Big Rig Accidents Attorney
Over 4,000 people are killed in commercial truck accidents across the nation each year. Unfortunately, Florida is the third leading state for big rig accidents.
There are thousands of semi-trucks driving through Florida every day, and even the most cautious of drivers could become the victim of an accident. If that happens, you’ll need a commercial truck attorney.
Accident Attorney Group, P.A., provides expert big rig accidents attorneys in Florida. We’ll help you fight for the compensation that you need and deserve. Best of all, there’s no cost to you until we win or settle your case.
Common Causes of Big Rig Accidents
Knowing the reason for the accident is the first step to filing a successful personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault party.
Big rig accidents often happen because of the wide turning radius that a large truck requires. Sometimes, the driver may not be able to see smaller vehicles within their blind spots.
Even a small brush with such a large and heavy vehicle can produce extensive damage. When a commercial truck driver drives in a way that is reckless or negligent, they should be held responsible for the damage that they cause.
Common examples of driver or equipment-based negligence include:
- Failure to adequately watch blind spots
- Drinking or drug use
- Driving while tired
- Failing to properly yield or stop
- Violating traffic signs or signals
- Improper trailer coupling
- Improper tire maintenance
- Rest and drive time violations
- Poorly maintained equipment
A commercial truck attorney with Accident Attorney Group, P.A., can help to identify these and other potential reasons for the accident while gathering evidence for your personal injury compensation claim.
What Does a Commercial Truck Attorney Do?
An experienced truck accidents attorney will negotiate compensation for your damages on your behalf. Examples of some of the details that a big rig accidents attorney will take care of include:
- Negotiating with insurance companies
- Identifying the cause of the accident
- Identifying the at-fault party
- Gathering evidence from the accident scene
- Speaking to witnesses
- Gathering medical records from your doctors
- Identifying ongoing costs you may incur
- Evaluating how the accident could affect your job or income earning potential
These actions are particularly helpful if you or a loved one is recovering from extreme injuries caused by the accident. Instead of worrying about doing everything yourself, you can focus on healing, letting the legal professionals at Accident Attorney Group, P.A., take care of the complex details.
Common Damages in Commercial Truck Accidents
Accidents that involve commercial big rig trucks often cause extreme damage to the other vehicles and the people who were in them.
There are two basic categories for damages: economic damages and non-economic damages.
The economic damages are those that cost money out of pocket. They may include things like:
- Damages to the car
- Emergency transportation bills
- Laboratory work, such as scans and blood tests
- Surgeries or specialty care
- Physical therapy
- Loss of income from time away from work
In severe cases, the costs become exponential. A victim should not be expected to cover these costs themselves. Instead, the at-fault party should be held responsible for their negligence. Personal injury lawsuits are one way to recover these costs if negotiations fail.
Big rig accidents can also lead to non-economic damages. These damages caused by truck accidents involve less tangible but equally important items like:
- Emotional trauma and distress
- Physical impairment or disability
- Ongoing emotional and physical pain
- Loss of career
- Loss of mobility
- Scarring or disfigurement
- Change in quality of life
- Loss of companionship
Someone who is severely burned in an accident may have irreparable scarring for the rest of their life. Emotional trauma can cause discord in a personal relationship or marriage, changing the person’s entire quality of life. These are each valid damages caused by the accident that the victim should be compensated for.
In Florida, you have a limited window of time for your truck accidents attorney to get started. Florida only allows you to file a truck accident claim up to four years after the date of the accident.
Finding the Responsible Party
Truck accidents can happen for many different reasons. Determining the reason for the accident helps to determine who will pay for the injuries and damages that resulted.
Potential responsible parties include:
- The truck driver
- The truck manufacturer
- The trucking company
- The company that loaded the truck
- A company that performed maintenance on the truck
While researching your truck accident case, the legal experts at Accident Attorney Group P.A. will take meaningful steps to identify each party who contributed to the crash. Sometimes, they will find cause to file suit against multiple parties.
The driver of the truck, for instance, may be liable. Some drivers falsify their logbooks or use illegal drugs to stay awake because they are paid by the number of miles they drive rather than the number of hours they work.
The loading company may be liable if the load was not distributed properly. When truck loads are uneven, it can cause the trailer to be unstable.
The maintenance repair or inspection company may have missed a worn or faulty piece of equipment.
The tire or brake manufacturer may have had known product defects that contributed to the accident.
The trucking company itself may be at fault for various reasons, such as:
- Improper driver training
- Improper truck maintenance
- Scheduling drivers too tightly
- Failing to conduct proper drug screenings for drivers
When you work with an experienced truck accidents attorney, they can help you to identify the proper parties that may be at fault for your damages.
Turn to Experienced Commercial Truck Accidents Attorneys in Florida
If you’ve been injured in an accident with a semi-truck or commercial vehicle, contact the experts at Accident Attorney Group, P.A., for a free case evaluation. There is no cost to you until or unless we win or settle your claim.
Don’t face the damages from a big rig accident on your own. Get the legal representation you deserve when you partner with the experts at Accident Attorney Group, P.A.