If you have been injured in a truck accident, it is difficult enough trying to recover from serious injuries, but the stress of watching medical bills pile up and losing income from being unable to work during your recovery adds additional stress that can hamper your recovery. On top of all that, you may also be getting bombarded with messages from the trucking company’s insurance carrier, as well as your own insurance company, looking for information.
This is why many car accident victims turn to a Virginia personal injury attorney. Your attorney can advocate for you with the insurance companies, allowing you to focus on your recovery and healing
Forms You May Be Presented With
Another reason why you should have a truck accident attorney representing you is that insurance companies will often do all they can to avoid paying victims the financial compensation they are entitled to for the losses their injuries have caused them. There are certain tactics insurance companies are known to use in order to justify low settlement amounts and even deny valid claims.
One such tactic is to convince the injured victim that they are required to sign certain forms in order to move ahead with the claim. Under no circumstances should any victim agree to sign anything without consulting with a Virginia truck accident attorney first. The following are some of the more common documents the insurance company may want you to sign.
Medical Authorization Release Form
In order to be compliant with HIPAA regulations, the insurance company will ask you to sign a medical authorization release form so they can search for evidence of any previous incidents or existing conditions that would explain the injuries that you incurred in the crash. They do this as an attempt to prove that the injuries already existed and were not caused by the accident.
Do not sign this form. Your Virginia truck accident attorney will assist you in gathering all pertinent medical records and bills to prove that the injuries were caused by the crash.
Release of Liability Form
Before a victim receives a check for any settlement amount, the insurance company requires them to sign a release of liability form. Once this form is signed, the claim is closed, and the insurance company and at-fault party have no further obligation for any additional expenses or losses that could arise.
A victim should never sign this form or accept a settlement amount without consulting with a personal injury attorney to make sure they are receiving the full amount of damages they are entitled to.
Property Damage Release
There was likely damage done to your vehicle and other property from the crash that the insurance company is also responsible for reimbursing you for. Just like the release of liability form for injuries, once a victim signs a property damage release form, their claim is closed. You also want to make sure your attorney evaluates any property damage offers before you accept and sign a release.
Contact a Virginia Truck Accident Lawyer
If you have suffered injuries in a truck accident, it is important to contact a Virginia truck accident attorney to find out what legal options you may have. Truck accidents are often more complex than other types of vehicle accidents since there may be more than one at-fault party.
At Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp, we are dedicated to helping injured clients obtain the compensation they deserve for their medical bills, lost income, and other losses their injuries have caused. Call our office today to schedule a free case evaluation.
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