Columbus Truck Accident Lawyer

If you’ve sustained serious injuries in a truck collision, a Columbus truck accident lawyer can help you navigate the lawsuit process to obtain the compensation you deserve.

At The Fitch Law Firm, our Columbus personal injury lawyers are dedicated to helping you file for compensation related to your injuries. We will carefully review your case and begin assessing your damages, which may include pain and suffering, medical expenses, and lost wages. Let us help you navigate this challenging time and advocate for your rights.

Our Columbus truck accident lawyers at The Fitch Law Firm, LLC, have more than 30 years of experience when it comes to advocating for accident victims. We have won million-dollar verdicts and settlements for our clients, and we aim to fight for fair compensation on your behalf as well.

How Can a Columbus Truck Accident Lawyer Help

If you were seriously injured in a truck accident in Columbus, Ohio, or anywhere in Ohio, you could be eligible to recover economic and non-economic damages related to your situation. We will use supporting documentation to prove their costs. We’ve handled cases with the following types of trucks:

Columbus Semi-Truck Accident Lawyer: Semi-trucks are large commercial vehicles designed for hauling goods across long distances. These trucks typically consist of a cab (the “semi”) and a separate trailer that carries cargo. Due to their size and weight, semi-trucks can be extremely dangerous in accidents, causing severe injuries or fatalities when they collide with smaller vehicles. Accidents involving semi-trucks can result in a wide range of complex legal issues, including the determination of liability, trucking regulations, and the trucking company’s responsibility for the driver’s actions.

Columbus Big Rig Truck Accident Lawyer: Big rigs are another term commonly used for large commercial trucks that are designed to transport substantial loads of goods. The term “big rig” refers to the combination of the truck’s cab and trailer. Big rigs can weigh up to 80,000 pounds when fully loaded, and their size makes them prone to certain types of accidents, including jackknife accidents, rollovers, and underride collisions. Collisions with big rigs often result in catastrophic injuries, including spinal cord damage, traumatic brain injuries, and amputations.

Columbus 18-Wheeler Accident Lawyer: 18-wheelers are a specific type of semi-truck that is recognized by their 18 wheels. These trucks are typically used for long-distance transportation and are some of the largest vehicles on the road. An 18-wheeler’s size and weight can make it difficult for drivers to maneuver safely, especially when navigating sharp turns, making quick stops, or in inclement weather. Because of their size, 18-wheelers are more likely to cause multi-vehicle accidents, including pile-ups, when involved in collisions.

Columbus Tractor Trailer Accident Lawyer: Tractor trailers are the large commercial vehicles commonly seen on highways. They consist of a tractor unit, which is the engine, and a trailer that is attached to it. These trucks are used to transport everything from consumer goods to raw materials. Tractor trailers are often involved in highway accidents due to their size and the heavy loads they carry. They are also prone to issues such as improper braking, tire blowouts, or cargo shifts that can lead to accidents.

Economic Damages

Economic damages are losses that have financial value. These types of damages include:

• Medical bills: This includes expenses related to treating your injuries, such as costs for hospitalization, medications, in-home nursing, physical therapy, doctor’s appointments, and surgeries.
• Lost income: If your injuries caused you to miss time from work, you might be able to recover the monetary losses of your missing wages, tips, benefits, and bonuses.
• Loss of future earning capacity: You may also be able to recover the difference in your income if your injuries force you to take a lower-paying job.
• Property damage costs: The truck accident may have totaled or damaged your car. You may be able to recover the cost of replacing or repairing your vehicle.
• Childcare costs: If your injuries impede your ability to take care of your children, you may be able to recover compensation for the cost of their care and supervision.

For these types of damages, we may use different financial documents to prove their value. For example, we can use bill invoices, tax forms, and receipts to calculate your losses.

Non-Economic Damages

Your non-economic damages are losses that relate to your accident’s physical and emotional consequences, for example, a loss of enjoyment of life. While these losses are compensable, they do not have pre-determined monetary values.

