Every year, thousands of people suffer from injuries due to collisions with commercial vehicles. Of these accidents, the most dangerous, life-altering, and potentially lethal often involve semi-trucks and other commercial trucks. 

If you or a loved one finds yourself injured due to the negligence or recklessness of a commercial vehicle driver, it is important to know your rights. This article will explain what to do after an accident and whether you should use a semi-truck accident lawyer before speaking with an insurance company.

Why are semi-truck accidents more dangerous?

While your average passenger vehicle weighs a few thousand pounds, a semi-truck holding a full load can easily weigh twenty times as much. Because of this significant size difference, a truck can cause considerable damage to your standard vehicle on the road, even at modest speeds. 

Truck accidents often result in broken bones, brain injuries, and spinal cord injuries. Due to the size and weight of a semi-truck, these injuries often impact a victim for many years and can also be permanent.

Should I use a semi truck accident lawyer?

If you or a loved one suffers from injuries due to a semi-truck accident, you should absolutely find an attorney to help you work with insurance companies and with filing a lawsuit if necessary. 

Our court system requires you to prove in court that fault lies with the truck driver and/or their employer. This is a challenging undertaking that requires expertise from an attorney that knows traffic laws and trucking regulations. Negotiation skills are also necessary for determining damages so that you can receive the full amount of a claim to cover all your truck accident expenses.

How will an attorney determine fault?

After an accident, a trucking company will do their best to show that it was your negligence and not the truck driver’s that led to your crash. However, an experienced attorney can investigate the crash, the truck driver, and the trucking company. They will compile information from witnesses, your police report, and experts in truck accidents to build your case. 

Some factors that an attorney can use to prove fault include:

  • Showing how a truck driver was negligent, either from specific actions taken on the day of your crash or due to a lack of training.
  • Explaining that the truck driver was not following all laws, including hourly driving restrictions in the state of Florida.
  • Highlighting how a vehicle or the vehicle’s driver was not in proper condition to drive on the road at the time of your accident.

As you can tell, proving fault in your court case is complex. However, an attorney can gain access to driver, vehicle, and company information that an accident victim would have trouble securing. 

Yet, there is a time factor involved with gathering evidence, as company owners might hide or delete important driver records, which can affect your case. Therefore, it is important to act right away after being the victim of a semi-truck accident.

Which parties can be liable for my accident?

Several parties can be found at fault for your damages. This can include the driver, the trucking company, and in certain events, the vehicle manufacturer. Who should be liable for your accident depends on the circumstances in your case. For this reason, you should speak to a semi-truck accident lawyer, who can decide who to bring a claim against. 

Because these parties will try to avoid responsibility for your accident, it is important to work with professional attorneys with truck accident lawsuit experience.

How much is my claim worth?

The total amount you can receive from a truck accident lawsuit depends on the specifics of your case. There is no set amount that you are guaranteed to receive. However, there are costs that attorneys are often able to recover, including:

  • The cost of previous and future medical care for your truck accident injuries.
  • Lost wages, loss of income, and reeducation for finding a job in a new field.
  • Loss of companionship if the truck accident is fatal.
  • Property damages, including damage to your vehicle.
  • Pain and suffering and other damages.

What are my next steps?

If you or a loved one are suffering from an auto collision, you should contact a semi truck accident lawyer right away. Our attorneys at Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey and Fronrath are here to help explain your rights as a Floridian. 

Contact us using the live chat feature on our website, or call (561) 655-1990 to receive a no-obligation consultation with experienced truck accident attorneys. 

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