Truck accidents can have devastating consequences. Since commercial trucks are obviously heavier than most cars, they can wreak serious havoc when crashing into drivers, cyclists, motorcyclists, or pedestrians.
If you or a family member were involved in a truck accident, you must understand your legal rights. Contact our experienced lawyers here at Ward Law today so that we can help you through your recovery process after a truck accident.
Advocating for You: Personal Injury & Truck Accident Lawyers
As truck accident lawyers, we help clients involved in any type of truck accident, no matter how minor or severe their injuries are. Truck accidents can involve any kind of truck. The most common truck accidents involve:
- Large commercial trucks
- 18-wheelers
- Semi-trucks
- Big rigs
- Tractor-trailers
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration conducted a study on the causation of large truck crashes. The most common causes of these types of accidents include:
- Fatigued Driving: Truck drivers often work long hours without much rest. Though both federal laws and state regulations state how long drivers are allowed to drive, truck drivers often drive over the limit. This can lead to fatigued driving, which lowers a driver's ability to react while driving, can cause them to fall asleep at the wheel, and can cause catastrophic accidents.
- Distracted Driving: Many drivers eat while driving, talk on the phone while driving, text while driving, or do other things that may take their attention away from the road. When a truck driver does this, they can be involved in an accident that causes severe damage.
- Driving Under the Influence: Intoxicated driving can lead to devastating accidents in any type of car. However, when an inebriated trucker crashes behind the wheel, the impact can cause much more significant damage than a typical car accident.
- Speeding: When a truck speeds, the truck's weight can be unevenly distributed, leading to the car tipping over or crashing into other drivers on the road.
- Improper Loading: The person loading the truck with its goods must do so correctly. When the goods shift in the truck, the weight can be uneven, which can lead to accidents.
- Poor Training or Inexperience: If a driver does not understand the proper ways to drive the truck, then many accidents can result from this inexperience or improper training.
- Mechanical Failure: Trucks must be properly maintained to operate correctly. Without proper maintenance, defects can result, which can in turn result in accidents.
Since truck accidents differ from other types of personal injury cases and motor vehicle accidents, it is crucial that you have an experienced law firm by your side, advocating for your rights every step of the way.
The truck accident lawsuit process can often be layered and complex. Whether you speak English or Spanish, we are here to help you file a personal injury claim and seek the financial compensation you deserve.
Common Types of Truck Accident Claims that We Settle
Any type of truck accident can result in an immense amount of property damage and serious injuries. Often, those severe injuries require extensive medical care that ends up being extremely costly. When speeding is involved, those damages and injuries can be even more.
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles reported in 2019 that there were:
- 25 fatal truck crashes involving medium/heavy trucks (more than 10,000 lbs)
- 8 fatal truck crashes involving other light trucks (10,000 lbs or less)
- 115 incapacitating truck crashes involving medium/heavy trucks
- 42 incapacitating truck crashes involving other light trucks
- 429 non-incapacitating truck crashes involving medium/heavy trucks
- 244 non-incapacitating truck crashes involving other lighter trucks
- 759 crashes involving possible injuries with medium/heavy trucks
- 618 crashes involving possible injuries with other lighter trucks
Many of these accidents are caused by the common causes we described above. No matter the cause of your truck accident, we are here to help you recover from it. We can help determine if the truck driver violated any federal or state laws, and help prove that they were negligent.
Types of Truck Accident Injuries & Compensation
As mentioned, truck accidents can result in much more significant injuries than standard motor vehicle accidents. While it is possible to walk away unscathed, it is much more common that you will have some type of injury. For this reason, it is always vital to seek medical attention after any type of truck accident.
Some of the most common injuries after a truck accident include:
- Neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Internal organ damage
- Bruises
- Lacerations
- Burns
- Seat belt injuries
- Whiplash
- Paralysis
- Amputations or dismemberment
- Broken bones
- Fractured bones
- ... and more.
Your body runs on adrenaline when you are involved in an accident, which means that you may not feel the effects of an accident until later. Seeking medical care is always a crucial part of the process of seeking compensation as well.
When you file a claim, it is critical to show your medical condition before the accident and after the accident. Therefore, having these medical records which document the accident injuries will be crucial to support your claim.
When filing a personal injury claim after a truck accident, you can seek compensation for all of the financial losses you incurred from the accident, known as economic damages. These costs can include:
- Medical Expenses: These costs can include any ambulance costs to the hospital, hospital bills, rehabilitation or physical therapy costs, any costs of surgery or medication, or any other medical-related costs.
- Lost Wages: If you can no longer work after a truck accident, you can include the lost income in your claim for damages.
- Potential Earnings Loss: If you can no longer work the job that you had prior to the accident, then you can recover potentially lost future earnings based on the disruption of your ability to work.
- Property Damage: If anything was damaged, such as your car or any personal property in your car, then you can receive compensation for these losses.
In addition to financial losses, you can also seek compensation for the pain and suffering the truck accident caused you. These are known as non-economic damages. The court or the insurance company will usually use a variable to calculate this number.
Our Experience With Truck Accidents
We here at The Ward Law Group have years of experience handling all types of truck accident cases. We will explain to you what a fair settlement offer is, and whether or not you should accept any offers from an insurance company, the truck driver, or the truck driver's employer.
We understand the intricacies of these types of cases and will work through them to ensure that you are able to receive the compensation and justice you deserve. The most crucial factor to consider when choosing a law firm is to ensure that you have compassionate, experienced legal counsel at your side. We have helped our clients receive the compensation they deserve and will provide you with the legal representation you need to pursue your claim.
Maximizing Your Claim: Immediate Steps to Take After a Truck Accident
No matter what type of truck accident you're involved in, you should always call 9-1-1 immediately, whether or not you are injured. If you or any of your passengers are injured, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible.
Even if you are not injured, having the police write a report will be critical when filing a claim. Be sure to give your statement of events, and collect a copy of the report once the police are done.
You should take pictures of the accident scene, any property damage, and any injuries you or your passengers sustained. Always collect the truck driver's information, including:
- Name
- Phone Number
- License Information
- License Plate Number
- Employer
- Insurance Information
In some instances, you may be able to potentially hold the truck driver's employer liable for your damages or injuries. This is why it is crucial to obtain the employer's information as well.
Once you leave the accident scene, you should seek medical attention, even if you do not think anything is wrong. Since Florida is a no-fault state, you will have to look to your own insurance company first before being able to seek compensation from the truck driver or the truck driver's employer.
Again, while these steps may seem complex, we will help guide you every step of the way.
How The Ward Law Group Can Help
If a negligent truck driver recently caused your injuries, contact us today for a free case evaluation in English or Spanish. We will walk you through all of your legal rights and ensure you understand what is happening throughout the entire legal process.
We will also handle all communications with the insurance companies, the truck driver's legal counsel, and the truck driver's employer. We can make sure that you receive the compensation you deserve to help you heal after a truck accident.