These types of damages include:

• Pain and suffering: This type of damage refers to the turmoil you face because of your injuries, whether that involves physical or emotional pain.
• Mental anguish: You may be able to be compensated for the anxiety, depression, emotional distress, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) you experience because of the truck collision.
• Scarring and disfigurement: If severe injuries change the way you look, you may be able to receive compensation for this hardship.
• Permanent disability: If your injuries impact your day-to-day living for a prolonged period, we can determine the impact of your injuries on your daily function.
• Loss of consortium: If your injuries negatively affect your relationship with your spouse, we could include this loss in your compensation demands.

This is not a complete list of recoverable damages. Our team can go over which damages are compensable in Ohio and then help you itemize and assign financial value to each damage you claim in your case.

Understanding Damages in Truck Accident Cases

Tractor-trailer accidents can be deadly for occupants in smaller vehicles, motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians. In most cases, the collision’s impact is too powerful for them to brace against.

If you lost a loved one in a truck accident, we extend our deepest condolences to you and understand that you may be overwhelmed with grief at this time.

We hope to support you during this challenging period and serve as your representative so that we can relieve you of the burden of building your case. In addition, we can help you pursue other damages through a wrongful death action. These damages may include:

• Funeral expenses: We can fight for the costs to arrange your loved one’s funeral, including fees for their burial or cremation.
• Loss of financial support: If your loved one contributed to the family’s collective income, we might be able to recover this loss to help you and your family maintain or achieve stability.
• Loss of parental guidance: Losing a parent has lifelong consequences, as they can never be replaced. We aim to fight for compensation to reflect the loss you or your child may be suffering.
• Loss of companionship and consortium: If the victim was your spouse, you can fight to be compensated for losing your life partner, which may impact your ability to create or support your family and have your emotional needs met. [[We can explain how wrongful death lawsuits work in Ohio during a free consultation.

Why Choose a Columbus Truck Accident Lawyer from The Fitch Law Firm

If you suffered any injuries or losses after a truck accident, you should hire legal representation as soon as you can. With so many firms to choose from, we can give you three main reasons why you should hire a personal injury lawyer from our team to handle your truck accident claim. Those reasons include:

We Have Secured Millions for Injured Claimants Throughout Ohio

We are no strangers to the negotiations and litigation process. When we take on your case, you can rest easy knowing we’ll do everything in our power to recover damages for you.

At The Fitch Law Firm LLC, our personal injury attorneys have won million-dollar and other high-value verdicts and settlements for automobile accident cases, with some of the case results including:

• $1.45 million for a client who suffered leg and ankle injuries in a vehicle accident
• $1 million for another client who suffered a TBI after colliding with a truck

We aim to pursue compensation that appropriately covers your damages based on the calculations we make when reviewing your case.

We Can Hire Experts to Provide Testimony on Your Behalf

Our Columbus legal team works with a network of industry professionals who can provide specific insight into your case. When we build your truck accident case, we will consult with these field professionals and record their analysis as testimony for your case. Legally speaking, these individuals would serve as “expert witnesses” on your behalf.

Expert witnesses could  include:

• Accident reconstruction specialists: Reconstruction specialists use math, science, and engineering to recreate collisions. Often, these experts give us valuable information regarding who (or what) caused a crash.
• Health care providers: We can talk to doctors to better understand your condition. With your permission, they can also help us review your medical records and determine the impact of the collision on your life.
• Economists: The accident may threaten your financial stability both now and in the future. To calculate the cost of your anticipated expenses, we can talk to economists to assess the value of your accident-related losses.
• Vocational rehabilitation specialist: If your injuries affect your ability to work, we can bring in an expert to assess your likelihood of finding new employment or returning to your previous position.

If your Columbus truck accident case might benefit from insight from other industry experts, we may work to find and consult these individuals to add their testimonies to your evidence file.

Our Team Will Build Your Columbus Truck Accident Case

When you hire a truck accident lawyer from our firm, our team works together to build your case. Our main office is located in Columbus, Ohio, and we can speak with you in consultations either in person or remotely—whichever is easiest for you.

