Have You Been Injured By A Trucker
Have you been seriously injured in an accident by a commercial vehicle? If so, call the attorneys at Shiner Law Group P.A., your personal injury attorneys in Florida? We have years of experience in managing personal injury cases, including motor vehicle accidents, commercial trucking accidents, long haul trucking accidents, 18-wheeler accidents, and tractor-trailer accidents.
Have you been in an accident involving one of the following?
- Commercial Trucks
- Semi-trailer
- Tractor-trailer
- 18 wheeler
- Box trucks
- Rental truck
- Moving trucks
Have you been involved in one or more of the following types of accidents with a commercial vehicle, similar to the ones listed above:
- Jackknifed accidents
- Blind Spot Accidents
- Rollover Accidents
- Underride Accidents
- Tire Blowouts Accidents
- Head-on Collision Accidents
- Rear-end collision Accidents
Then call our experienced lawyers at the Shiner Law Group at 561-777-7700.
Commercial trucks are used to transport products, goods, food, oil, etc., all over the country. At times these trucks can lose control, speed, drive sporadically, fail to observe traffic signals and laws, drivers may fall asleep at the wheel, drivers may be distracted while driving, or other negligent behavior that can cause serious bodily harm and property damage.
Trucking accidents occur daily on roads all across the United States. In many cases, the trucking industry is at fault, and truck drivers are likely the main cause of a significant number of these accidents. However, others may be at fault as well. Even if there may appear to be the absence of driver error, negligence on the part of the trucking operator, third-party shipper, loading operator, or contractor could cause property damage, damage to your vehicle, bodily harm, or even death.
If you or a loved one have sustained a serious injury from a truck accident, you may be entitled to compensation for those injuries sustained to you and your vehicle, as well as for other related costs due to the truck accident.
As an example, if the trucking company operator does not maintain or inspect their trucking equipment, accidents can occur. The loading crew could have failed to properly secure the products prior to shipping, and the trucking operator could have failed to properly inspect the equipment or maintain the trucking equipment. The tires could have been old or worn out, not inspected properly, and debris in the road could have caused blown tires. The drive could have been on a phone or computer or even fallen asleep due to the long, tedious hours alone in the cab of the truck. There are so many different factors that could play a role in the truck accident, and our lawyers are experts at investigating and getting to the bottom of the matter.
If you have been involved or have a family member involved in a Trucking Accident, follow these steps?
- Check for damages and injuries to yourself, your passengers, and the truck driver.
- Call 911 immediately and wait for emergency help.
- Record the name of the truck driver, the name, address, and phone number of the trucking company/operator.
- Record the insurance documentation of the driver and the trucking company/operator (insurance company name and insurance policy number).
- Take photos of the damages to both your vehicle, the truck, and property, if any, also take photos of any injuries caused by the accident.
- Call your insurance carrier and report the accident immediately.
- Call the trucking accident injury attorneys at Shiner Law Group immediately at 561-777-7700 or visit our fill out a free consultation request.
- Seek medical attention immediately.
- If you do not receive treatment within 14 days of an accident it is possible to lose your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Benefits.
What is the difference between a Trucking Accident versus an Automobile Accident?
Accidents can be more catastrophic when dealing with a trucking accident vs. an automobile accident; the sheer size of a tractor-trailer causes much more physical damage and can be catastrophic compared to being struck by another automobile. Although a car-to-car accident can also have catastrophic injuries, the size and speed of the vehicles involved make all the difference. A simple side swipe between cars may cause damage to the car itself; however, a tap on your bumper from a tractor-trailer could be dangerous and cause severe physical and bodily damage. These damages result not only in damages to your car but to you and your other passengers as well.
Injuries sustained in a truck accident:
- Neck and back injuries
- Traumatic Brain damage
- Amputation
- Broken bones
- Head injuries
Medical bills, lost time, and other living expenses mount rather quickly when these catastrophic injuries occur. You do not have to be overwhelmed by this process; you do not need to be pressured by the insurance companies to settle quickly, you have rights, and our obligations and commitments to you will help navigate you through this process.
The Shiner Law Group, P.A. are experienced in the laws and are knowledgeable and are experts at handling these complex negotiations between the trucking operators and insurance companies to obtain the most equitable solution for our clients, as we know your medical bills and other expenses will continue to pile up as you recover.
Medical and other expenses associated with Trucking Accidents
When you are involved in an accident, your expenses can add up and add up fast, especially when in a trucking accident, as your injuries may be more severe.
Spinal cord injuries may result in paralysis and could incur medical bills in excess of $500,000 in the first year alone. Other damages could include Organ damage, amputation, broken bones and bruises, traumatic brain injury, shoulder, wrist, and ankle injuries (from pushing on the steering wheel or pressing down on the breaks), whiplash (including headache, neck pains, head pains, herniated disks), chemical burns from impact to the airbags being deployed, cuts and bruises and ribs from seatbelt injuries.
Costs from your medical care can include:
Your initial hospital visit – Transportation costs from the ambulance company, taking you from the scene of the accident to the emergency room at the hospital. Medivac expenses if you were in a rural area or needed immediate attention. Your time in the emergency room, as well as your emergency care, could be significant.
