Were you recently injured in a truck accident in Fort Pierce, FL? Our experienced Fort Pierce truck accident lawyers at Shiner Law Group are ready to help fight for your legal rights and get the compensation you deserve. Call us today at (772) 979-6626 to speak with an attorney for a 100% free consultation.
You may be entitled to seek compensation for medical bills, loss of income, pain, and suffering, and more. Contact our Fort Pierce, FL law offices to discuss the legal options that might be available to you following your truck accident. The next steps are very important. Let Shiner Law Group help you with your truck accident case today.
Were You Injured In A Truck Accident In Fort Pierce?
You may need the assistance of a Fort Pierce truck accident lawyer if you or a loved one became injured in an accident with a semi-truck, tractor-trailer, or similar oversized vehicle.
Accidents involving tractor-trailers in Florida are more complicated than typical car accidents, as tractor-trailers, which can weigh up to 40 tons, do considerably more damage to other passenger cars and their occupants. The statute of limitations to pursue a trucking accident lawsuit is two years for most personal injury claims in Florida, which makes securing legal counsel vital to any case.
If you or your loved one have been involved in a truck accident arising from negligence or unethical business practices, seek immediate medical attention before contacting an experienced Fort Pierce truck accident attorney, as you may be entitled to financial compensation.
Choosing A Truck Accident Attorney in Fort Pierce
In the event of a truck accident, trucking companies will immediately dispatch an Accident Response Team to gather evidence and build a compelling case to refute personal injury claims and minimize financial liability. Similarly, having the benefit of a Shiner Law Group attorney by your side means that evidence will be collected soon, preserved, and examined to ensure that you receive the maximum financial package for your injuries.
For over 15 years, our award-winning truck accident attorneys have aggressively pursued the maximum compensation for Fort Pierce victims and their families, so they can focus on what’s important – recovery. We will level the playing field by obtaining video footage, police reports, and other evidence that may not only reveal the driver’s action prior to impact but inconsistencies in the driver’s logs.
Understanding Florida’s Commercial Liability Coverage
A Florida truck driver exacerbates the risk of bodily injury or wrongful death when he or she fails to operate the vehicle in a safe and reasonable manner. Failure to comply with state and federal trucking regulations can lead to any of the following injuries:
- Internal organ damage.
- Disfigurement necessitating plastic surgery.
- Severe whiplash.
- Broken bones or sprains.
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI).
- Spinal cord injuries (SCI).
- Wrongful death.
Depending on the degree of injuries sustained and subsequent medical treatment, a victim of a truck accident may be faced with mounting medical bills exceeding $100,000. Understanding the type of available coverage to pursue in a potential lawsuit against an at-fault carrier is among the first steps to recovery.
Most tractor-trailers are owned by third parties that offer different coverage options for damage to your vehicle as opposed to compensation for injuries. Other policies combine damage to property and bodily injury under Combined Single Limit (CSL) coverage. Separate coverage for injury is referred to as Commercial Liability Coverage. Under Commercial Liability Coverage, medical bills not covered by Personal Injury Protection (PIP) are considered out-of-pocket expenses. If a negligible party is found guilty, the out-of-pocket expenses will be included as damages and paid by the defendant’s insurance carrier.
Notwithstanding, truck accident victims may be entitled to damages for pain, suffering, mental anguish, and future medical care, which are pursued against the commercial company’s insurance carrier.
Types of Damages Recoverable in a Fort Pierce Truck Accident
When you or a loved one is injured in a tractor-trailer accident, dealing with financially sound defendants who are experienced in liability claims is a challenging task; however, at the Shiner Law Group, our legal team is committed to safeguarding our clients’ rights by fighting on behalf of their legal and financial interests.
In the event of a truck accident, the following parties can be held liable if injuries were sustained:
- The owner of the truck, the driver, and the hiring company.
- The company leasing the truck (if applicable).
- If a trailer was involved, the owner of the trailer or the trailer’s leasing company.
- The company responsible for loading the truck.
- The manufacturer of the truck’s components if product liability is shown.
While the circumstances of each case are unique, we have a results-driven approach to litigating across the full spectrum of truck accident negligence. Our clients are often suffering physical, emotional, and financial hardships, so we seek a broad range of damages, including, but not limited to, medical treatment and rehabilitation, loss of income, periods of disability, or a permanent inability to engage in gainful employment.
Questions To Ask A Fort Pierce Truck Accident Lawyer
Below are questions someone should ask (or the lawyer) for a truck accident case in Fort Pierce if they were in a Trucking 18-Wheeler accident:
- How were drivers for the trucking company compensated, such as, were they paid by the mile, by the load, by the hour, straight salary, etc.
- Was the driver of the 18-wheeler ever reprimanded by the trucking company and if so, why.
- Who owned the tractor-trailer at the time of the crash and was that driver working for any specific company.
- Who at the trucking company has knowledge of the trucking companies’ safety policies and operations, maintenance and/or repairs to the subject tractor and trailer, or responsibility for maintaining company records.
- The subject tractor-trailer’s empty weight, the weight of the load, the length, width, and height of the tractor and trailer, model and type of brakes, speed potential as configured, makes, models, and mileage of its tires, engine model and horsepower, transmission type and model, any changes from its original configuration (and why such changes were made), make and model of any governors on the vehicle, name, address, and telephone numbers of anyone who operated the truck within six months prior to the subject incident, nature of the employment relationship between Sweetwater Environmental, Inc. and anyone who operated the truck within six months prior to the subject incident.
- What was the load being transported at the time of the incident at issue, including where the load originated, who dispatched it, its contents, its weight, and the dates and times between departure and arrival at the destination?
- Did the tractor-trailer truck have any onboard recording device, computer, tachograph, trip monitor, trip recorder, trip master, or video cameras?
- Were there ever any tests required and performed on the 18-wheeler’s driver regarding any blood, urine, etc., and a pre-employment condition or anytime after the accident.?
- Did the trucking company have any policy or procedure manuals pertaining to the operation of the tractor-trailer?
- What are the operational documents pertaining to the movement of cargo by the tractor-trailer driver for 6 months prior to the truck accident?
- What do the driver’s logs or driving time or work time audits created by the commercial trucks show regarding travel prior to the truck accident?
- Pursuant to Federal trucking laws, FMCSR, Part 391, what were the processes in place for the tractor-trailer driver for any pre-employment, random, or post-subject incident drug testing.
- What did the onboard recording device, on-board computer, tachograph, trip monitor, trip recorder, trip master, or device known by any other name which records information concerning the operation of the tractor-trailer show after the crash of the 18-wheeler?
- What insurance coverage does the commercial truck maintain, and what are the excess policies for the tractor-trailer?
Speaking with a Fort Pierce Truck Accident Lawyer Near Me
Have you or someone you love been injured because of the negligent, reckless, or intentional conduct of another?
Call us at (772) 979-6626 or contact us online for a free case review to see how we can help.
Fort Pierce Truck Accident Lawyer Review
Fort Pierce Truck Accident Injury Law Office
Shiner Law Group
531 S US Hwy 1, Building A STE D
Fort Pierce, FL 34950
