Colfax Truck Accident Injury Attorneys

The five most common types of fatal semi truck accidents include:

• Underride accidents - These occur when smaller passenger vehicles drive underneath large commercial trucks.
• Override accidents - This type of crash happens when a larger commercial truck drives over a smaller vehicle, motorcycle, or pedestrian.
• Jackknife accidents - These can occur when a semi suddenly hits its brakes and the trailer folds into the truck.
• Head-on collisions.
• Rollovers.

While these are the five most common scenarios seen in a Colfax truck accident, not every crash will fall neatly within these categories.

These parties may include:

• The driver of the truck.
• The trucking or shipping company.
• The safety director of the company.
• The vehicle inspector.
• The manufacturer of the truck.

• An insurance adjuster who underestimates the value of your claim.
• An insurance adjuster who delays an investigation in an attempt to frustrate you into accepting a lower settlement offer.
• An insurer that uses its own medical professionals to downplay your personal injury, or to claim that you had a pre-existing condition.

• The insurance company is not representing you or your best interests.
• They are not required to tell you the truth.
• The insurance company is in the business of making the most profit possible, which means paying you as little as possible.
• The insurance adjuster may seem friendly, but they are not looking out for you.
• Insurance companies are in the business of selling insurance, and they do not like paying claims.

1. Tell the truth. Anything you say can and may be used against you by the insurance company and its lawyers. Even a small inconsistency can hurt your credibility, so the safest approach is to always be honest. That way, you never have to worry about what you said.

2. Be careful when dealing with the adjuster. Insurance companies have professionals working on their side, so it is worth having a professional working on yours. If you hire a Colfax truck accident attorney, your attorney can deal with the insurance company on your behalf.

3. Keep documentation. Track your damages by keeping a diary or journal describing how you feel day to day. This record can help prove the extent of your injuries and may support a higher evaluation of your claim. Keep doctors' excuses for missed work, track time missed from work for appointments, and retain any medical bills or explanation of benefits forms you receive.

4. Be thorough at medical appointments. The records generated at your medical appointments will include your description of how you were injured, your physical complaints, and the treatment you received. The insurance company will base its offer on this information, so it is important to tell your medical providers everything that hurts. If you wait weeks or months to report a new symptom, the insurance company will likely argue that it was not related to the accident and reduce its offer accordingly.

5. Attend medical appointments regularly. Failing to see a physician regularly can be viewed as evidence that you have fully recovered, both by the insurance company and potentially by a judge or jury later on. You do not need to see a doctor every day, but you should keep your scheduled appointments and follow up as directed if you are still having problems.

Insurance companies handling truck accident claims in Colfax have professional adjusters and legal teams working for them. An experienced Colfax truck accident attorney can help level the playing field.

• Educate you about Iowa injury laws, since they vary from state to state.
• Gather documentary evidence, including police accident reports, medical records, and bills.
• Hire an investigator, if necessary, to interview and locate witnesses.
• Collect other evidence, such as photographs of the vehicles and the accident scene.
• Review and analyze legal issues, such as comparative fault and assumption of the risk.
• Talk with your physicians and obtain written reports to support your case and fully understand your condition.
• Analyze your insurance policy to see whether any coverage may help pay medical bills while your claim is pending.
• Review and analyze the validity of any liens on your case, since doctors, insurers, benefit plans, and employers may assert a right to part of your recovery.
• Contact the insurance company to place them on notice of your claim, if this has not already been done.
• If a lawsuit is filed, prepare you, witnesses, and healthcare providers for depositions.
• Prepare written questions and take the deposition of the defendant and other witnesses.
• Prepare a demand package in an attempt to settle your case.
• Prepare for mediation, settlement negotiations, or trial as your case requires.
• Prepare medical, demonstrative, and other exhibits for trial.
• File motions and briefs with the court regarding what evidence will be allowed at trial.
• Take your case to trial before a jury, or before a judge in workers' compensation matters, if a fair settlement cannot be reached.
• Review the verdict and advise you on whether either side has good grounds to appeal.