If you were injured in a truck accident, you may be suffering from severe injuries. These long-term health consequences can extend into your financial and personal life, ultimately resulting in lost quality of life. An attorney can help you pursue compensation to mitigate your suffering and rebuild your financial stability.
An attorney can pursue awards for your medical expenses, lost wages, and other accident-related losses. After a thorough case investigation, they will use the evidence of your losses to negotiate for an appropriate financial award on your behalf. They may collect pay stubs, medical bills, car repair estimates, and expert testimony to create and pursue this estimate.
Lost Wages And Other Recoverable Semi-Truck Accident Damages
You can recover wages, benefits, bonuses, tips, and any other lost earnings from work missed because of your semi-truck accident. You can also seek awards for future lost income and lost earning capacity if your injury prevents you from working, forces you to change careers, or requires you to reduce your hours.
In addition to lost wages, a truck accident lawyer can help get compensation for:
- Medical expenses, including emergency transportation, emergency department services, surgeries, doctors’ bills, mobility aids, prescription drugs, physical therapy and cognitive rehabilitation, and life care costs
- Vehicle damages, including repair costs or your vehicle’s fair market value if the damage constitutes a total loss
- Non-economic damages, including physical pain and suffering, loss of mobility, scarring, disfigurement, mental anguish, emotional distress, and lost quality of life
- Wrongful death, including the lost loved one’s wages and future income, lost support and services, lost care and protection, funeral and burial expenses, and medical bills
What Is The Value Of Your Case?
Motor vehicle accidents can place a substantial financial burden on crash victims and their families. In fact, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), traffic accidents cost American society around $340 billion in lost wages and productivity, medical expenses, property damages, and more. This figure does include the financial losses associated with a victim’s pain and suffering.
However, every case is different, and the amount of compensation a semi-truck accident lawyer can get for your lost wages and other damages depends on factors unique to you, including:
- Your income at the time of your accident
- Whether you have any side jobs that provide additional earnings
- How much work you have already missed
- When and if you can return to work
- Your age
- The severity of your injuries
- The cost of your medical care
- The extent of your pain and suffering
An attorney will identify and calculate your out-of-pocket losses using bills, receipts, pay stubs, and other documentation. Furthermore, they can work with economists, vocational experts, and healthcare professionals to obtain an estimate regarding your future expenses. It is essential you understand the full financial impact of your accident because once you accept a settlement, you cannot seek additional compensation from the same party if you later find that your damages are more than expected.
Who Is Financially Responsible For Your Semi-Truck Accident?
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reports that driver error, speeding, shifting cargo, road conditions, and mechanical problems are among the leading causes of truck accidents. Financial responsibility for your semi-truck accident will depend on who is responsible for the crash. Often, cases involving commercial drivers and vehicles have multiple at-fault parties, which may include:
- The semi-truck driver
- The trucking company or entity that employs the driver
- The loader/owner of the vehicle’s cargo
- A truck or auto parts manufacturer
- The truck’s owner (if not the driver or trucking company)
- A mechanic or maintenance garage
- The owner of the road or property where the crash occurred
- A third-party motorist, bicyclist, or pedestrian
How Can You Prove Liability?
Proving your entitlement to financial compensation requires showing that your injuries and related losses resulted from another party’s reckless, wrongful, or negligent actions. A successful case relies on collecting evidence, applying it under the law, and adhering to insurance and legal procedures. A lawyer can:
- Send spoliation letters to the trucking company and other involved parties demanding they preserve evidence
- Obtain medical records, police reports, driver drug and alcohol testing results, driver logs, and other documentation
- Collect physical evidence, such as the truck’s “black box” recorder, photographs of vehicle damage, pictures and debris from the accident site, and surveillance or dashcam video
- Locate and interview eyewitnesses, consult with subject matter experts, and conduct depositions
- Prepare and file your insurance claims or lawsuits
- Communicate with involved parties and aggressively negotiate for the maximum possible settlement
- Defend you against allegations of wrongdoing, bad-faith insurance tactics, or pressure to accept less compensation than you deserve
- Represent you at trial if needed
How Long Do You Have To Seek Semi-Truck Accident Compensation In Florida?
According to Florida Statutes § 95.11, you have four years to sue for compensation for a semi-truck accident injury and two years to pursue a wrongful death action if your loved one passed away because of the collision. If you do not file your case within the deadline, the court will likely throw out your lawsuit. An expired statute of limitations can also give the insurance company a reason to reduce or deny your settlement.
The Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine
After a serious accident, it may seem like an impossible task to initiate legal proceedings. Thankfully, you don’t have to do it on your own. Our office has the time and resources to file your case, pursue your financial award, and communicate with the at-fault parties on your behalf. You focus on your health and your priorities, and we’ll take care of the rest.
Contact the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine for a risk-free, no-cost consultation. We offer 24/7 legal support and take cases on contingency. Call and connect with a semi-truck accident lawyer near you today.
