Are you familiar with the misunderstandings about truck accident lawyers and the law they practice?
Truck accident lawyers work in the personal injury legal realm. Personal injury law has quite a reputation—much of what the general public knows about truck accident lawyers comes from bad jokes, the media, and limited secondhand stories. Read on as we uncover the biggest myths about truck accident lawyers:
Myth #1: Truck Accident Lawyers Are Ambulance Chasers
False! Truck accident lawyers listen to CB radio to identify nearby accidents, and then send an overworked and underpaid paralegal to hand out business cards to victims. Actually, no – they don’t do that either. But unfortunately, some people believe truck accident lawyers actually do things like this. The reality is that the vast majority of attorneys know doing something like this is in very bad taste and risks losing potential clients. Besides that, ‘ambulance chasing’ is likely in violation of professional ethical rules all attorneys must follow.
Myth #2: Truck Accident Attorneys Are Expensive
Almost all personal injury attorneys get paid on a contingency fee basis. The attorney gets only a percentage of what the client gets. In other words, the lawyer doesn’t get paid unless their client gets paid. So even though a truck accident attorney will have incurred out of pocket costs such as court fees and hiring consultants, the client doesn’t have to pay any of that unless they get a settlement or judgment.
Myth #3: Truck Accident Lawyers File Frivolous Lawsuits
Plaintiff’s lawyers are in the business of making money, so it makes no sense (or cents) to start a lawsuit they have no belief they can win. But what about lawyers who try to “extort” a settlement by filing a pointless lawsuit? Most insurance companies and defense attorneys are pretty smart and know when a plaintiff’s attorney is attempting to use this strategy. It usually doesn’t turn out very well for the attorney – judges do not take kindly to this sort of thing!
Myth #4: Truck Accident Cases Are an Easy Payday.
The ‘easy money’ myth is blatantly false for several reasons. First, the large verdicts or settlements you hear about in the news are very rare. Second, even when a truck accident attorney gets a seemingly high-value case, a lot of work is still required – and that requires substantial upfront costs paid by the attorney.
Then there’s the issue of getting the client everything they are entitled to under the law. For example, calculating lost wages, pain and suffering, and future medical costs requires the hiring of specialized consultants and medical professionals. The defendant has consultants and medical professionals too, all of whom will inevitably claim the plaintiff is entitled to a lot less money. Thus, the courtroom battle begins.
Myth #5: Truck Accident Lawyers Want to Be in Court
While it’s true that many lawyers love to stand in a courtroom and argue their client’s case, they never want to be in court if it’s not in the client’s best interest. Even with a “slam dunk” case, anything can happen with a jury. There’s also the time it takes to prepare for trial, go to numerous hearings, conduct the trial, and deal with any post-trial procedures. The time from lawsuit filing to payment made can easily take years, and that’s not including situations where the case goes to appeal.
Truck Accident Lawyers: the Bottom Line
Truck accident lawyers aren’t the bottom feeding creatures many would want you to believe. Learn more about how a truck accident lawyer can help your case by contacting our team at Wilbanks Law Firm, P.C. online.