Jacob Maples holds an AV Preeminent Rating, a distinction earned by only ~10% of lawyers.
Suffering After a Truck Accident? You May Be Owed Compensation
The violence of an automobile crash is always scary, but the size and force of a commercial truck take truck accidents to a whole new level of terrifying. In these accidents, vehicles struck by the truck are often totaled, and injuries are very serious.
Alabama truck accident lawyer Jacob Maples began his career defending insurance companies. His unique insight into the insurance defense realm makes him particularly adept at building strong claims for those he now seeks justice for victims of accidents and insurance company abuses.
Verdicts & Settlements
Commercial Truck Companies Have a Great Responsibility
When it comes to hiring drivers, commercial trucking companies bear a serious legal responsibility to make sure those they hire possess clean driving records. This includes obligatory background checks on every driver they hire. In addition to meeting the physical requirements of the job, drivers must also pass road tests and drug and alcohol screenings.
Once drivers are out on the road, they must adhere to both company and state safety guidelines. Under the rule of “vicarious responsibility,” the liability for any mistakes made by the drivers is shared by the trucking company. As such, the company is responsible for providing compensation to the injured parties.
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How to Protect Yourself from the Risk of a Truck Accident
Accidents involving commercial trucks happen for many of the same reasons that they occur with other motor vehicles, such as driving under the influence, reckless driving, and driving while fatigued. Taking defensive driving precautions can help protect you around large commercial trucks.
Give big rigs their space to turn
Since large trucks cannot turn corners easily, it’s best to fall behind them and allow them the space to turn. This is particularly important when they are turning right, because again, they may have difficulty seeing you.
Assume they can’t see you
The bigger the truck, the larger the blind spot. Large commercial trucks are likely to have difficulty seeing the cars around them, especially on their right. Help them see you by staying out of their blind spots and passing only on the left.
Respect the momentum factor
The bigger the truck, the longer it will take them to stop. Don’t ever cut off a truck, even if you think you’ve got the right of way, as they are not going to be able to stop short and will probably hit you. It doesn’t matter who has the right of way when it comes down to your safety. The vehicle with mass and momentum on its side is going to do damage.The bigger the truck, the larger the blind spot. Large commercial trucks are likely to have difficulty seeing the cars around them, especially on their right. Help them see you by staying out of their blind spots and passing only on the left.
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Refuse the Call from the Insurance Company
Once you’ve filed an accident report, the insurance company will have an insurance company employee call you for a statement. You do not have to take this call without the assistance of your attorney. The insurance adjuster is not calling to help you. This person is calling to help the insurance company save money by finding a way to twist your words to lower or deny your claim.
Remember contributory negligence—they only need to find an opening to blame you for 1% of the accident to prevent you from collecting compensation. Your best course of action is to delegate all conversations with insurance companies to your Alabama truck accident lawyer.
Achieving Compensation for an Alabama Truck Accident Claim
Collecting the compensation you deserve after an accident involving a commercial truck in the state of Alabama is tricky. Alabama is an at-fault state, which means that the insurance company of the driver who caused the accident will be liable for the damages suffered by the person they hit. Even so, the laws around fault in the state of Alabama are tricky and stricter than the laws of most other states. Having a lawyer by your side will give you the best chance of obtaining the compensation for truck accident you deserve.
The most challenging aspect of your truck accident claim is going to be avoiding the insurance companies’ attempts to blame even a small percentage of the accident on you. The state of Alabama’s contributory negligence rule means that if the defendant can throw even 1% of the blame for the accident your way, you cannot collect compensation.
For this one reason alone, you owe it to yourself not to walk into a claim against an insurance company in Alabama without the help of an experienced attorney.
As if that’s not enough, another challenge to the success of your truck accident claim is the potential for more than one at-fault party. Since insurance companies will always seek to save as much money as possible from every claim, they will be looking for any opportunity to deflect blame. This means they may look to blame another potential at-fault party, such as the maintenance crew of the truck, the broker of the contracted clients, the manufacturer, or the crew that loaded the truck, just to name a few. And going back to the previously mentioned contributory negligence rule, the biggest party all other parties will be targeting to shift the blame upon is you? If they can do that, your claim is over.
