Families have clear legal rights after fatal truck accidents in Alabama. If you have tragically lost a loved one, you should promptly consult with a Birmingham wrongful death lawyer about seeking to hold the at-fault party (or parties) fully accountable. In this scenario, it costs nothing out of pocket to hire a lawyer to assert your family’s legal rights.
In today’s world, fatal truck accidents should not happen. Truck drivers and trucking companies have access to more than enough technology to avoid putting other motorists in harm’s way.
Yet, from distracted driving to inadequate truck maintenance, fatal truck accidents continue to happen for numerous reasons that could—and should—be avoided.
With this being the case, families that have lost loved ones in fatal truck accidents will often have clear grounds to seek liability. Trucking companies, truck manufacturers, and other parties can all be held fully accountable when warranted. Hiring an experienced Birmingham wrongful death lawyer is the first step in the process, and while it can be difficult, it is important to start as soon as possible.
What Are Your Family’s Legal Rights After a Fatal Truck Accident?
If you have tragically lost a loved one in a fatal truck accident in Alabama, your family has clear legal rights. Under Alabama’s wrongful death laws, your family’s legal rights include:
1. The Right to Find Out What Happened
Your family has the right to find out why the accident happened. You are entitled to know what went wrong, and you are entitled to gather the evidence needed to pinpoint the specific issue (or issues) that led to your loved one’s untimely death.
2. The Right to Find Out Who (or What Company) is to Blame
Your family also has the right to find out who (or what company) is to blame. While truck driver negligence is among the leading causes of fatal truck accidents, various other parties could also be responsible for your loved one’s fatal accident. These include the truck’s manufacturer, a maintenance company that worked on the truck, and the company that loaded the truck’s cargo, among others.
3. The Right to Seek Accountability
Once your family’s wrongful death lawyer determines who (or what company) is to blame, your family can seek full accountability under Alabama law. If multiple parties share liability for the accident, your family can seek just compensation from each at-fault party.
How Do You Assert Your Family’s Legal Rights?
Asserting your family’s legal rights after a fatal truck accident is a multi-step process. While your family’s wrongful death lawyer will be able to explain everything you need to know about the process of seeking accountability, for now, the key steps in the process include:
- Engage a Law Firm to Conduct a Comprehensive Investigation – The first step is engaging a law firm to conduct a comprehensive investigation. It is important to launch an investigation promptly, as tire marks, debris, and other types of evidence can disappear if they are not promptly preserved.
- File a Lawsuit to Preserve Your Family’s Legal Rights – Along with conducting a comprehensive investigation, your family’s law firm can also file a lawsuit to preserve your family’s legal rights. Filing an insurance claim does not preserve your family’s legal rights, and it is important to protect your family’s ability to go to court if necessary.
- Go Through the Insurance Claims Process – While it is important to protect your family’s ability to go to court, most wrongful death cases are handled through the insurance claims process. Your family’s law firm will deal with each of the insurance companies involved and use the available evidence to establish your family’s claim for coverage.
- Make Informed Decisions About Settlement – If a settlement offer is on the table, you and your family members will need to make an informed decision about whether to accept. This requires the advice of an experienced lawyer who has your family’s best interests in mind.
- Take Your Family’s Case to Court if Necessary – If it is not in your family’s best interests to settle, seeking accountability may ultimately involve taking your family’s case to court. In this scenario, it will be critical to have a lawyer who is intimately familiar with the details of your family’s case.
FAQs: Protecting Your Family’s Legal Rights After a Fatal Truck Accident
When can (and should) family members sue for a fatal truck accident?
Family members can sue for fatal truck accidents in a wide range of circumstances. If you have lost a loved one in a fatal collision, we strongly recommend speaking with an experienced wrongful death lawyer who can help you decide whether to take legal action.
What is involved in filing a wrongful death claim after a fatal truck accident?
Filing a wrongful death claim after a fatal truck accident is a complex process that often involves a mix of dealing with the insurance companies and going to court. Grieving family members can (and should) hire a lawyer to handle their claims for them at no out-of-pocket cost.
What if the insurance companies try to blame my loved one for the accident?
Unfortunately, this is not uncommon. If the insurance companies try to blame your loved one for causing the accident, our lawyers can help prove what really happened and fight to hold the insurance companies duly accountable.
How Our Law Firm Helps Grieving Families in Alabama
We know that coping with the unexpected loss of a loved one is extraordinarily difficult. But we also know that it is critically important for grieving families to take legal action when warranted. Our law firm can handle your family’s fatal truck accident claim, and we will keep you updated, informed, and involved as necessary throughout the process.
Discuss Your Family’s Legal Rights with an Experienced Birmingham Wrongful Death Lawyer for Free
To speak with a Birmingham wrongful death lawyer about your loved one’s fatal truck accident, contact us today. Call us at 205-855-2745 or tell us how we can reach you online to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation.