Did you recently sustain injuries in an accident involving a large commercial truck in Palm Harbor, FL? Recovering fair compensation from the negligent driver can be tricky. An experienced Palm Harbor truck accident lawyer at Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers can help you fight to recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and more.
Since 1996, our lawyers have dedicated our entire practice to helping accident victims like you. Between us, we have over 50 years of experience in personal injury law. We’ve used that experience to help our injured clients recover over $100 million in compensation.
If you were injured, don’t hesitate to Contact our law offices in Palm Harbor, Florida at (727) 787-2500 to schedule a free consultation today.
How Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Truck Accident in Palm Harbor
Negotiating with insurance companies can be frustrating. The process for recovering compensation for a serious injury is almost always lengthy. You deserve an experienced Palm Harbor personal injury attorney who can help you navigate this challenging time.
At Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers, our team is led by an attorney who is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law. Our lawyers have also been recognized as Tampa Bay’s Top Trial Lawyers and as Super Lawyers. Over the years, our firm has regularly earned an AV-Preeminent rating from Martindale Hubbell.
When you hire us, your lawyer will:
- Handle the investigation into your truck accident claim
- Gather and analyze the evidence
- Retain top-rated experts to strengthen your personal injury claim
- Assess your case value
- Defend you if you’re blamed for being partially responsible for your own injuries
- Negotiate with the insurance company and defense attorneys
We believe that all accident victims deserve justice when they’re injured because someone else was careless. To learn more about how an experienced Palm Harbor personal injury lawyer can help you, call today.
How Common Are Truck Accidents in Palm Harbor?
Accidents involving semi-trucks, tractor-trailers, and other commercial vehicles can be more dangerous than your typical car accident. These vehicles are large, heavy, and difficult to maneuver. Unfortunately, most fatal truck accident victims are occupants of smaller passenger vehicles.
According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data, 4,998 large trucks were involved in fatal crashes in the United States in 2020. At least 107,000 truck accidents caused injuries that year.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reported that 349 people were killed in truck accidents across the state of Florida in 2020. Only Texas and California reported more fatal trucking accident cases.
What is My Palm Harbor Truck Accident Case Worth?
The value of most personal injury cases depends on the types of injuries involved. However, it’s important to remember that every claim is different. Even if you sustained injuries that were similar to someone else’s, your damages could be very different.
The most important factors that will influence your case value include:
- The cost of your medical care and out-of-pocket expenses
- Whether the injury prevents you from working during recovery
- How the injury will impact your future earnings
- Whether you will suffer a permanent disability or impairment
- Your personal and emotional losses, including diminished quality of life
- The general cause of the accident
Even in a low-speed truck crash, your injuries can change your life forever. Fighting for fair compensation is often the only way to get justice. Our legal team will often bring in experts to make sure your case is valued accurately. For more information, call our law firm in Palm Harbor for a free case review.
What Types of Damages Are Available To Truck Accident Victims in Florida?
Florida law classifies compensatory damages as either economic damages or non-economic damages.
Economic damages provide compensation for direct financial losses. You’re entitled to seek compensation for your past expenses and your expected future expenses.
Palm Harbor truck accident victims are often entitled to compensation for:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Lost future earning potential
- Rehabilitation
- Nursing care
- Home and vehicle modifications
- Property damage
Non-economic damages attempt to compensate victims for their more personal and subjective losses, such as:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Anxiety
- Depression
- PTSD
- Physical disfigurement and scarring
- Loss of consortium
Depending on the circumstances of the accident, punitive damages may also be available if you were injured in a truck accident in Palm Harbor. For example, if your accident was caused by a drunk driver, courts may award additional punitive damages as punishment.
Can I Recover Damages If I’m Being Blamed for a Truck Accident in Florida?
Multiple parties can share liability for the same accident. Under Florida law, you won’t lose your right to damages unless your allocated percentage of fault exceeds 50%. Florida’s modified comparative fault laws require judges and insurance companies to allocate fault between all parties to a crash.
So, if you were 40% responsible, you’re only entitled to 60% of your damages. If you were 51% or more responsible for the Palm Harbor truck crash, you’re entitled to nothing.
We’ll Fight To Recover Compensation for All of Your Truck Accident Injuries
Motor vehicle accidents involving large trucks tend to cause more serious injuries.
At Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers, we often handle trucking accident cases involving:
- Broken bones
- Soft tissue damage
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Concussions
- Back injuries
- Internal organ damage
- Crushing injuries
- Burns
- Road rash
- Amputations
- Paralysis
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death of a loved one
While truck accidents can happen instantly, the injuries you suffer can haunt you for years to come. Contact our lawyers in Palm Harbor to learn more about your legal right to compensation today.
What Causes Most Truck Accidents in Palm Harbor, Florida?
Commercial trucks are heavier and more difficult to stop than smaller passenger vehicles. That can cause the truck to crush smaller vehicles, jackknife, or even cause a crash among multiple vehicles–especially if the truck driver is careless.
Unfortunately, one Large Truck Causation Study found that about 87% of all truck accidents occur because of negligence.
Some of the most common causes of truck accidents in Palm County include:
- Distracted driving
- Fatigued truck drivers and violations of FMCSA hours-of-service rules
- Failure to yield the right-of-way
- Tailgating
- Excessive speeds
- Aggressive driving
- Passing too closely to smaller vehicles
- Weaving between lanes
- Illegal or unsafe turns
- Running a red light or stop sign
- Drunk driving
- Driving under the influence of drugs
- Failure to account for the truck’s wider turns and longer stopping times
- Road hazards
- Inexperienced or unqualified truck drivers
Defective parts can also contribute to the cause of an accident, and failure to maintain the truck can lead to an accident. Bald tires or worn brakes can make it more difficult to maneuver the truck safely.
How Do I Prove Negligence After a Truck Accident in Florida?
After a truck accident, the victim will usually have to prove that someone else’s negligence caused the crash.
To establish negligence, you must prove:
- The defendant owed you a legal duty of care
- They breached the duty of care
- The breach was the direct cause of the accident
- The damages you sustained because of the accident
In your typical car accident case, the driver whose negligence caused the accident is typically responsible. Truck accident cases are more complex. Even if the truck driver caused the accident, someone else may be liable for your damages.
Examples of responsible parties include:
- The trucking company, as the truck driver’s employer and owner of the truck
- Manufacturers of defective or dangerous truck components
- Mechanics and inspection companies
- The cargo loading company
- Third-party motorists
- Government transportation agencies
Investigating truck accident claims can take time and resources. Our Palm Harbor truck accident attorneys know the types of evidence to look for.
We’ll conduct our own investigation to locate:
- The truck’s black box recording device
- Video surveillance footage of the crash
- The driver’s hours-of-service log
- Records of the truck’s inspection and maintenance history
- Testimony from eyewitnesses
- Opinions of accident reconstruction specialists
- The truck driver’s commercial driver’s license and qualifications
- Evidence about the truck company’s hiring practices
- Drug and alcohol testing results
Our truck accident lawyers serving Palm Harbor will do everything we can to build the strongest case possible. To learn more about legal representation, call our team to schedule a free initial consultation today.
How Long Do I Have To File a Lawsuit After a Truck Accident in Florida?
Florida law limits the amount of time you have to sue for damages. After an accident, you typically have two years to file a personal injury lawsuit. Once the two-year statute of limitations runs out, you forfeit your right to sue for damages.
Note that Florida’s limitations period used to give you four years to legally act. However, state personal injury laws were updated on March 24, 2023. Therefore, if your Palm Harbor truck crash happened after that date, you must file your civil lawsuit within two years of the accident.
Remember, it’ll take time for your lawyers to gather the evidence you need. The insurance claims process can also take time. That’s why we always recommend calling an experienced attorney soon after an accident.
Contact a Palm Harbor Truck Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation
Were you or a loved one injured in a trucking accident? An experienced Palm Harbor truck accident lawyer can help you fight for the maximum compensation possible. Call Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers to get started today.
