Andover, MA Truck Accident Lawyer
If you were hurt because of a negligent truck driver in Andover, our attorneys can help you claim the compensatory damages you need to recover financially, physically, and emotionally.
Because truck accidents often involve a driver’s employer, there might be several parties that share fault for the injuries you sustained in a recent crash in Andover. Our lawyers can help you navigate a lawsuit involving multiple defendants and allocate fault appropriately. We can also help you determine if filing a lawsuit for non-economic damages is an option for you by comparing your medical damages and injuries to Massachusetts’ tort threshold for auto accident cases. To do this, we will need medical evidence of your injuries, which is why getting treatment immediately after a truck accident is vital. Such information can help us assess the value of your claim and, along with other evidence, can help us prove that the defendant or defendants in the case are liable for your injuries.
For a free case review from our Andover, MA truck accident lawyers, call (617) 925-6407 and speak with the team at the Law Office of John J. Sheehan today.
Having Multiple Defendants in an Andover, MA Truck Accident Claim
Some truck accident claims involve several defendants since multiple parties might share fault for a victim’s damages. For example, the parties in your lawsuit might include the negligent truck driver as well as the company that employs them.
When truck drivers are employed as regular employees and not independent contractors, their employers may be liable for accidents that take place while they are working. This means that if a commercial truck driver hits your car when making a delivery, you might be able to sue them in addition to their employer in Andover.
Because truck accidents are auto accidents, Massachusetts’s no-fault laws apply. To sue for pain and suffering in addition to economic damages, you must either incur medical damages in excess of $2,000 or sustain a serious injury, according to Mass. Gen. Laws Ch. 231, § 6D. Our truck accident lawyers will use your medical records from immediately after the accident to prove you meet the tort threshold in Andover. Then, you can file your claim against the truck driver and their employer.
Building Medical Evidence of Your Truck Accident Injuries in Andover, MA
Because truck accidents are often catastrophic, it is imperative that victims get immediate medical care from professionals after collisions in Andover. Doing this can allow victims to record their injuries, resulting in medical evidence.
One of the most important things you can do following your accident is to go to the hospital. When you do this, you create a medical record of your physical injuries. As you get continuous treatment, your medical records will grow, resulting in ample evidence. Such evidence can be introduced in your lawsuit to show the extent of your physical injuries and the scope of your treatment. This can aid in proving that you sustained injuries because of the defendant’s negligence.
In addition to building medical evidence of your physical injuries by seeking care from medical professionals, you can personally document your injuries by taking pictures at the accident scene and recording the process of your physical recovery. You can also seek help from mental health professionals if you are struggling emotionally after the truck accident.
Extensive medical evidence can also help in your recovery of non-economic damages in Andover. When a jury is faced with records and testimony from medical professionals explaining the long-term effects your injuries may have on your life, they may be more likely to understand your pain and suffering, increasing the overall award you are given.
Assessing the Value of Your Truck Accident Case in Andover, MA
Before entering into a lawsuit for a truck accident that caused you injury in Andover, you should understand the value of your case. Our attorneys can add up all damages related to the accident in question so that you know exactly how much you are entitled to.
We can start with your economic damages. These are any financial losses you have sustained because of the truck driver’s negligence. To calculate your economic damages, our lawyers will need copies of all bills and invoices you have received during the course of your medical treatment. We may also need information regarding your employment and income history to calculate your anticipated lost wages caused by the accident.
Non-economic losses are calculated differently because they do not have intrinsic monetary value. We may use various calculation methods, such as the per diem method or multiplier method, to determine an appropriate amount in compensation for your pain and suffering. In truck accident cases, there are no limits on victims’ recoveries of either economic or non-economic damages in Massachusetts.
Comparative Fault Laws and Truck Accident Lawsuits in Andover, MA
Massachusetts is a modified comparative fault state. Such laws might impede victims’ recoveries unless they anticipate and undermine a defendant’s arguments of comparative fault.
According to Mass. Gen. Laws Ch. 231, § 85, victims can sue for injury provided they are not more at fault for an accident than the defendant or defendants in their case. Should fault be attributed to victims, their compensation will be reduced proportionally.
While some truck accident claims are cut and dry, others are more complex and might call into question a victim’s involvement in a crash. To prevent the comparative fault laws in Andover from negatively impacting your recovery, we will aim to gather strong evidence of fault that shows that only the negligent party or parties named in your claim caused your injuries and damages. Such evidence might include photos taken at the accident scene, statements from witnesses, medical records from after the accident, and video footage from surveillance cameras.
Call Our Andover, MA Lawyers About Your Truck Accident Case Now
Call the Law Office of John J. Sheehan at (617) 925-6407 to get help with your case from our truck accident lawyers.