What Can I Expect In My Truck Accident Case?

It’s hard to know what to expect in personal injury lawsuit related to a truck accident. If you’re like most people, you never anticipated having to take legal action. Having to do so can feel overwhelming, especially at a time when your world has been turned upside down by a personal injury or the wrongful death of a loved one. Here’s what to expect from us — Summers, Rufolo & Rodgers — in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

We will give you a roadmap in your truck accident case, so you know exactly what to expect. When we meet with you for a free and confidential consultation, we’ll talk with you about your truck accident and we’ll help you understand your options. We will explain what the process is like, when settlement might be an option and how we might handle things at trial.

Throughout the course of your truck accident lawsuit, there will be various things that need to be done and deadlines that need to be met. You may be asked to complete lists of questions called interrogatories. You may also be asked to attend an interview called a deposition.

Your lawyer will take the responsibility for all of this, and nothing will come as a surprise. You’ll never be asked to do something that you don’t understand. You’ll never be asked to do something without your lawyer’s support. We will guide you through the entire process, from the moment we take your case until matters are resolved.

We will help you, take care of you and put you at ease. We understand that recovery from a truck accident is often a low point in a person’s life. Our clients face physical pain, financial worries and legal stresses. For many, life has been completely changed. When you work with us, you can expect that we will do everything possible to put you at ease and support you through your personal injury lawsuit.

For example, we stay in touch with you and make sure you’re getting the medical attention you need. We tell our clients to call us after they visit their doctors. Many call us on the way home, and we discuss what happened, what the doctor said and what your next steps are. With your permission, we can then follow up with the doctor to make sure all the important facts are documented in your medical records.

We will thoroughly prepare your case for trial. Your medical records are just one part of your case. We also work hard to collect a full range of information that can help your case. If we can, we will send experts to the scene of the accident to investigate the skid marks and debris. We will make sure that evidence gets preserved as much as possible, and that the damaged vehicles are examined.

We review police reports, truck driver logbooks, truck maintenance records and medical records. We look for potential mechanical defects on the truck or a history of driver misconduct. Was the truck driver who hit you under the influence of drugs or alcohol? Was he or she sleep deprived? Was the truck improperly maintained? We find out.

Attorneys at our firm also talk with witnesses as soon as possible, while their memories are still fresh. We hire experts, including accident reconstructionists, who can tell us how the accident happened, as well as economic experts who can estimate the total financial impact on your life.

We will be in close contact throughout your case. Our attorneys will be available by phone, email or in person when you need us. This close communication is something that’s often noted by our past clients. They often recommend us to other accident survivors because we obtain the best possible results and because we thoroughly and completely communicate with our clients as much as they need.

Unlike other larger firms, you will work directly with the experienced attorney you hired — not just an inexperienced associate or paralegal. When you pick up the phone to call your lawyer, you will be able to talk directly with your lawyer. And if we’re in court, we will return your call as soon as possible.

To get started, we encourage you to call us as soon as possible at 423-265-2385. You can also complete our online contact form. Consultations are free and confidential.