Don’t risk the success of your claim by trying to save money handling your claim alone. The majority of claimants who file claims without attorneys in Alabama receive many times less than those with legal representation if they succeed at all.
Having the right attorney will ensure all truly at-fault parties are identified and included in your request for compensation without accidentally making yourself the target of blame.
Your Huntsville truck accident lawyer knows the ways the insurance companies will try to slide out of their obligation to compensate you. They can see and sidestep insurance company tactics without damaging the value of your claim.
One of the biggest risks of handling your claim is the potential to say the wrong thing to the insurance company. Turning all communications with the insurance companies over to your Huntsville truck accident lawyer will provide a consistent message regarding your claim. This will go a long way in protecting your claim’s value.
Your Huntsville truck accident lawyer will also be able to correctly determine the value of your claim, factoring in all your damages. This ensures you don’t leave money “on the table” when negotiating a settlement.
Hiring the right attorney will also be of great help to you if you are one of many victims harmed by the truck. The size of commercial trucks makes it more likely they’ll damage more than just one vehicle. In such a case, it’s especially important to have an experienced attorney fighting for you, so you aren’t left out when compensation is awarded.
Protect the Value of Your Truck Accident Claim
The best way to protect the value of your truck accident claim is by moving forward with an experienced Huntsville truck accident lawyer. Until you select your attorney, however, there are things you can do to protect your claim.
See a Doctor
It’s critical to go to the hospital or get a medical exam right away after the accident. Assume that you may be more injured than you feel due to the adrenaline coursing through your veins. Let a medical professional decide whether you’re okay. If you are hurt, the sooner you receive medical care the better, and having an official record of injury right after the accident will support your claim.
Without an exam on record, the insurance company will start playing their games, suggesting you weren’t hurt because you didn’t seek immediate medical attention. Or, if you wait to get an exam, the insurance company is likely to suggest you were injured in an unrelated incident you are now trying to “cash in” on. It’s not fair, but it’s realistic to expect the insurance company to use any opportunity you “give” them to save money.
Follow the Treatment Plan
After you’ve been treated and released, your doctor will provide instructions for continuing your recovery at home as an outpatient. This is another crucial element that can support or jeopardize your claim.
Your treatment plan is going to include one or more things you can do to support your recovery. It may involve medication, physical therapy, rest, ice, heat, or something else. And it’s likely to involve a combination of these things. Whatever your treatment plan includes, you must follow it to support your physical healing as well as your claim.
Doing more than is recommended can jeopardize your claim as much as not doing enough. Insurance companies still employ investigators who may take videos of you when you’re out in public. If you’ve got a back injury and you’re caught on surveillance at the county fair in a bumper car with your kids, for example, your claim is going to be in danger of getting tossed out. Make sure you follow the doctor’s orders for all you should do and all you should avoid doing while you recover.
Learn more about medical documentation after an accident from the Mayo Clinic.
Jacob A. Maples
Your Alabama Injury Attorney
Jacob Fights For You.
He handled my case with speed and efficiency. I couldn’t be happier with his services. Thank you for all your hard work and dedication.
Tori Rhodes
My experience with Jacob Maples was great! I appreciate him and his paralegal Lisa! They are easy to talk to, explain detail for detail, and will keep you updated on everything. Hands down great experience!
Autumn Coleman
ABOUT INJURY ATTORNEY
Jacob A. Maples
Alabama injury lawyer Jacob Maples holds an AV Preeminent Rating from Martindale-Hubbell; a distinction only held by approximately 10% of all attorneys. His focus is on representing individuals with personal injury claims and insurance carrier disputes. Jacob’s career began in Birmingham, Alabama, serving as an associate in an insurance defense law practice. There he gained valuable litigation experience, honing his skills across the state of Alabama. He became frustrated, however, by the treatment accident victims received and made the decision to switch sides. Jacob now represents individual clients victimized by personal injury accidents and insurance company abuses. His passion is standing up for the rights of people facing these challenges.
