligence will be established by the truck accident lawyer as part of the case we build. As we mentioned above, multiple parties can be liable for the accident. Proving your case is where the real work begins.
The trucking industry must follow local, state, and federal laws. The Regan Zambri Long truck accident lawyers are intimately familiar with the laws and will apply them to your case to prove negligence. Our attorneys will scrutinize everything from the driver’s driving record to the company’s log books to prove your injuries were a result of irresponsibility and negligence.
There are no set amount of damages a truck accident victim can collect from their claim. The amount largely depends on the severity of your injuries. However, the standard damages your truck accident lawyer will pursue are:
Every truck driver who works for a commercial trucking company must carry insurance. However, if the driver was not carrying insurance at the time, you still have options. You may be able to sue the trucking company the driver was working for. If the driver was operating a government vehicle, the Regan Zambri Long truck accident lawyers can guide you through the process of suing the government.
The Regan Zambri Long law firm practices across Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC. While Maryland and Virginia are both “at-fault” accident states, Washington DC is a “no-fault state.” If your truck accident occurred in Washington DC, the no-fault system will have serious implications for your claim. The compassionate Regan Zambri Long truck accident lawyers are experts in Maryland, Virginia, and DC law. During your free consultation, you will speak with a lawyer who can give you sound legal advice and tell you the exact steps to proceed with your claim.
Any type of accident falls under a personal injury claim, so you will ultimately work with a personal injury lawyer. However, there are specialties within personal injury. Some lawyers specialize in car accidents. Others specialize in bike accidents. At Regan Zambri Long, we have personal injury lawyers who have unique skills in truck accidents. You will work with a top truck accident lawyer who has years of experience. Partnering with a good truck accident lawyer will make a huge impact on your claim. After all, your financial future largely depends on how well they do their job. The main qualities you should look for in your lawyer should be trustworthiness, results, and compassion.
The best way to find the right lawyer is to ask past clients if they were satisfied with the services. At Regan Zambri Long, you will find countless testimonials of past clients who thanked us for our hard work and our compassion. When you work with Regan Zambri Long, you are treated like family. We will work tirelessly to win your case, but we will also make sure you and your family are taken care of during the process.
At Regan Zambri Long, our truck accident lawyers work on contingency fees. That means you do not pay anything unless we win. Yes, you read that correctly. You do not pay a dime upfront. We understand that your medical bills are piling up. You have been out of work since the accident and your future is uncertain. We will not burden you with additional expenses. When we secure your compensation, the average percentage the lawyer will take as a fee is up to 30%.
There is no exact estimate of a truck accident settlement. Like we said before, the damages you can collect depend on how badly you and your passengers were injured. However, the Regan Zambri Long truck accident lawyers will pursue every angle possible to secure maximum compensation. No stone will be left unturned.
The most important thing you should remember is that you should never settle for less than you deserve. Insurance companies are notorious for lowballing truck accident victims. When you partner with a Regan Zambri Long truck accident attorney, you can rest assured we will not let the insurance company take advantage of you in your most vulnerable state.
In just one of our cases, we recovered $15.2 million for a dump truck accident victim. We firmly believe you should not foot the bill for someone else’s mistake. We want your focus to be on your recovery. With fair compensation, you will have room to recover and get your life back on track.
The most important thing right after a truck accident is to make sure you and your passengers are as safe as possible. In the minutes following a truck accident you should:
The statute of limitations in a personal injury claim differs from state to state. Filing your claim on time is extremely important – if you do not file within the window, you may not be able to collect compensation for your injuries. The statute of limitations for truck accidents in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington DC are:
Maryland: 3 years
Virginia: 2 years
Washington DC: 3 years
I hope our FAQs about truck accidents answered all your questions, if you still need to discuss your case with a lawyer feel free to contact us for a free consultation anytime.
