You've purchased your big rig, you've landed your first customers, and you are ready to start your career as an independent trucker. Here is why you should take the time to find a reliable attorney to work with before going on your first road trip:
Understand the Laws
One good reason to find a truck accident lawyer to work with now is to make sure that you understand all of the laws that you're required to follow as a commercial trucker.
- If you are pursuing a personal injury case, loss of consortium is likely to be part of your damages. Loss of consortium deals with the loss of the relationship and companionship you have suffered as a result of your loved one's injury. Loss of consortium can be experienced by any family member, but it features more commonly in married accident victims. Below are some of the factors that affect the loss of consortium for married couples.
- When you are injured at work and can no longer perform your job, your first worry is likely how you will meet your own financial obligations. This is when workers' compensation insurance typically comes into play. Workers' compensation insurance is a form of insurance taken out by your employer to help compensate employees when they are hurt on the job. In exchange, the employee cannot then sue the employer for medical costs and lost wages.
- Being arrested and then convicted of driving under the influence (DUI) will often mean stiff penalties. What used to be a slap on the wrist is no longer a simple traffic offense. There are several crippling punishments on offer to those who cannot prove themselves innocent of the charges, and many, just naturally, revolve around driving privileges. One increasingly common roadblock some DUI offenders encounter is the installation of an ignition interlock device.
- Making plans for how you want your medical care to be handled, if you cannot make decisions on your own, and how you want your assets distributed upon your death are two very important things to do. Therefore, making both a living will and a last will and testament are wise decisions to make, no matter what age you may be. Both of these wills are very different from the other.