
Large trucks are represented by large trucking companies, making it daunting to pursue compensation following an accident. If this happened to you in Tallahassee, a truck accident lawyer from the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine can deal with insurance companies and negligent parties for you.
Contact Us After Any Truck Accident
Our team believes you deserve compassionate and professional legal assistance after a truck accident in Tallahassee. We use our years of experience to support each client we accept. Our team steps in after:
- Head-on collisions
- Rear-end collisions
- Side-impact accidents
- Roll-over accidents
Truck accidents frequently occur for several different reasons. In many cases, truckers lose control of their vehicles due to the large size and weight of 18-wheelers, semi-trucks, and tractor-trailers. These vehicles take longer to stop or change direction.
Commercial trucks also have higher odds of flipping over than other vehicles because they have a high center of gravity. Taking a turn too quickly could cause them to tip onto one side or the other.
Experienced truck drivers learn how to safely operate their vehicles, addressing these issues and reducing the odds of a collision. However, new drivers lack this experience and may end up in accidents more frequently.
Review the Steps to Take After a Tallahassee Truck Accident
Many drivers feel confused and dazed after a truck accident. These feelings may make it more difficult to decide what to do following your collision. Our team is here to walk you through each step after your wreck. Make sure that you:
Report the Accident
It’s important to contact the police after your accident and inform them about what happened. Police officers come out to the collision scene, take statements, and file a report regarding the collision, providing a paper trail that shows how the accident occurred.
Collect Potential Evidence
Your lawyer uses evidence to build a truck accident claim for you. You can help with this process by collecting information before you leave the scene of the collision. Make sure that you take pictures of your injuries and the damage to your vehicle.
You can use a camera or your cellphone to take pictures. You may also want to get contact details from any witnesses who saw the accident and the truck driver.
Seek Medical Treatment
Truck accidents often leave drivers and passengers with significant injuries. You may require care for:
- Head or brain injuries
- Neck and back injuries
- Internal injuries
- Broken bones and burns
We go the extra mile for our clients, helping you set up appointments while you focus on recovering from your injuries. Prompt medical care helps us show that the accident led to your injuries.
Speak with a Legal Professional
You do not have to try to handle a truck accident in Tallahassee on your own. Members of our team go above and beyond for our clients. We keep open lines of communication available to you, allowing you to reach us through email or by phone.
Our team uses our experience and training to build claims, focusing on securing damages by settling your claim or resolving the issue in court. We personally assess your specific needs, as we do not believe in one-size-fits-all care for our clients.
We Seek Damages That Reflect the Seriousness of Your Crash
Any accident caused by negligence is grounds for compensation, either through an insurance claim or a personal injury lawsuit. The person who caused your injuries can be held responsible for any expenses related to them. That includes:
- ER visits
- Doctor’s appointments
- Imaging tests
- Surgery
- Prescription medication
- Rehabilitation
- Lost wages
However, truck crashes, in particular, can inflict tremendous damage. Because costs can be so much higher after this kind of accident, insurance companies may look for ways to cut down their payout or even avoid paying at all. Don’t fall for undervaluing or intimidation—let us negotiate for you.
Get Damages for Serious Injuries and Wrongful Death
When a passenger vehicle collides with a large truck, it can go underneath the truck. This underriding can cause crushing injuries, lost limbs, and even death. In fact, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), 67 percent of truck crash fatalities in 2019 were the occupants of other vehicles. And our Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) reported 9.8 percent of large truck accidents resulted in fatalities. Collisions with big rigs are more likely to leave victims injured or dead.
Pursuing comprehensive compensation is, therefore, a top priority in these cases. We can seek funds for:
- Long-term and/or at-home care
- Loss of consortium (companionship)
- Physical, occupational, and other therapies
- Psychological counseling
- Medical equipment and devices
- Reduced earning capacity
- Lost income over a lifetime
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Pain and suffering
Insurance companies and attorneys may push back the hardest on some of these areas, such as counseling or long-term care. They also may pressure you to accept a settlement before you’ve had a chance to understand the injuries’ impact on your future. You have the right to take your time and consult one of our attorneys to review and negotiate damages.
We Protect You from Being Undervalued or Intimidated
The large trucks involved in collisions are generally commercial vehicles owned by a trucking company. As a result, you aren’t just fighting against a negligent driver but against a team of personal injury lawyers and insurance adjusters well-versed in avoiding liability. Going it alone can feel like a David and Goliath conflict.
A Tallahassee lawyer with a background in truck accidents, like the ones on our team, has the benefit of knowing the same tricks and how to fight them. We can:
- Evaluate your case’s worth and fight for that amount
- Review settlement offers and negotiate new terms
- Recognize ploys to delegitimize or undervalue your case
- Inform you of any changes or updates in your case
- Decipher complex legal terms for you to understand
- Speak on your behalf and help you craft statements beforehand
- Consult doctors, mechanics, therapists, etc. to lend validity to your claims
- Adhere to filing deadlines and paperwork requirements
- Refuse to settle for less than you deserve, going to court if necessary
What’s more, we focus on all of this while you focus on recovery. We work for you.
We Stand Up for the Little Guy on Several Fronts
The broader strokes and legal nuances of your case are important, but we also support you in practical matters. What matters to you daily is receiving the care you need, getting where you need to go, and moving on with your life. Consequently, we offer:
- Free initial case reviews
- Aid in scheduling appointments
- Help with vehicle repairs
- Timely responses to calls and emails
- Your attorney’s private number
On top of that, we make a promise to our clients: we are paid only when you recover your compensation.
We Identify What Went Wrong to Cause Your Accident
To pursue your damages, we must prove negligence caused your crash by compiling evidence that your injuries resulted from the truck driver’s reckless action or inaction. In many cases, this could be an illegal behavior, such as:
- Drunk driving
- Speeding
- Illegal turns
- Distracted driving
- Failure to yield
However, due to the large size of big rigs, even minor errors can cause devastating crashes. Your accident does not need to be caused by an obviously illegal behavior for you to pursue damages. It only needs to be caused by an action that a reasonable person would not have taken under similar circumstances.
Some additional crash causes in truck accidents include:
- Drowsy driving
- Following too closely
- Driving too fast for conditions
- Changing lanes
- Truck maintenance failures
For instance, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) stresses the need for longer stopping distances for trucks. A truck carrying a full load on a freeway needs about two football fields to fully stop. In poor weather, the required distance is even greater. Tailgating trucks that can’t stop can cause multi-car collisions.
Negligence is the breach of a duty of care. For all vehicles, that duty is to drive in a way that avoids putting others at risk. The size and weight of trucks mean that drivers must exercise extra caution. Failure to do so is negligence.
We Investigate Other Contributing Factors or Liable Parties
Third-party negligence may have caused your accident. For instance, some drivers or trucking companies are responsible for maintenance, making them liable for equipment failures from poor upkeep. Although, sometimes designers, manufacturers, installers, or repair workers make a crucial error.
To have time to investigate possible liable parties, get in touch before the statute of limitations is up. In Florida, you have a limited amount of time to file a personal injury lawsuit or a claim for wrongful death, per Florida Statutes § 95.11.
We Can Evaluate Your Case Today
If you are a Tallahassee victim of a big rig crash, a truck accident lawyer at the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine can get started on your case right away. Call our office at 1-800-747-3733 to receive your free consultation. Learn how our strategies and support can be an asset to your case.