Your hospitalization – With truck accident injuries comes significant hospital stay time. An average stay of five to six days at a hospital may result in $10,000 charges. Additional medical treatments, including surgical procedures or life saving medical equipment, will increase costs.
Surgeries – Traumatic brain injuries, broken bones, amputations, organ damage, impalements may all require immediate surgery to help repair the damage, save your life, and improve your recovery time. In some cases, multiple surgeries will be required, which also includes additional hospital stays.
Physical therapy, Occupational therapy, or Chiropractic care – After an accident and after initial care has been provided; continued treatment may be necessary. These treatments help in the recovery and may help restore strength and agility.
Future Medical Expenses – in some cases, you may require follow-up surgeries or care to help in your recovery, this type of medical care will cost additional dollars, which should be taken into account prior to any settlement.
Home modifications, home Improvements, car replacement, and modification costs – due to some injuries, you may need to modify/improve your home to help you live more comfortably; for example, if you are wheelchair-bound, door frames and doors will have to be modified, halls walls widened, bathrooms modified, etc. Your vehicle will have to be replaced, and or a modified vehicle may be needed in order to help you navigate around.
Pain and Suffering – this may constitute a large part of any settlement; most if not all insurance companies utilize a set formula in order to calculate this; based on this complex formula, you may be eligible for a higher settlement; however, this can’t be done alone, and an experienced lawyer at the Shiner Law Group will be able to help you navigate this process. The calculation will take into account the seriousness of the injury, the expected length of treatment; it is a lifelong injury, etc. How has the injury limited your daily activities, and have you suffered serious emotional stress and damage due to these injuries?
Loss of employment or wages – Medical and pain and suffering expenses are not the only matters to be considered when discussing or negotiating a settlement, one’s employment factor should also be considered. Have you lost employment due to the extended medical leave, lost wages due to the accident and recovery, lost the ability to continue performing the type of job you had been doing for years? What about your future earning potential? All of these would factor into a settlement.
Loss of life – Did you suffer a loss, a loved one. The loss of life in a truck accident causes immense Suffering for survivors. Typically, if the one who was lost could have filed a personal injury case, if they had survived, you as the beneficiary may be entitled to a wrongful death claim. If you may be entitled, you should speak to one of our experienced wrongful death attorneys at the Shiner Law Group to discuss your potential claim.
Who is responsible for damages For an Accident Involving a Truck?
Depending on the type of truck accident you were involved with determines the responsible party or parties; based on these factors may affect the ultimate settlement in your case. That is why selecting the right lawyer makes all the difference; our lawyers at the Shiner Law Group will determine who the responsible party is and will aggressively fight for your rights.
One or more of the following may be at fault for your injuries or the injuries of your loved ones.
Truck Driver – In most cases, the drive bares the most susceptibilities and is usually the one at fault; the lawyers at the Shiner Law Group will investigate to determine if this is the case, was the truck driver following the traffic laws at the time of the accident, was he distracted, did the drive fall asleep at the wheel, these and other factors will be taken into account during our investigation of your case.
Truck Company/operator – in some cases, the truck company or operator bears responsibilities in the traffic accident, was it a company-owned truck, was it leased by the company, was the truck properly serviced and maintained, did the truck company overbook the driver, requiring extra hours on the road with little sleep, did the truck company or truck operator put undue pressure on the truck driver, these factors will also be investigated during our review of your case.
Third-party – When the truck was loaded, did they load the truck properly, did they secure the cargo properly, did they overload the truck, tractor trailer, 18-wheeler; these and other factors will play a role in the investigation of the case as well.
Truck Manufacturer – Did the truck have a history of mechanical failures, was it built to spec, was there a recall on the truck.
Truck mechanic – did the service and maintenance of the vehicle play a factor in the truck accident, did they properly replace all parts as required, did they fail to service the truck properly, did they fast track the repairs and allow a truck back on the road prematurely?
Why Hire the Experienced Truck Accident Lawyers at the Shiner Law Group, P.A.?
The lawyers at Shiner Law Group represent victims of all types of accidents, including trucking accidents. We also represent truck drivers injured due to the negligence of their employee or contractor. Shiner Law Group has offices conveniently located throughout South Florida including, Broward, Palm Beach, St Lucie, and Fort Pierce. Our headquarters is located in Boca Raton.
Our expert lawyers are specialists in personal injury law, litigation, and claims. We are well known as the experts in personal injury and catastrophic injury. We have a reputation with our clients as caring; we treat our clients like family. We aggressively advocate for your interests and are committed to obtaining a just and equitable settlement for our clients. We are known to be committed to our client’s interests and do not back down from pressure from the trucking companies and their insurance companies to obtain the maximum recovery for you, our clients.
The skilled personal injury lawyers at the Shiner Law Group, P.A. understand the catastrophic trends that have been growing within the trucking industry; we are here to guide you through this difficult process to seek compensation for the injuries sustained from the trucking accident.
Speak with one of our personal injury attorneys at Shiner Law Group for a free, no-obligation consultation at 561-777-7700. You can also submit your case details for a free case evaluation online.