As our client, you can leave the hard work to us and focus on your health instead. Our team can manage your case for you, which includes:

• Giving you updates on your case’s progression
• Negotiating a potential settlement with the negligent parties
• Investigating the cause of your accident [Explaining how state and federal laws apply to your case and answering your questions
• Managing all emails, phone calls, and text messages with involved parties
• Calculating the cost of your damages, both now and in the future
• Filing a lawsuit, if necessary, and representing you in court

Your goals are our goals. You are not just another client or case number to us.

How Our Columbus Truck Accident Lawyers Can Help You Seek Compensation

From the moment you entrust us with your case, you can rest assured that it is in good hands. At The Fitch Law Firm LLC, our years of experience have taught us valuable things about the ins and outs of Ohio state law. Our team of trucking accident lawyers can help you by:

Navigating Ohio’s Personal Injury Laws

The personal injury landscape is full of intricate laws and regulations, some of which are changing all the time. Even if you have a basic understanding of these laws, you could be at a disadvantage when representing yourself. Our team can evaluate your case and determine how Ohio’s laws affect these factors:

• How long you have to file your case
• Whether there are “caps” on how much you can pursue in non-economic damages
• Whether state or federal trucking laws apply to your situation
• How the state determines fault

Trucking companies have lawyers, and they may have separate legal teams if their business spans multiple states. When fighting for the compensation you need, going up against commercial lawyers can be arduous and intimidating.

Allow our team to take on that burden for you. We can review how Ohio law might apply to your case and explain your rights as we build it.

Advising You on Your Next Steps

If you have never filed a personal injury case before or are unfamiliar with relevant laws pertaining to accident cases, it can be challenging to make confident legal decisions on your own. Many people feel intimidated by Ohio’s legal system, which is why one of our duties as your representative is to break these complex theories down in a way that you can understand.

With our guidance, you do not have to do any guesswork when deciding how to move forward with your truck accident case.

We Will Advise You Throughout Your Case

A lawyer from our team serving Columbus can discuss your options so that you can make informed decisions.

We will advise you on:

• Whether you should give a recorded statement about how the Columbus, OH, truck collision happened
• Whether you should continue negotiating for a higher settlement deal with the opposing party’s insurance company
• Whether you should consider filing a personal injury lawsuit about your truck accident based on how negotiations are panning out or the other party’s policy
• Whether an insurance settlement offer you receive is fair to you based on your truck accident damages
• What measures can be taken to protect your legal rights
• What information you should share if you are called on to testify in court

Keep in mind that while your lawyer and other members of our team may advise you at different stages of your case, we remain your representative. That means you make all legal decisions. We serve your legal interests and shall remain transparent about what legal moves you can make to potentially achieve them.

Investigating Your Columbus Truck Accident Case and Gathering Evidence

When our Columbus truck accident lawyer presents your case to the insurer, there should be evidence to support your claims.

By conducting an investigation, our lawyer and legal team can collect the following pieces of information to prove why the opposing party should be held liable for the truck accident and the injuries you suffered:

• The police report
• Traffic camera footage (if available)
• Diagrams of the accident scene
• Your medical records
• Photos of your vehicle, injuries, and the accident scene
• Testimony from eyewitnesses and your healthcare team
• Commercial drivers’ logbooks
• Black box data
• Expert testimony

With the evidence we find, we aim to prove that you are entitled to compensation for your losses. Our Columbus truck accident lawyer can also send a spoliation letter to the trucking company or any party that possesses evidence that could support your case for damages. We can seek to obtain traffic camera accident footage from local law enforcement or state agencies and subpoena any party that may have surveillance footage of the collision. While these processes take time to carry out, we can take care of them while you recover the crash. We will work to ensure you have the evidence you need to prove your damages from the truck accident in Columbus.

We Will Provide You With Timely Case Updates

When someone asks you how your case is going, we want you to give them an affirmative answer. We do not want you to “be in the dark” about your case. We will send you regular updates via phone call, text message, or email.

