If you suffered damages in a moving van accident, you could be eligible for compensation connected to your injuries and losses. Moving van accidents can be complex, however, as liability for the crash may be challenging to determine. Therefore, you may want to have legal representation in order to seek the best possible results in your case.
One of our Hollywood moving van accident lawyers will explain all of your options, investigate your case to determine liability, and negotiate a reasonable settlement. At the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine, we go the extra mile for your case, ensuring you feel supported at every step of the legal process.
Recoverable Damages After a Moving Van Accident
After a moving van accident, you can pursue a claim or lawsuit for your injuries, suffering, and other damages. We know that money cannot ultimately make up for your pain and suffering, but seeking justice is helpful on the road to recovery.
The following are some of the damages you could recover:
- Medical Bills: After being involved in a moving van accident, you’re likely to seek medical treatment if you have any injuries. Because of this, you have a right to claim compensation covering all your medical expenses. If your injuries are permanent, you can claim future expected medical costs.
- Lost Earnings: You can claim any lost earnings if the injuries from the accident prevent you from working. In addition, if the injuries cause you to suffer a disability and you cannot return to work, you can file a claim based on your loss of projected earnings.
- Pain and Suffering: This refers to any mental and emotional anguish. This type of damage is difficult to quantify as a monetary value since it’s more subjective. For that reason, your lawyer might liaise with other experts, like psychiatrists and doctors, to correctly estimate your claim’s value.
- Property Damage: In most cases, a moving van accident damages the other vehicles involved in a crash. If your vehicle was damaged by a moving van, you have a right to recover any replacement or repair costs.
- Wrongful Death: If you lost a loved one in a moving van accident due to another party’s negligence, you could file a wrongful death lawsuit. The compensation will cover medical expenses before your loved one’s death, loss of companionship, and funeral expenses, among other damages.
Why Hire a Hollywood Moving Van Accident Lawyer?
You can hire a Hollywood moving van accident lawyer for help with every aspect of your case. Your lawyer will handle your injury claim as you take time to heal and recover from your injuries.
Additionally, a lawyer from our team will:
- Investigate your accident’s facts
- Gather evidence to prove liability
- Demonstrate the extent of your damages
- Determine a goal settlement or award amount for your case
- Negotiate for a fair settlement
- Take your case to trial to seek fair compensation before a jury, if necessary
- Advise you of relevant laws that could affect your case, such as the statute of limitations per Florida Statutes § 95.11(3)(a)
Steps to Follow After a Moving Van Accident
It can be challenging to know what actions to take as the victim of a moving van accident. The following are some of the essential steps:
- Seek medical care immediately
- Call the police and paramedics
- Obtain your medical records
- Collect the insurance information and contact details of other people involved
- Enlist the services of a moving van accident lawyer
- Inform your car insurance provider
These are just a few steps you can take after a moving van accident. When in doubt, consult your lawyer, insurance company, and doctor for guidance on what to do next.
Types of Moving Van Accidents
Moving vans can cause serious accidents in several ways. If a driver or moving van company’s negligence led to the following types of accidents, you could seek compensation:
- Rollover Accidents: A moving van can easily roll over due to its heavy load. The risk is more significant when switching lanes and on turns.
- Head-On Collisions: A head-on collision between a moving van and another vehicle can be deadly and catastrophic for both motorists, especially if the moving van is loaded with heavy cargo.
- Released Cargo: Multiple vehicle accidents can happen along a highway or roadside if other cars hit the released cargo.
- Jackknife Accidents: Certain types of large moving vans can jackknife, leaving an inexperienced driver in a dangerous situation. If a truck jackknifes, it can affect both sides of traffic.
- Side-Impact Crash: A moving van’s length is much longer than an average vehicle’s. Therefore, side-impact crashes can be all the more devastating when a moving van is involved.
- Underride Accidents: Small cars can get caught under the bottom of a large moving van in these crashes, leading to severe damage.
- Rear-End Collisions: When a large moving van strikes a car from behind, the passengers inside can suffer serious whiplash, neck injuries, and other injuries.
In 2017, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reported an 8% increase of accidents involving buses and trucks. In that same year, 13% of road accident fatalities were caused by buses and large trucks.
Causes of Moving Van Accidents in Florida
Although each accident has different circumstances, there are several reasons why your moving van accident may have happened, such as:
- Truck Defects: Moving van companies must adequately inspect and maintain moving vans after renting them. To ensure road safety, they should check brake defects, hitch and trailer issues, tire defects, and other faults.
- Inexperienced Drivers: An accident can happen if the driver operating the truck is inexperienced. Such drivers could lack the skills to handle huge vehicles and may miscalculate safe speeds and stopping distances.
- Negligence: Failing to obey traffic rules, speeding, driving under the influence, and fatigued driving are examples of recklessness. Lane changes without signaling and making improper turns also fall under negligent driving.
- Distracted Drivers: Some drivers may cause an accident on the road while using their cell phones, eating, or texting despite state laws to reduce distracted driving.
- Poor Weather and Road Conditions: Drivers who rent a moving van may not be experienced in operating a massive vehicle during bad weather conditions or on poor road conditions, leading to an accident.
Our attorneys will investigate the cause of your crash, work to pinpoint the other party’s negligence, and seek the fair compensation you deserve.
Hire a Hollywood Moving Van Accident Lawyer for Your Claim
At the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine, our Hollywood moving van accident lawyers are ready to assist you in filing a claim against the liable party or parties. Our personal injury team is ready to answer all your queries regarding your claim. Contact us for a free consultation and legal help.