Truck Accidents

Do You Have a Truck Accident Claim?

If a truck driver, trucking company, or another entity was negligent and caused your crash, you could have a viable personal injury claim against them.

The truck driver could be liable if he or she was distracted, intoxicated, drowsy, or otherwise failed to operate the vehicle responsibly, causing a crash. The trucking company could be liable if it failed to hire, train, or supervise the driver, or if it failed to keep the vehicle in safe working condition. Other parties, like third-party maintenance companies and cargo loading companies, could also be to blame if their negligence caused the crash.

Do not wait to get trusted legal advice after a serious accident. Our respected St. Petersburg truck accident attorneys can review your case for free and explain your legal options.

Why Truck Accident Claims Are So Complicated

Truck accident claims are often more complicated and difficult than other motor vehicle accident cases for several reasons:

Truck accidents tend to cause more serious injuries due to the greater forces of impact. When a truck accident victim is severely or catastrophically injured, he or she will often need long-term care, financial support, and more. This means that seeking fair financial compensation could include future expenses and losses.

Truck accident claims often require reviewing much more evidence than other accident claims. Trucking industry regulations require trucking companies to keep extensive records. These might document the underlying cause of a truck accident. An experienced St. Petersburg truck accident lawyer can conduct a thorough investigation into the crash to collect and analyze all the evidence.

Trucking companies can have complex corporate structures and layered insurance coverages that make it difficult to determine how much money could be available to compensate you for your injuries and losses. A skilled St. Petersburg truck accident attorney will work to uncover every possible source of compensation in your claim.

Benefits of Hiring a St. Petersburg Truck Accident Lawyer After a Crash

Given the complexity of truck accident claims, it is wise to choose an experienced St. Petersburg truck accident lawyer to handle your case. An attorney in your corner can take the pressure off you by managing all the aspects of your claim, such as:

Investigating the accident, including collecting evidence from the accident scene, preserving evidence from the truck itself, securing documents from the trucking company, and interviewing witnesses
Building a persuasive argument to show how the truck accident occurred and who was responsible for causing the crash
Advising you of your legal options for pursuing compensation from those at fault for your injuries
Thoroughly documenting the full extent of your injuries and losses
Consulting with experts to maximize the value of your claim
Negotiating aggressively for a full and fair truck accident settlement
Filing a lawsuit and taking your case to trial if necessary for the results you want and deserve

What Compensation Can Be Recovered in a St. Petersburg Truck Accident Claim?

If you suffered injuries in a St. Petersburg truck accident, you might be entitled to compensation that includes:

Costs of related medical treatment and rehabilitation
Long-term healthcare and personal care if you suffered long-term injuries or permanent disability
Costs to replace or repair your vehicle or other personal property
Lost income if you missed time from work due to your injuries
Lost future earning potential if you can’t return to work after reaching maximum recovery from your injuries
Pain and suffering
Reduced quality of life from scarring, disfigurement, or disabilities

How Is Fault Determined in a Truck Accident Case in Florida?

Determining how a truck accident occurred and identifying the party or parties at fault for the crash is part of our job. Personal Injury Attorneys McQuaid & Douglas will gather and analyze all available evidence and documents, including:

The truck driver’s logs, which could show that the driver violated hours-of-service limitations and suggest if the driver was drowsy or fatigued at the time of the accident
The truck driver’s employment and driving records, which could confirm if the driver had the appropriate licenses and certifications to operate the commercial motor vehicle
The truck’s electronic data recorder, or “black box,” which records information about the semi-truck’s operation, including GPS position, speed, how many hours the engine had been running, steering, braking, and acceleration inputs by the driver
The load manifest, which can show what cargo the 18-wheeler was loaded with and how it was loaded
The truck’s in-cab camera, dash-cam, nearby surveillance camera, or traffic camera footage, which can show the driver’s behavior before the wreck

Who Is Liable in a Florida Truck Accident?

Unlike most motor vehicle accidents where one of the motorists involved in the crash is usually responsible, the fault for a truck accident could be attributed to one or more of several different parties, such as:

The truck driver
The trucking company
The owner of the truck, if not the driver or trucking company
The truck’s mechanic
The freight company that loads the truck or trailer with cargo
The truck’s manufacturer or the manufacturer of a part used in the truck

We may discover that multiple parties share fault for your semi-truck accident. You can trust that our knowledgeable attorneys will fight to hold every responsible party accountable.