Fort Worth Tractor Trailer Accidents
Tractor trailer accident litigation law firm Jose, Henry, Brantley, MacLean and Alvarado LLP in Fort Worth, files lawsuits for those individuals involved in tractor trailer accidents.
Tractor trailer accident lawsuits can be very complicated because of the large number of defendants (people who may be responsible) who can be involved, and the powerful law firms at the ready to defend those parties. Truly, the best way to prepare for an 18 wheeler claim in court is to hire an experienced attorney to handle your litigation. However, there are some general ways you can prepare for a claim.
Make lists of witness (and their contact information) who were involved in any aspect of your tractor trailer accident. This can include passengers in your vehicle and in the tractor trailer, witnesses on the scene, law enforcement officers at the scene, medical personnel, as well as friends and family who have witnessed the effect the accident may have had on you. Contact these witnesses to testify at your accident lawsuit hearing. If witnesses refuse to come to testify, they can be subpoenaed, or ordered, to come by the court.
Collect evidence.Hopefully, you wrote down what happened immediately after the accident and have been keeping a diary of your physical symptoms, treatments, and doctors appointments. This is good evidence and will help trigger memories if the trial takes place long after the accident. Witness and law enforcement reports, insurance reports, and medical records are all excellent evidence. Photographs of your injuries, the vehicles involved in the crash, the accident scene, the road where the crash occurred, and other issues related to the accident are important evidence. It is best if the photos have an official date on them. Your driving record is evidence, as is the tractor trailer driver’s record (which may come from out of state, and for which you may need to do a multi-state conviction search). A list of items damaged or destroyed in the accident is evidence. So are employment, and unemployment, records showing how the crash has affected your job. The employment records of the 18 wheeler’s operator may also be pertinent to your case.
Receipts from money spent because of your injuries are evidence. This includes money you had to spend to be treated for your injuries, like transportation costs, babysitting costs, over the counter and prescription medicines. Any money you would not have spent but had to because of the accident should be documented. Document any money you have lost because of the accident. This includes income lost from work; jobs you could not take, had to pay for your vehicle damages, increase in insurance, and changes you may have had to make to your home.
Focus on how the accident has affected your life. Keep a diary of how you feel since the accident. Ask family members how they feel and the ways the accident has impacted their lives. Ask yourself if there are tasks you once had to do or enjoyed that now are not done.
Prepare for your tractor trailer accident lawsuit by practicing saying what you want the court to know. Remember you must always tell the truth and be polite in court. Practice by asking your witnesses questions and having them ask you questions. Focus on damages you have suffered in the accident. These include your physical injuries, money spent on those injuries or on things associated with the injuries, money lost from current and future employment, and pain and suffering that may have occurred. Understand all the ways the accident has changed your life.
Contact the clerk of the court in your area to find out how to file a claim. The clerk will direct you to the proper court paperwork. The clerk can give you the papers to call witnesses. However, the clerk will not investigate your case nor provide you with legal advice.
At Jose, Henry, Brantley, MacLean and Alvarado, we offer free initial consultations about any type of trucking accident in Fort Worth.