We also encourage you to contact us if you have any questions about your case’s progression. You and your truck accident lawyer are a team. You can ask them or another team member anything you want about your case as it evolves.

Handling Your Truck Accident Case in Columbus, Ohio

Our team can manage everything involved with bringing your case to completion. This includes everything from negotiating a settlement to bringing your case to trial in Ohio. You do not need to feel alone with us on your side. Let us take on your case while you get back on your feet.

You Generally Have Two Years to Sue for Damages in a Columbus Truck Accident Lawsuit in Ohio

Claims are different from lawsuits. Claims are filed with insurance companies, while lawsuits are brought before the courts. Ohio Revised Code Section 2305.10 states that you generally have two years from the date of your truck accident to file your claim in civil court.

In some cases, you might have more time to take action. This could be the case if:

• You were injured as a minor in the truck accident.
• You were involved in a hit-and-run accident, and the trucker hid their identity.
• The negligent truck driver left the state.

A lawyer from our firm can explain how the statute of limitations applies to your truck accident case. They can also file your claim or lawsuit on time so that you do not miss your chance to recover damages.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Columbus Truck Accident Lawyer?

The experienced team of lawyers at The Fitch Law Firm LLC work on a contingency fee basis. For clients like you, this means:

You Do Not Pay Any Attorney’s Fees Up Front

We understand that being injured in a truck accident can strain your financial resources. However, everything, from your first consultation to litigating your case in court, is done with no out-of-pocket cost to you when we take your case.

In our contingency fee agreement, our truck accident law firm agrees to postpone our attorney’s fees to the end of your case and only if we win your case. We discuss our terms and what we intend to do to build your case during your first consultation, which is free so that there are no surprises from our end at any point during your legal journey.

You Pay Us Out of Your Settlement or Court Award

Many lawyers work on an hourly basis, which can be out of accident victims’ budgets when facing other financial burdens. Because our firm works on contingency, we do not charge by the hour. Instead, we take a portion of your case’s earnings if we recover compensation for you.

When you decide to work with us, we will lay out our payment plan that includes a percentage of the money we win for you. We determine this percentage based on the responsibilities involved in building your case and discuss this figure with you before working on your case.

If You Do Not Recover Compensation, You Do Not Pay Attorney’s Fees

If we take your case, we do so because we are confident that we will “win” it. However, if we cannot secure compensation for you, you will not be obligated to pay our attorney’s fees.

Our team has a special incentive when it comes to winning your case. We work hard to win our clients’ cases because their interests are ultimately our own. By working with The Fitch Law Firm LLC, you can gain the team effort of multiple legal workers fighting for your compensation.

Who Is Liable for Your Columbus, OH, Truck Accident?

Who is liable for your truck accident will depend on the specifics of your situation. Liability and fault are two separate things. The liable party will pay for your losses. The at-fault party is the one who caused it.

The odds are that the liable party in your case will be the trucking company’s insurer. However, if the at-fault party was self-employed, you may be able to file a claim with their insurance carrier. Some trucking cases involve multiple parties in addition to the driver and/or the company that employs them. These include the truck or truck parts manufacturer, the cargo loading company, a truck repair mechanic or maintenance shop, and the government entity that maintains the roads where the accident took place. Our Columbus truck accident lawyer will identify all potentially liable parties that could compensate you for your losses and request damages from each one.

How the Insurance Claims Process Works in Ohio

The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) says all motorists, even those who operate commercial vehicles, must carry auto insurance. Because Ohio is a fault state under Ohio Revised Code Section 2315.33, you would file a claim with the at-fault party’s insurer after a crash. If the insurance company refused to pay for your losses, you would proceed with a lawsuit.

Most trucking companies do not want to go to court. This is because litigation is time-consuming and expensive. So, you will likely be able to resolve your case through an insurance settlement. The specific value of your losses will depend on:

• How severely you were injured.
• How much you had to pay for your economic damages.
• Your quality of life.

