What is a legal complaint in truck accident cases?
Truck Accidents - July 22, 2025
What is a legal complaint in truck accident cases? If a truck driver has caused your injuries, a legal complaint is a personal injury lawsuit. It can be incredibly helpful to hire a Chicago truck accident lawyer to assist you in drafting and submitting the complaint correctly. Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates can provide experienced representation throughout the entirety of your case.
What is included in a legal complaint?
When you file a legal complaint after a truck accident, you’re officially starting a lawsuit against the party or parties who contributed to the accident and your injuries. Your complaint has to include key details that explain what happened, who is responsible, and what you’re asking the court to award.
A legal complaint typically includes:
- The names of the responsible parties: The driver, the trucking company, or others who contributed to the accident.
- A detailed account of the accident: How the truck crash happened, including the type of truck crash and contributing factors.
- A description of your injuries: The physical, emotional, and financial impact the accident has had on you.
- The damages you are seeking: This includes compensation for medical expenses, property damage, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other losses.
Your truck accident attorney will make sure every required detail is included so your case has the strongest possible foundation in court.
What happens before a legal complaint is submitted?
More than likely, you are pursuing legal action because the settlement offers you received from the opposing party’s insurance coverage were insufficient to cover your losses. When starting this process, it’s important to hire a truck accident attorney to investigate the accident and acquire the evidence you will need to include in your legal complaint.
Your lawyer will review police reports, your medical records, the truck’s black box data, and other relevant information. Your lawyer will also help you determine the full scope of what you can seek compensation for, as well as the value of losses such as medical expenses, property damage, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
How is a legal complaint for a truck accident case filed?
Once the legal complaint is drafted, it must be filed with the applicable Illinois court system. After your lawyer has filed a lawsuit, the opposing party will be served, and the legal process can begin. Both parties will gather evidence, build a truck accident claim, and develop their arguments. Your case may be settled out of court through negotiation, mediation, or arbitration, or it could proceed to trial if you cannot come to an agreement.
How can a lawyer help you hold parties responsible in truck accident cases?
When you are involved in a truck accident case, your lawyer must demonstrate who contributed to the accident and establish negligence as a fact in the case. They will show that the party at fault had a duty of care to keep you safe, but breached this duty, causing the accident and your injuries.
Commercial vehicles are obligated to uphold safety standards, so your lawyer will likely highlight actions such as distracted driving, speeding, fatigue, or the company’s failure to properly hire, train, or supervise its drivers, to name a few. Accident victims can hold drivers, truck companies, mechanics, manufacturers, or cargo loaders liable for their actions.
How long does it take to resolve a truck accident lawsuit after filing a legal complaint?
From the time you file a legal complaint to final settlement or verdict, a truck accident case can take months or even years to resolve. The exact timeline depends on the nature of the case, the severity of injuries and losses you suffered, the other party’s cooperativeness, and more.
File a legal complaint with help from Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates
Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates is ready to help you hold the negligent party accountable through legal action when truck accidents occur. Our experienced team has extensive experience helping our clients file legal complaints and advocating for them so they receive favorable results. To discuss your options and file a formal legal complaint, contact us online today or call us at (800) 985-1819 to schedule a free consultation with our team.
