Truck Accident Lawyer in Lakeland

Getting in a car accident can be extremely disruptive to a victim’s life, from dealing with the injuries that they sustain to getting their life back on track as they recover. Car accidents are very common occurrences in Florida, but driving on the major roads across the state put travelers at risk of colliding with commercial trucks as well. Commercial truckers are held to higher licensing standards, stricter requirements, and carry much more valuable insurance policies than a passenger driver due to the increased risk of collision that comes with driving high miles, and the damage that such a large vehicle can cause.

If you are in an accident with a truck like a semi-truck or other large commercial truck, even a low-speed collision can be catastrophic due to the difference in size between your vehicle and the enormous truck. In addition to the added damages that can occur, the complexity of the insurance process is significantly higher with a commercial truck, which can often have a policy in excess of $1 million.

Contact the team at Abercrombie, P.A. today to speak with a legal professional about your options in this situation, and how we can help you navigate this process and get you the best possible outcome. There are a lot of different factors that go into a car accident personal injury case when the responsible driver was operating a commercial truck, and it is important that you work with someone who understands these complexities to ensure that you are treated fairly. Read more below about some overview information about truck accidents in Florida, and schedule your initial consultation now to begin the process of getting the money you deserve as soon as possible.

What To Do If You Are In an Accident With a Truck

Get To Safety

The most important thing to do after any car accident is to make sure that you and your passengers are as safe as possible. If you are all able to move or be moved, this means getting out of the way of oncoming traffic by pulling to the breakdown lane or median strip. It is equally important to understand when you should stay put — such as when you or a passenger have been seriously injured and you suspect a spine or neck injury, or if getting out of your car will put you at greater risk.

Call The Police

No matter how simple or severe the accident is, contacting the police is very important for a number of reasons. Primarily, so that they can secure the area and keep you, the other driver, and all other commuters safe from more injuries. However, it is also important to have police on the scene so that they can create a report of your situation. This police report will be extremely helpful to establish the cause of the collision, and they may also issue citations or arrests depending on the type and severity of the violation.

Seek Medical Attention

If you have been injured, it is important that you get medical attention as soon as possible. Without proper care, your injuries may become worse, or you may not be aware that you are suffering from an injury you would not have noticed otherwise. In addition to ensuring that you are safe and cared for, medical records are another important piece of documentation to prove your case if and when you take it to court or are seeking a settlement. If you do not see a doctor for an injury, or you wait a long time, it is entirely reasonable for the defendant, the judge, and the jury to question where the injury came from, or if it ever actually existed to begin with.

Get Eyewitness Accounts

If you are able to, get as many eyewitness accounts as are available. In addition to supporting your claims, they may also have seen things that you did not notice, such as the driver ignoring traffic laws or texting while driving. These eyewitness accounts will serve to boost your argument and increase your likelihood of a successful personal injury settlement or lawsuit.

Contact An Attorney

Florida has a statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits, meaning that it is very important that you begin the process as soon as possible. Even if you think that your injuries and expenses will continue to be an issue, your attorney will be able to account for these factors and include them in the lawsuit. The sooner you act, the sooner you can be confident that your financial issues are satisfied while you focus on physical recovery.

Determining the Amount of a Truck Accident Lawsuit or Settlement

There are many different factors that go into determining how much a victim deserves in a truck accident, and each accident and set of injuries is unique to that specific case. However, below is a list of common things included in these lawsuits, and an explanation of how they are divided.

Economic Damages

Economic damages are applied to personal injury cases as ways to compensate the victim for the actual, measurable costs associated with their injuries. This includes things like medical treatment, hospital visits, surgical expenses, and other bills that are directly associated with injury and medical attention. In addition, it seeks compensation for lost wages if the victim was unable to return to work after the injuries for any amount of time. This includes any paid time off or sick leave that the victim used in order to cover these costs, any decreased ability to earn their full potential, and any short- and long-term disability.

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages are more complicated than compiling invoices, bills, receipts, and income statements, but are equally important in the case. They address issues that come along with an accident, but that do not have set, measurable financial values. This includes things like pain, suffering, mental and emotional anguish, and other emotions, as well as a general decrease in quality of life or ability to pursue hobbies or enjoyment.

A common practice for calculating non-economic damages is through the use of a “multiplier,” which is a numerical representation of these impacts that can be easily understood by a judge and jury. For example, if your attorney were to put your non-economic damages as a 5x multiplier, then that number would be applied to your economic damages in order to determine the fair dollar amount that you deserve. $100,000 of economic damages and a 5x multiplier amounts to $500,000 of non-economic damages for a total of $600,000 in damages that you will seek. Every detail of your case will be specific to your situation, so these figures will vary greatly depending on your injuries, your financial situation, the circumstances of the accident, and more.

Contact Us Today

The sooner you act, the sooner you will get the financial compensation that you deserve from this accident. With Abercrombie P.A. representing your case, you can focus on recovering and getting your life back on track after this catastrophic incident with the confidence that you are being taken care of. Schedule your initial consultation now, and learn about how we can help you get the justice you deserve after a truck accident.