When researching semi-truck accident lawyer qualifications, you should look for a couple of things right away: experience dealing with large truck carriers and insurance companies, the ability to utilize and preserve various sources of evidence, the ability to interpret and evaluate trucking industry regulation violations, and the ability to get results.
Before hiring a semi-truck accident attorney, ensure they possess these six important qualifications.
Qualification #1: Knows How to Handle Truck Accident Cases
Semi-truck accidents are more complicated than your average car crash. Not only are the injuries more devastating, but the law is much more complex.
You need to hire a lawyer who knows the best way to handle truck accident cases and the best way to collect compensation from the truck driver at fault. If you hire someone who has never handled a truck accident case before, your case and your compensation award could suffer.
The accident attorneys at Gallon, Takacs & Boissoneault Co. L.P.A. are familiar with semi-truck accident cases and have the specific knowledge needed to represent you in court. You can count on our know-how and our drive to provide you with the best possible resolution to your truck accident case.
Qualification #2: Has Experience Dealing with Large Truck Carriers and Insurers
A great semi-truck accident lawyer will know how to handle accident cases and have experience dealing with the large companies that employ truck drivers and the insurance companies that back them up. Both the truck carriers and the insurance companies will likely have a team of attorneys working around the clock to defend them from liability.
You need an attorney who will not back down when faced with a powerful defendant. The semi-truck accident attorneys at Gallon, Takacs & Boissoneault Co. L.P.A. have 300 years of collective experience defending injured residents in Ohio and Michigan.
We do not fear facing large truck carriers, insurance companies, or their attorneys.
We will make them pay if they were at fault for your injuries.
Qualification #3: Knows How to Utilize Evidence
The best truck accident lawyer knows how to properly utilize evidence to get the best possible outcome for your case. Gallon, Takacs & Boissoneault Co. L.P.A. knows that the most important types of evidence in your truck accident case will include:
Accident Reconstruction Evidence: This kind of evidence is particularly important when the cause of the accident was a defective part or poor maintenance of the semi-truck.
Even if there were no defective parts, being able to reconstruct how the accident occurred can go a long way toward winning your case.
Expert Witness Testimony: Besides any eyewitnesses to the crash, a good semi-truck accident attorney can provide you with expert witnesses. These are witnesses who, although they were not at the scene of the crash, will be able to provide testimony for your case.
For example, a witness who is an expert in truck driving and maintenance can establish that the defending truck driver acted negligently while driving or maintaining their vehicle. Another expert witness may be able to read the skid marks on the road to explain when the truck driver applied their brakes and how fast they were going before the collision.
Truck Carrier Records: FMCSA regulations require all truck drivers and the carrier companies they work for to maintain records. These records track:
- The number of hours a driver has been behind the wheel
- The driver’s breaks for rest, meals, and sleep
- Dates and times of truck loading and final delivery
- Driver’s personnel files, including background checks
- Driver’s drug test results
- Vehicle inspection reports
- Vehicle maintenance reports
These records can be useful to your case but quite difficult to obtain. Our truck accident attorneys have years of experience obtaining and analyzing these pieces of evidence to establish negligence.
Qualification #4: Knows How to Preserve Evidence
FMCSA regulations allow truck companies to destroy certain documents that could be valuable pieces of evidence in your case before you get to trial. To prevent this from happening, your attorney needs to send a letter of spoliation.
Your lawyer sends this letter, also known as a preservation letter, to preserve specific pieces of evidence related to your case, such as driver’s logbooks, personnel files, vehicle repair records, and inspection reports.
Our attorneys know exactly what to do to preserve each piece of evidence necessary to your case.
Qualification #5: Able to Interpret and Evaluate Evidence for Truck Regulation Violations
As we stated above, FMCSA has several rules and regulations concerning semi-truck drivers. Your lawyer should be able to analyze evidence for violating those rules. The most common violations your lawyer should have experience interpreting include:
- How long a truck driver can drive without a break
- The maximum hours a truck driver can drive in a week
- Cell phone usage restrictions for truck drivers
- Drug or alcohol use
- Vehicle inspections and maintenance requirements
- Requirements for maintaining certain safety records
- Requirements for maintaining driver logbooks
Gallon, Takacs & Boissoneault Co. L.P.A. attorneys are familiar with FMCSA rules and will uncover any violations. These violations will go a long way toward winning your case.
Qualification #6: Gets Results
When you are questioning a prospective truck accident attorney’s qualifications, you must ensure they can get results. You do not want to waste your time and money on an attorney if there is no chance that you can even win your case against the truck driver at fault.
Our attorneys have recovered over $500,000,000 in settlements and verdicts for injured clients and would love to do the same for you.
The attorneys at Gallon, Takacs & Boissoneault Co. L.P.A. believe your compensation should be fair. Suppose a truck driver’s negligence caused your injuries. In that case, you should be able to hold them accountable for all of your medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages, future medical care expenses, and more.
Do not hire an attorney who is simply all talk. Before selecting an attorney to represent you, ensure they have these six qualifications. Gallon, Takacs & Boissoneault Co. L.P.A. has these qualifications and more.
Contact us today to find out how we can help you: 419-843-6663.
Jeff joined GT&B in 2008 as a law clerk. After graduation, he worked in election law. In 2011, he returned to GT&B as an Associate, focusing on personal injury cases like auto accidents, premises liability, general negligence, wrongful death, and dog bites. Now a Senior Associate in the Personal Injury department, he is passionate about protecting his clients who have suffered injuries through no fault of their own and ensuring they receive the justice and compensation they deserve.
