File a claim as soon as you can after the wreck for better chances of a stronger case and a successful resolution. There are few key reasons why promptly filing 18-wheeler wreck cases can serve victims’ best interests. Those include (but are not limited to) the facts that:
Key evidence may not be available for long: Witnesses can forget or move. Accident photos can get lost or destroyed. And important records related to a tractor-trailer, its cargo, or its motor carrier can go missing. So, if you drag your feet and wait too long to file, you could be making it more difficult for yourself to present a strong case and win the damages you may deserve.
At-fault parties may already be mounting their defense case: If insurance companies, motor carriers, or others anticipate a truck accident lawsuit, they can get to work ASAP after a crash, sending out quick response teams to gather evidence and start building a defense against victims’ claims even as the dust from the crash is still settling. Again, waiting to file can mean you end up facing more challenges with a claim because you’ll be going up against a much more prepared (and likely formidable) defense.
State law limits the time to file big rig accident cases: You only have two years in Texas to file an 18-wheeler accident case. That is not a lot of time, especially when claims involve more complex circumstances, multiple vehicles, and/or catastrophic injuries.
Remember, you do not need to know all of the details, who’s liable, or the exact extent of your injuries before you file a claim. You also don’t need to pursue legal action alone — an experienced truck accident attorney can file and oversee your case for you, working on contingency so that legal fees don’t hold you back from exercising your rights to justice.