After you have been in a wreck involving a semi-truck or other commercial motor vehicle, it is important to hire an attorney that is qualified to handle your case. Two of the most important factors to look for in an attorney are truck industry expertise and litigation experience. There are many lawyers that have knowledge of either trucking or litigation, but an attorney with skills in both areas is the key to winning your case.
This competence takes time to build and sets these attorneys apart. In his recent feature on an episode of Trial Lawyer Nation, Nationally Recognized Truck Accident Attorney David W. Craig speaks on the importance of familiarity with the trucking industry, how speaking with those in the industry makes you a better litigation attorney, and the steps he takes to effectively litigate truck accident cases.
The Importance of Hiring an Experienced Truck Wreck Attorney
When hiring an attorney to handle a truck wreck case, you need someone that understands that truck cases are different from other personal injury cases. The attorney representing the victim will have to deal with very sophisticated defense lawyers, insurance companies, trucking companies, and claims people that are on the side of the trucking company.
Everyone representing the trucking company has an abundance of resources to fight you, are prepared to protect their assets and the company, are required to take care of things immediately after the wreck, and have more experience than the opposing counsel for a passenger vehicle crash. Additionally, those working for the truck company are likely to try and seem like they are not at fault because it can affect their career and livelihood. Any attorney you hire must be prepared to deal with people who will do everything in their power to ensure the company wins the case.
Furthermore, your attorney should be familiar with commercial motor vehicles themselves to ensure they gather all the evidence needed after a wreck. This includes knowledge of what equipment these trucks are required to have, what makes these vehicles unfit for the road, and how to collect data from their electronic control modules. Beyond that, an attorney that is an expert in truck accident law should be familiar with the many government and industry rules and regulations that trucking companies must follow. If your attorney knows these rules, it becomes easier for them to beat the opposing counsel.
Knowledge of the Industry Makes You a Better Litigation Attorney
During David’s interview for Trial Lawyer Nation podcast, he discusses that he believes all truck litigation attorneys have a lot to learn from speaking with truck drivers and hearing their thoughts. These discussions help attorneys understand how truck drivers think and how to deal with the issues that come up in cases.
Many issues David has heard professional drivers talk about have included lack of courtesy from fellow drivers, feeling that drivers from foreign countries need more training, dislike of driver-facing cameras but understanding their necessity, the fact that many drivers do use safety equipment, and dislike of ghost drivers or trucks that are registered as tandem drivers when there is actually one driver. Learning how those in the industry feel about topics such as these can give attorneys a better sense of what is going on in the industry and how that can relate to cases.
Effectively Litigating Truck Wreck Cases
In David’s experience, the best way to effectively litigate trucking cases is through investing in resources and your legal team. One of these resources is the firm’s rapid response team, which includes a variety of experts that look for cameras, video, or businesses that may have witnessed the wreck; try to find the vehicles and send out preservation of evidence letters; a private investigator that can sit with the vehicle to prevent tampering with evidence; and more. The use of a rapid response team also helps the discovery process move quickly and ensures the right things happen, even when an attorney is not available.
Additionally, it is important to constantly invest in the firm’s legal team and help them expand their expertise. For David, this has meant constantly speaking with experts to learn new information, sending attorneys to trucking conferences and seminars to expand their knowledge, encouraging paralegals to attend the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys Symposium to build upon their experience, and hiring compassionate team members that prioritize helping clients who have gone through catastrophic events.
Investing in the necessary resources and the curation of a great legal team will ultimately help you build these cases and litigate them successfully.
Experienced Truck Accident Attorney
David W. Craig is the managing partner and one of the founders of Craig, Kelley & Faultless, a personal injury law firm headquartered in Indianapolis. Craig, Kelley & Faultless can be contacted at (888) 253-5198, and additional information can be found on the firm’s website or on Facebook and LinkedIn.
He is board-certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, accredited by the American Bar Association in Truck Accident Law. He sits on the Board of Regents of the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys. He is the managing partner and one of the founding partners of Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC. He is recognized as a Top 10 Trucking Trial Lawyer and Top 100 Trial Lawyer in Indiana by the National Trial Lawyers, as well as a Top 50 Indiana lawyer by Super Lawyers. David is the author of Semitruck Wreck, A Guide for Victims and Their Families and It’s Never Been Easier to Hire the Wrong Attorney, both written to help people navigate what comes next after a tragic wreck. He also hosts the podcast After the Crash, where you can gain valuable information about the dangers involving semis and large trucks that do not follow safety protocol regarding speed, weather conditions, maintenance upkeep, etc.
Injured After a Truck Wreck? Craig, Kelley & Faultless Can Help
Attorneys at Craig, Kelley & Faultless are prepared and have the experience to help victims and their loved ones involved in commercial vehicle wrecks through every aspect of their case. Both attorneys David W. Craig and Scott A. Faultless are board-certified in truck accident law by the NBTA, accredited by the American Bar Association. The firm also has a rapid response team that works with investigators, reconstructionists and mechanics who immediately collect evidence as soon as the firm is hired. Additionally, two of the firm’s litigation paralegals are board-certified in truck accident law by the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys.
Their team-centered approach puts client needs at the forefront, and several attorneys will work on your case to achieve the best possible outcome.
Reach out for a free case consultation today at (888) 253-5198 or online.
David W. Craig is board-certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, accredited by the American Bar Association in Truck Accident Law. He sits on the Board of Regents of the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys (which requires the board certification in truck accident law). He is the managing partner and one of the founding partners of Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC. He is recognized as a Top 10 Trucking Trial Lawyer and Top 100 Trial Lawyer in Indiana by the National Trial Lawyers, as well as a Top 50 Indiana lawyer by Super Lawyers. David is the author of Semitruck Wreck, A Guide for Victims and Their Families and It’s Never Been Easier to Hire the Wrong Attorney, both written to help people navigate what comes next after a tragic wreck. He also hosts the podcast After the Crash, where you can gain valuable information about the dangers involving semis and large trucks that do not follow safety protocol regarding speed, weather conditions, maintenance upkeep, etc.
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