The Truck Accident Attorney and Mistakes to Avoid

A case against a negligent driver doesn't start when you walk into the office of a truck accident attorney. It starts the moment the crash happens and everything from that moment forward may very well be imperative to your chances of success in court. If the crash was severe, you probably have very little memory of the immediate minutes following the incident. You were likely more concerned about getting medical attention than building a lawsuit. But, this is something you should begin thinking about before you hire a lawyer. If you make enough mistakes, there may not be much of a case to build.

Agree to Nothing

It's very common for the opposing insurance company to try and get you to agree to provide a statement of some kind to the adjuster. They will phrase this in terms of, "The quicker we get this done, the faster you can get paid," which sounds good to someone who is wondering where the money for bills is going to come from. This is taking a short-term reward for a long-term loss, however. It may very well be that the money they are offering you is as much as you're ever going to get. You won't know that until you have a nice long chat with a truck accident attorney, though. Until then, mum's the word.

Admitting Fault

This is a scenario that any truck accident attorney who has been around for more than a year has seen multiple times. A client comes in and lays out his case. It's a good one, but the other party was not the only participant at fault in the crash. This doesn't really matter as much as the client thinks it does, of course. Car crashes often share blame. The question is who is mostly at fault in the scenario. The lawyer won't be concerned with some shared fault, but they will be concerned if the client has already admitted some degree of fault to the police or insurance company. This could easily be a case-sinker, especially if the client took on more blame than was really his to take.

Waiting Too Long

You don't have the rest of your life to decide whether or not you want to file suit. Every state has statute of limitation laws that apply to cases like this. In your state, that may be five years or it may be six months. The point is that you shouldn't wait around too long if you think you might want to file a lawsuit. Contact a truck accident attorney as soon as possible and discuss your options.

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Avoid Being Hurt by a Drunk Driver With These Tips

Drunk driving accidents are an insidious epidemic in the U.S., particularly since the dangers of getting behind the wheel while intoxicated are so well known and so easily avoided. Nevertheless, there may come a time when you do have the chance to avoid becoming someone else's biggest mistake. Here are some tips you can use to avoid being hurt by a drunk driver.

Be Alert
It's easy to fall into a kind of hypnotic trance when behind the wheel. A 16 year old out on the roads for the first time may not have the experience or the knowledge to make him a good driver, but his alertness level is likely much better than those surrounding them. If anything, they are hyper-alert, watching not only their own actions, but those of every other person on the road. To avoid being hurt by a drunk driver, it can help to recapture some of that alertness. Keep an eye on the others with whom you share the road, particularly late at night. Watch for anyone driving erratically. If you see someone whose car is swerving, fall back and avoid them.

Contact the Police
If you're like most people these days, you probably have a cell phone in the car with you. While it's a good idea to stay off the phone while operating a vehicle, this may be a good time to make an exception. If you see someone driving erratically, it is your duty to inform the police. Call 911 and report the behavior you're seeing. This doesn't mean calling the cops every time someone's front wheels cross the center line, but you should know the difference between someone who accidentally took their eyes off the road for a minute and someone who may very well be driving under the influence. Do your part and you may be able to help someone else avoid being hurt by a drunk driver.

Don't Get in the Car
Of course, millions of people are killed or hurt by a drunk driver each year not because they crashed into a stranger, but because they were sitting in the car themselves. Never get into the car with someone you know to be intoxicated, even if you feel it makes you look sensitive or weak. If anything, you should try and talk your friends out of driving while under the influence. Sometimes that isn't possible. Do yourself a favor, though, and find another way home.

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