How We Can Help You Deal With the Liable Party

While you recover from your injuries, our team will employ the following measures to secure compensation:

• Determine the cost of your losses
• Write and send your demand letter
• Recognize and protect you against bad faith insurance practices
• Negotiate a settlement deal
• Manage all communications
• Advise you on what constitutes a “fair” settlement offer

Dealing with the liable party should be the last thing on your mind right now. Let a personal injury lawyer from our team handle it for you so that you can spend time with those close to you.

How Long Does It Take to Resolve a Columbus, OH, Truck Accident Case?

There is no standard time for how long it takes to resolve a personal injury case. Depending on your situation, it could take days, weeks, or even months.

The progression of your case will depend on various things, such as:

The Insurance Company’s Cooperation

When you file your claim, the insurance company will either:

• Accept your claim and award you compensation
• Deny your claim and refuse to pay for anything
• Present a counteroffer that may be less than what you want

Some insurance representatives are experts at wasting time. They may refuse to answer or return your calls promptly, continuously request irrelevant information, or shuffle your claim around from person to person.

You have rights under Ohio Revised Code Section 3901-1-54. We fight against the insurance company’s attempts to violate them and move your case forward.

Your Recovery

We will advise you against accepting a settlement offer until you have reached maximum medical improvement (MMI). This is because if you require additional treatment after negotiating your settlement, the insurance company would not be responsible for those expenses.

Your recovery period could play a role in the resolution of your case. Our team will do everything in our power to move your case forward.

Fault for Your Accident

For some truck accident cases, the fault is clear-cut. Other times, however, things get a bit more complicated. If it is unclear who caused your accident, this could delay the claims process.

A truck accident attorney from our team can gather all the necessary evidence to prove that another party caused your accident. Then, they will present this information to the insurer when negotiating a settlement.

What Should You Do After Being Injured in a Truck Accident in Columbus, Ohio?

After being injured in a truck accident, your primary concern should be your health. Visit a health care provider if you have not already done so. This serves two purposes:

• It ensures that you receive the medical attention that you need.
• The paperwork you collect can prove that you were hurt in the collision.

Below are some other measures that could help promote the progression of your case. Keep in mind that our lawyers can accomplish many of these tasks for you, such as:

Filing a Claim

The Ohio Department of Insurance (ODI) says you should file your claim as soon as possible. This promotes a smooth financial recovery process, and it also reduces the chance of the insurance company contesting the cause of your injuries.

We can file your claim on time with all its appropriate paperwork. You will not even need to talk to the claims adjuster with The Fitch Law Firm LLC on your side.

Requesting the Police Report

In Ohio, you are required to file a police report if someone was injured or killed due to a collision. You will want to request a copy of the police report as soon as possible from the City of Columbus to verify its information. The insurance company might use even the slightest error to refute your claim.

We can request a copy of the police accident report for you. We can also verify its information to make sure that it accurately reflects what happened.

Compiling Evidence

To file a successful claim or lawsuit, you will need evidence to back up your side of the story. Immediately following the truck crash, you will start accumulating pieces of evidence. You should keep this information in a safe place and give it to your truck accident lawyer in Columbus.

Some vital pieces of information that we can use to prove the cause of your accident include:

• Receipts, billing statements, and invoices related to your medical expenses
• The names of your prescription medications
• Correspondence between yourself and the insurer
• Your follow-up doctor’s appointments
• Car repair estimates

You do not have to worry about investigating your own personal injury case. At The Fitch Law Firm LLC, our lawyers lead investigations to get the information necessary to build our clients’ cases. We will get to the bottom of what happened and develop your case according to our findings.

Get a Free Consultation with a Columbus Truck Accident Lawyer Today

When you call our team today, we can provide you with more information about how we can handle your truck accident or motor vehicle accident case. This is your opportunity to get to know our team and ask questions, including:

• What happens if the insurance adjuster denies my claim?
• How much are my pain and suffering worth?
• What is the average settlement for a truck accident case?
• What happens if I partially caused my accident?
• What are examples of bad-faith insurance practices?

Call The Fitch Law Firm LLC today to speak with a member of our team and to schedule a free consultation.