South Florida Injury Attorneys Blog
Have you recently been injured or involved in a semi-truck accident in Stuart, Florida? You could be entitled to seek extra compensation for your injuries.
Trucking accidents can cause significant damage and injuries due to how large these vehicles are. It can be stressful to try and recoup from these accidents, which is why it’s crucial to have the help of a Stuart Truck Accident Lawyer on your side.
If you are feeling lost and unsure of what to do after your trucking accident, or if you need to hire an attorney to represent you, use this guide to find out everything you need to know about your case.
18-Wheeler Accident Overview
If you ever find yourself driving on the highway or through town and are next to a semi-truck, you’ve likely tried to drive around them. Most of the time, these trucks carry heavy or even dangerous cargo that can cause even more potential hazards if the vehicle were to crash into someone else. Also, it can be terrifying to collide with these vehicles since they are several times the size of a normal car.
18-wheeler accidents can happen just as easily as other car accidents. Drivers of semi-trucks are oftentimes faced with longer work hours and higher stipulations that can be stressful and draining, thus taking their focus off the road.
Since semi-trucks are so powerful, they can ride on top of, rollover, or fall onto a standard car. These accidents are known as override, rollover, or jackknife accidents. All of these, including jackknife accidents, can be fatal.
How A Truck Accident Attorney Can Help
Hiring a Stuart Truck Accident Lawyer can help you in several ways. Firstly, they can speak to your insurance representative on your behalf since this is the first place you should turn to for compensation in Florida. They will make sure all questions are answered in a way that will not inadvertently impact an outcome.
Secondly, a Florida truck accident lawyer can help you determine what a fair outcome would be to cover your injuries. Since semi-trucking accidents can involve severe injuries and other parties involved, such as trucking companies, your case can be challenging.
There may be some liability issues involved in your case that is not typically involved with regular car accidents. Dealing with a trucking company after a collision with one of their vehicles can be extremely difficult to navigate without the help of an attorney to represent you.
Trucking companies have their own high-quality lawyers and insurance adjusters that will likely do their part to minimize how much they owe you for the accident. It can also be complicated to file a car accident lawsuit in Florida due to the no-fault system.
You can expect several things after hiring a truck accident attorney, including:
- Someone who’s on your side that you can trust
- A legal professional who is familiar with the current laws and regulations
- Help with collecting evidence
- An advocate who will speak on your behalf to insurance, the defendant, and in court
- The best chance at seeking extra compensation, when needed
It’s always well-advised to hire an attorney that has experience handling truck accident cases so that you can seek fair compensation for the damages you have incurred.
What To Do After a Truck Accident
Your trusted attorney will do most of the work in using evidence to negotiate on your behalf for a fair settlement from your insurance company and possibly take your case to court if needed, but there are things you should do to help your attorney.
Here are the steps to take immediately after your accident while you’re still at the scene if you are capable.
Call 9-1-1
In Florida, it’s required for all drivers to call law enforcement most times they’re involved in an accident. Not only is this what you’re supposed to do, but the police report can be used as evidence in your case. The police will come out to the scene and interview you and the other party involved, look at the damage, and write an unbiased report.
Do Not Decline Medical Care
EMS will likely arrive with law enforcement or shortly after. Even if you do not see any blood, cuts, or scrapes, you should still be medically examined. Some people try to skip this step, especially if they are afraid of medical professionals, but there are two important reasons to not skip this step. The first is to make sure there are no internal injuries you could have and the second is that your medical report can also be used as evidence to prove your injuries.
Collect Necessary Evidence
While you’re at the scene, be sure to collect the following information evidence you can give to your attorney:
- Photos of yourself and vehicle damage
- The other driver’s information
- Witnesses who would be willing to make a statement
- Any businesses nearby for cameras
Contact Your Attorney Before Insurance
Before you proceed with speaking to your insurance adjuster, contact your attorney or start looking for one first. Some people wait to hire an attorney until after their insurance adjuster has denied or offered a significantly low settlement. An attorney can help you prevent this from happening and also start your claim off on the right foot. They can review your insurance declaration statement, review all evidence, and give you the best advice on how to move forward.
Speak To a Truck Accident Attorney Today
If you have any questions, the experts at Frankl Kominsky Injury Lawyers are here to help. Our 40 years of experience helping residents in several Florida areas has given us the expertise to know how to handle any trucking accident case that comes our way (by appointment only). Plus, we have the resources and knowledge as to how to go about seeking compensation.
Our attorneys can help you with your insurance settlement or go over other legal possibilities to help seek fairer compensation to help with injuries and hospital bills. The first step to collecting your damages is to give us a call at (561) 800-8000.
We will schedule a free consultation with you where you will be able to discuss your case in greater detail with one of our attorneys. They will be able to answer your questions and walk you through the next steps.
You can also leave your contact information in our online form, but it’s important to act quickly. Florida allows car accident victims 2 years to file a claim, so call us at your earliest convenience.