With just over 100,000 residents, Beaumont experiences more than its fair share of traffic. As a major hub of oil industry and development, drivers must share the road with countless large trucks transporting heavy equipment and materials. Tractor trailers and 18-wheelers sharing the highways, streets, and roads create hazardous driving conditions that often end in collisions with passenger vehicles. Accidents with trucks as large as these often result in injuries to drivers and passengers and are precisely why our Beaumont truck accident lawyer is available to help.
After an accident with a large truck, it’s not uncommon for injured drivers and passengers of automobiles to face difficulties pursuing injury claims. As medical bills pile up and the prospect of lost time from work begins to take its financial toll, the primary concern is to have the responsible party step up to compensate those who are injured fairly. But this is more often easier said than done.
Big Trucks, Bigger Challenges
The semi-trucks involved in passenger auto accidents are typically owned by large corporations. These companies have a wealth of resources to respond to company-owned truck collisions, resources designed to minimize any financial liability they may face. It’s typical for large companies to have their own lawyers on staff, protecting their interests and advising the organization on how best to diminish any negative impact an accident might have on their bottom line.
Our truck accident lawyer in Beaumont can provide drivers and passengers injured in accidents an opportunity to have an advocate in the legal system. At Carabin Shaw, we are committed to acting in the best interests of people just like you who don’t have the same access to legal resources a big company does.
Proceed with Caution
After an accident with a big rig, representatives for the corporation or their insurance company may be quick to reach out to you. They may lead you to believe that they care about your interests as much as anyone, but make no mistake. Their focus is to watch out for their company.
You may be asked to provide a statement. Perhaps they will ask to review your medical records. They may even attempt to “settle” with you quickly, offering a relatively small amount of money which, if accepted, is followed up with a request for you to sign a release as a commitment that you will not ask for any additional money.
Whatever form or topic of communication, we discourage all of our clients from talking with anyone from the truck company and discourage signing any documents without first speaking to a Beaumont trucking accident injury attorney. Doing so could severely impact your ability to recover any compensation for your injuries.
Who’s to Blame?
Texas is a comparative negligence state. This means that each driver in an accident may be assessed a percentage of contributing negligent to the wreck. If a driver is found to be 51% or higher at fault for a crash, then that driver is barred from recovering any money. However, if a driver is less than 51% at fault, recovery is available but will be reduced by whatever percentage of contribution they made to the accident.
This can be somewhat tricky to maneuver, and many injured parties who only want to settle their claim may not fully understand.
