What most people do not realize in the moments following a truck wreck is that there could be consequences to not pairing with an attorney after a Charleston truck accident. While these consequences are passive, they could still prevent you from receiving the compensation you need after you or a loved one sustained life-altering injuries. Do not take that chance. Connect with an experienced truck accident lawyer.
How Not Contacting an Attorney After a Charleston Truck Wreck Could Be a Mistake
In Charleston, and throughout the state of South Carolina, it could be a mistake to fail to contact an attorney right after a truck accident. Truck wrecks create complex cases both legally and medically. Often, both federal and state laws apply. There are federal motor carrier laws, there are commercial driver’s license laws for the truck driver, there are the South Carolina driver’s rules of the road that come into play, and many times there are other rules that apply. Whether it is rules of the state court’s authority in Charleston or whether it is some other private property like a residence or some type of military base, the laws are exceptionally dense.
Whatever the case may be, there are usually multiple layers of laws, regulations, and codes that apply that are complex and need to be fully analyzed and vetted by an experienced tractor-trailer or trucking accident attorney. To compound the complexity, typically the trailer that is hauled is heavy and has a huge load in it. When that type of weight crashes into something smaller, whether it is a pedestrian, somebody on a bicycle, somebody in a motorcycle, or somebody in a car or an SUV, typically the injuries are catastrophic, traumatic, and permanent.
To make matters worse, the other side of it is that the tractor-trailer’s company and insurance company are going to have a team of people on their side on day one. These people are in place and ready to swing into action the minute that wreck occurs. Their objective is to try to paint the case in a way that is negative for the injured party and positive for them.
Getting an experienced tractor-trailer lawyer early is the best way to protect somebody’s rights. An attorney could help preserve physical evidence from the scene of the accident, help preserve testimony from eyewitnesses and others, and help vet the federal, state, and other laws and regulations that may apply to the case.
When Should Victims Contact Attorneys?
To be safe, a good time to contact an attorney is after victims get the proper medical care and treatment they need. If they are hurt at the scene of the accident, their first priority should be their health and their safety.
The second thing is to contact an experienced lawyer to help them preserve evidence, capture testimony from eyewitnesses, make the claims in the case, make the proper filings, contact the proper administrative agencies, and fully investigate and analyze their case. That way, they have somebody that is well-versed in the law and in medicine to help them put their case in the light that is most favorable to them.
It is exceptionally important to get the lawyer involved as early as possible because to wait is to give the other side, the wrongdoer a head start. Opposing counsel and insurance company attorneys are all on call and on staff, so they are swinging into action on day one. It is best to get somebody on their side to try to balance out that equation and make it a fairer fight.
They should get that lawyer involved as soon as they are able to once they have sought medical treatment. Within the hours or the day after the accident would be a good time to reach out to that lawyer to help protect their interests.
Speak with an Attorney
The consequences of not pairing with an attorney after a Charleston truck accident are numerous. Because of the sheer number of federal and state regulations that govern trucks, these cases are inherently complex. Better your odds of a favorable outcome with the help of an attorney.
