How Long Does an 18-Wheeler Lawsuit Take in Louisiana? 2025

After a commercial truck accident, filing an insurance claim is an effective way for injured people to recover the financial losses from the accident. When you are hurt because of another person’s negligence, you often want to secure compensation immediately. However, this means you are unlikely to recover fair compensation.

Every case is unique, and many factors affect the timeline of a claim. You may wonder, “How long does an 18-wheeler lawsuit take in Louisiana?” It may be resolved in a period of several weeks or months, or it may take years to resolve.

Your Medical Treatment and Recovery Period

Truck accidents can result in serious injuries. The treatment for catastrophic and disabling injuries can take a lot of time, which may directly translate to the length of your claim. The costs of this medical treatment are included in the settlement, as well as future medical bills and the long-term costs of physical therapy or other rehabilitative treatment. If you want to understand all the legal guidelines related to this type of case, hiring a skilled truck accident lawyer is the best choice, as they can help you understand the legal aspects and work towards securing maximum compensation.

Individuals should wait until they reach maximum medical improvement to resolve a settlement, as it means you can more accurately calculate all of these long-term damages. It is difficult to determine the total consequences of an injury if you have not fully recovered. After a truck accident, you may be waiting a while to reach the maximum medical improvement stage. The claim should not be resolved while you are still recovering; however, you should document all treatment that occurs throughout. A qualified personal injury lawyer can help ensure that all legal processes are executed on time and help you get the full compensation you deserve for your recovery.

Complexity of Your Case

Many truck accident claims are complex, making them take longer to navigate and resolve. There are many reasons why a truck accident claim may be more complicated and take more time to secure compensation than other claims. These include:

Type of Insurance Company

A truck accident can be caused by many different parties, and the at-fault party can affect how the claim is filed. If the driver of a smaller motor vehicle is at fault, then claims are filed with their personal car insurance. While it is often easier to deal with these insurers, the coverage limits are much lower and may be unable to cover the full extent of the damages from a serious truck accident.

If the truck company or truck driver is to blame, then the claim is filed with the commercial insurance carrier the employer or trucking company uses. These commercial carriers have higher coverage limits but can be much more aggressive to avoid paying out the full value of these claims. Negotiating with a commercial carrier can take more time and effort to secure a fair settlement.

Number of Parties Involved

Truck accidents often involve numerous parties, especially if the truck accident is a rollover or a jackknife accident. When many parties are injured, there are more insurers involved in the investigation and negotiation of covering those injuries. This can make negotiations more complex and last longer to determine which parties are to blame for the crash.

Number of At-Fault Parties

Truck accidents can be the result of the negligence of numerous parties, including the trucking company, a third-party shipping or loading company, the owner of the truck, the manufacturer of a car part, or any of the drivers in the accident. Any one of these parties can be liable. Multiple parties may also have contributed to the accident. Investigating and uncovering these at-fault parties takes time.

When numerous parties are involved, you can recover portions of your compensation from each at-fault party. While this can enable you to secure the most compensation possible, it also makes the process more complicated. There may be several insurers, all of whom want to limit their own liability.

Importance of Legal Representation

The support of an attorney can make a big difference in how long a case takes. To have a successful claim, you must gather evidence of fault and evidence of the damages you sustained. Attorneys have the resources and experience to gather this evidence in an efficient and thorough manner.

Without an attorney, you are more likely to be offered a settlement that does not cover the true value of your damages. Once you accept, you will be unable to recover any future compensation. An attorney can work on securing the compensation you deserve, even if that means taking the claim to court. This makes the claim take longer but is often more beneficial. The average truck accident settlement in Louisiana depends on factors like the severity of your injuries, medical expenses, lost wages, and the degree of fault involved. An experienced lawyer can help determine the potential value of your case and work to ensure you receive fair compensation.

FAQs

How Long Does It Take to File a Claim Against a Trucking Company?

Each case is unique, and your case against a trucking company may take longer depending on its complexity. Negotiating with a trucking company’s commercial insurance company is more difficult than with non-commercial insurers because these companies have additional resources.

Working with an experienced attorney can help you navigate this process more effectively and protect your rights during the process. An attorney can also provide a more accurate estimate of a claim timeline.

How Much Are Most Truck Accident Settlements?

Most truck accident settlements are higher in value than the average motor vehicle accident due to the severe and often catastrophic injuries they cause. However, every case is unique, so knowing the value of other settlements will not tell you the value of your own settlement. An attorney can calculate the economic and non-economic losses from your injuries and property damage. Accident settlements also rely on other factors like insurance coverage limits or if you were partially at fault.

How Long Does an Accident Affect Your Insurance in Louisiana?

How long an accident affects your insurance in Louisiana will depend on the insurer you have. It is important to review your insurance policy and determine if there are limits and requirements for accident claims.

This only applies if you were found liable for the accident. If you were not at fault, an insurer is legally not allowed to increase your rates. An insurer cannot add surcharges or cancel your policy due to accidents that were not your fault.

What Does a Lawyer Charge from a Truck Accident Settlement?

Lawyers typically charge a contingency fee for truck accident settlements, which is a percentage of the settlement. This percentage varies and may be higher for more complex cases, cases that take significant time to resolve, and cases that are settled in a trial verdict. This is because these cases require much more work from an attorney.

Contact Murphy Law Firm to Get Defense Related to Truck Accident Cases

However, you are more likely to recover substantially more compensation when you work with an attorney than when you do not have legal support.

If you need effective legal support after a truck accident, contact Murphy Law Firm today.