No two accidents are completely alike, and being struck by a fuel truck could produce far more severe injuries than being struck by a smaller vehicle. Fuel trucks weigh more than other vehicle types—cars, trucks, and SUVs—even when they are not carrying fuel. Even a partially-filled tanker could become increasingly dangerous should it be involved in an accident.
An accident involving a fuel truck could lead to multiple parties compensating you or your loved one for their losses. A Clearwater truck accident lawyer will establish who they believe is liable for your accident, the losses that your collision has caused, and the case for why one or more parties owe you awards.
Large Trucks Require Unique Skill and Driver Care
Vehicles are constructed differently, and a vehicle’s construction may affect:
- The specific manner in which a driver operates the vehicle
- The specific knowledge that a driver needs to operate a vehicle safely
- The level of skill required of a driver to operate the vehicle safely
A fuel truck is in the large truck category. Drivers of fuel trucks need a Commercial Driver License (CDL), which the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) issues. It requires certain qualifications of a driver.
The requirement of a CDL is an indication that driving a fuel truck may be more difficult than driving a smaller vehicle. Beyond the difficulty of driving a fuel truck, a moving tanker may also be significantly more dangerous than smaller vehicles. This combination of factors means that fuel truck drivers must be among the most responsible and skilled on the road.
While this is a high standard, it is one that fuel truck drivers accept. They should know the risks of driving a fuel truck and reflect those risks in the way that they drive.
If a fuel truck driver caused a collision with you or a loved one, they might have defied what it means to drive a tanker with caution. They may have:
- Been texting, on the phone, or distracted in another way
- Been under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Been driving in an aggressive manner
- Been driving in a careless manner
- Failed to take precautions before they began driving
Your lawyer will review the facts of your accident and figure out whether the driver involved in your collision is one of the at-fault parties.
Multiple Parties Can Be Liable for a Collision
In any given crash, more than one party may be liable for the losses that a victim suffers. In the case of a fuel truck accident, it could be even more likely than normal that there are multiple parties with potential liability, as a fuel truck driver may generally have an employer who could be liable for their employee’s negligent actions.
This is not always the case, as every accident may have a different assignment of liability. However, your lawyer will investigate the possibility that the truck driver’s employer is liable for your losses.
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) explains several of the responsibilities that an employer holds. If the truck driver’s employer failed in any way to honor these responsibilities, they might have been negligent. They could also have liability for your accident strictly due to their status as an employer.
Determining who is responsible for your accident may require an understanding of the law, its exceptions, and how the law applies in the court where a judge or jury is hearing your case. A Clearwater fuel truck accident lawyer will assign responsibility and take the steps necessary to pursue compensation from liable parties.
A Lawyer Will Handle an Injury or Wrongful Death Case
A fuel truck accident victim such as yourself may generally consider bringing a lawsuit if they are injured, their loved one was injured, or their loved one lost their life as the direct consequence of the fuel truck accident. These circumstances may be the reason that you bring a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit.
Completing a lawsuit is not a passive act. It generally requires effort, time, and prolonged focus on the goal of completing the case. Taking the steps necessary to complete a lawsuit may take you away from:
- Recovering from your injuries
- Helping a loved one recover from their injuries
- Adjusting your life to accommodate a long-term or permanent disability
- Grieving the loss of a loved one
- Your normal day-to-day routine
Fuel truck accident victims generally have as many responsibilities as the next person, and completing a lawsuit may present a whole new set of challenges. You may choose to have a fuel truck accident lawyer handle your case so that you may avoid the significant time and effort required to complete a case.
How a Lawyer Can Help With Your Case
Navigating a fuel tank accident claim is never easy. Before you can claim compensation, you first must know the cause of the accident and identify the liable party or parties. After that, you should file a claim within the state’s deadlines.
Since these claims involve several laws, regulations, and parties, it may be best to work with a lawyer who is familiar with such cases. Our lawyer can:
Investigate the Case
To have a valid claim and qualify for compensations, you must prove that the defendant is fully or partially responsible for the accident. Your lawyer can investigate the case and use evidence to defend it to do this. Some of the evidence in such claims includes police reports, witness testimonies, black box data, medical records, pictures of the accident scene, complaints against the trucking company, and surveillance footage.
File Paperwork
Once your lawyer identifies the liable party or parties, they must file a lawsuit before the state deadline. In Clearwater, you only have four years from the accident date to file a lawsuit. If the accident was fatal, you have two years from the date of death to submit a wrongful death lawsuit.
If you miss the deadline, you’ll not receive any compensation. You also have to fill out the details correctly and submit all your evidence on time if the case goes to trial.
Pursue Compensation
Your lawyer can value your damages and meet with the at-fault’s insurance companies or lawyers and negotiate for a fair settlement on your behalf. Fuel tanker accidents can result in life-threatening injuries requiring prolonged hospitalization and aftercare. This makes the damages expensive. Since the at-fault party may want to pay as little as possible, they can make a low-ball offer.
Note that your lawyer’s main goal is to ensure you get maximum compensation. Therefore, they’ll negotiate for the best settlement or file a lawsuit, take the case to court, and continue fighting for a fair award.
Work Under Contingency-Fee-Basis
Like our personal injury lawyers, our fuel truck accident lawyers work on a contingency-fee-basis. You’ll not have to worry about any upfront legal fees and costs.
Your fuel truck accident lawyer can handle all legal work and communication with the liable party or the court and give you peace of mind and time to focus on your recovery.
Compensation Will Be Your Lawyer’s Goal
There’s no confusion when it comes to your lawyer’s goal. It may generally be to secure any compensation that you are entitled to, based on the fuel truck accident’s harmful outcomes. Some of the losses for which your lawyer may secure compensation are:
- The cost of medical treatment
- Loss of income due to temporary or permanent injury
- A decline in your earning power
- Pain and suffering related to your accident
A wrongful death lawsuit may present a different set of losses, though there may be overlap between the losses that a lawyer pursues in the case of a personal injury.
Call the Team of a Clearwater Fuel Truck Accident Lawyer
Moving quickly to seek compensation after a motor vehicle collision could be critical. There may be time-related deadlines that your lawyer must adhere to, and calling the team of a fuel truck accident lawyer as soon as possible could help.
We Can Help.
