If you’ve been injured in an accident in Indiana by a truck driver who was driving drunk, you have options available for seeking compensation. If you have medical bills, lost wages, or pain and suffering due to an accident with a truck, you need the Indiana truck accident lawyers of Custy Law Firm | Accident & Injury Lawyers.
Custy Law Firm | Accident & Injury Lawyers specializes in helping accident victims just like you get the compensation they need to move on with life. Don’t let a drunk driver determine the course of your future. Call us today at (219) 286-7361 for a free consultation, and let us put our experience to work for you.
Why Hire Custy Law Firm | Accident & Injury Lawyers?
Custy Law Firm | Accident & Injury Lawyers specializes in personal injury claims with a focus on doing what’s necessary to get our clients what they need, and sometimes that means taking their cases to trial. We believe the best method for getting the results you need is to fight for each and every personal injury claim we make as if it were our own case.
Brian Custy, our founder, is a member of the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association and the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys. When you choose Custy Law Firm | Accident & Injury Lawyers for your personal injury case, you know you’re going with the best.
Steps to Take Immediately Following a Truck Accident in Indiana
If you or someone you love has just been in a truck accident in Indiana involving a drunk truck driver, it’s important to act quickly to protect yourself and your right to compensation. Here are some steps you can take to keep yourself safe and start building your case:
- Find Safety. If you’re able, leave the roadway immediately and get to a safe place to assess any damage and injuries.
- Don’t move vehicles. Leave damaged vehicles at the scene and don’t attempt to move them. The position and condition of the vehicles will be important for the accident investigation.
- Get medical attention. Immediately call emergency services and submit to a medical evaluation when an ambulance arrives, even if you don’t think you have serious injuries. You could have internal bleeding or other injuries that may not appear immediately.
- Keep quiet. Don’t speak to the truck driver about the conditions or circumstances of the accident. Even an apology can be construed as admitting fault in an accident, so watch what you say to anyone on the scene. Even speaking to a bystander could have a negative effect on the amount of compensation you can recover.
- Get insurance info. Immediately get the driver’s and trucking company’s insurance information. There may be multiple policies involved, so make sure and ask the driver for all relevant information.
- Start documenting. Start documenting the accident immediately. If possible, take photos of the damaged vehicles, the scene of the accident, the road conditions, emergency personnel on-site, and any visible injuries. The more documentation you have, the easier it is to build a case for a personal injury claim.
- Get legal representation. Retain an attorney as soon as possible and start the process of getting compensation immediately.
Common Injuries from a Drunk Driving Truck Accident
Eighteen-wheelers are enormous vehicles. They are sometimes over 70 feet long and weigh over 80,000 pounds. They require special licenses to operate on public roadways and are difficult to handle, even under good conditions. An accident between a full-size semi-truck and a passenger vehicle can be a traumatic experience for everyone involved. When you add a drunk truck driver to that mix, the chance for serious injuries gets even higher.
Common injuries that result from truck accidents include:
- Lacerations
- Abrasions
- Broken bones
- Concussions
- Whiplash
- Spinal injuries
- Paralysis
- Traumatic brain injury
- Burns
- Neurological damage
- Disfigurement
Aside from the physical injuries caused by an accident with a drunk truck driver, there is substantial mental strain and trauma associated with any accident with a truck. This type of trauma can leave psychological scars that can only be treated with the help of dedicated mental health professionals. If the symptoms are left untreated, they can lead to severe depression, anxiety, or even suicide.
Filing a Personal Injury Claim for a Drunk Driving Truck Accident in Indiana
Although you can file a personal injury claim yourself, having an experienced attorney assist you will help the process go more smoothly. A lawyer can help you avoid legal pitfalls and common mistakes others make due to their lack of experience.
Filing a personal injury claim after you were injured in a drunk driving truck accident will include the following steps:
- Retaining representation. Finding a lawyer with experience in this particular type of accident, like Custy Law Firm | Accident & Injury Lawyers, is step number one. We will start the process of filing an insurance claim with one or more insurance companies or other liable parties on your behalf and will request monetary compensation for your accident. We will sit down with you and discuss your accident, offer options, and guide you through the battles to come.
- Investigation. Your attorney from Custy Law Firm | Accident & Injury Lawyers will then investigate the accident from top to bottom. We will review any documentation, such as photos of the accident, witness statements, or medical records, and help you determine the best course of action and how much compensation would be a fair and full amount for your losses.
- Filing the claim. Next, we will notify the trucker’s insurance company about the request for monetary damages and will prepare to file a legal claim in Indiana court for compensation for your accident. We will attempt to negotiate a settlement with the insurance company, but we are not afraid to take them to trial if we cannot reach an appropriate agreement. Advising the insurance company that we are prepared to go to trial may exert pressure on them and help move them toward settlement, as taking a case to trial is costly for them.
At this point, the insurance company or liable party may decide whether to deny your claim or offer a settlement in lieu of damages. A settlement is designed to keep your case out of court and keep the liable parties from admitting fault as a matter of public record. If the settlement amount is less than you need or your claim is denied, we will follow through with a lawsuit.
Call Custy Law Firm | Accident & Injury Lawyers for a Free Consultation
Custy Law Firm | Accident & Injury Lawyers understands how difficult it can be to deal with injuries, insurance, and lost wages due to a trucking accident. That’s why we operate on a contingency fee basis. You pay nothing upfront, and we only receive payment if we successfully get you a settlement or monetary award in court. Call Custy Law Firm | Accident & Injury Lawyers at (219) 286-7361 today for a no-obligation consultation, and let us go to work for you.
