Fort Lauderdale truck accident lawyer

Being involved in a truck accident is one of the most horrific experiences anyone will ever have because the injuries associated with this type of wreck are typically life-altering and debilitating.

A Fort Lauderdale personal injury lawyer with Lytal, Reiter, Smith, lvey & Fronrath is ready to help you if you’ve been hurt in a truck collision that wasn’t your fault. Our attorneys will provide expert, passionate legal representation, and will do everything we can to help you obtain every penny of compensation you deserve.

If you would like to schedule a free consultation, please contact us online or call us at (561) 655-1990.

What to do after a truck accident

As disorienting and frightening as a truck accident can be, try to keep as calm as possible if you’re in one. The actions you take in the aftermath will not only be important for your physical health but also the strength of your case. Try to keep the following in mind:

Seek immediate medical attention

Don’t assume that just because you feel fine in the moment you haven’t been seriously hurt. An auto accident can send an incredible amount of adrenaline coursing through the body which can mask pain and other symptoms you might otherwise feel.

There are many types of injuries that may not even show symptoms for hours, or even days after an accident takes place. If you wait too long to get medical help, you could risk permanent health problems.
Take photos and record videos
After you know medical professionals are on the way, take pictures and videos of the accident scene, but only if it’s safe for you to do so.
Get photos and videos of your vehicle, all other involved vehicles, and the road surface and conditions. The road could hold relevant evidence, including skid marks which would indicate when the truck driver used their breaks and the speed with which they were traveling.
Talk to any witnesses who may have seen what happened
You don’t need to interview them, but get their names, phone numbers, and email addresses.
Contact a lawyer
After you’re safe and have received initial medical treatment, contact the Florida truck accident lawyers with Lytal, Reiter, Smith, lvey & Fronrath as soon as you can. Your lawyer will launch an immediate investigation to gather all the facts, including talking to witnesses, gathering footage from nearby surveillance cameras that may have captured the accident, and taking other steps to collect the evidence you need.

Don’t wait to file a claim

In Florida, you generally have four years after the accident occurs to file a claim. However, if you wait too long, the insurance company may deny your benefits by arguing that your injuries aren’t the direct result of the accident, especially if you waited to see a doctor.

The insurance company isn’t going to offer a fair settlement out of kindness, especially not if you’re representing yourself. Don’t risk your chances of receiving a fair and reasonable settlement for your injuries–the earlier you start working with us, the sooner we can start working on proving your case.

Damages you may be able to recover

The word “damages” is a legal term for monetary losses a victim incurs due to an injury caused by someone else’s negligence. There are three main types of damages: economic, non-economic, and punitive.

Economic damages

These are tangible, easily calculated damages that include your medical bills, wages and benefits you lost at work, property damage, and more.

Non-economic damages

These are more subjective, and require the skill of an experienced attorney to properly calculate. Examples include pain and suffering as well as emotional and mental trauma.

Punitive damages

Punitive damages are intended to punish a defendant rather than to compensate the injured person which makes them an example to others so they don’t commit the same type of gross negligence. When juries award punitive damages, the compensation is typically much higher than for economic or non-economic damages, but they’re only awarded in extreme circumstances. One example is a truck driver choosing to get behind the wheel of an 80,000-pound machine while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

We’ll help you receive maximum compensation

If you want to have the best chance of obtaining maximum compensation, you’ll need the help of an experienced lawyer. The Florida truck accident lawyers with Lytal, Reiter, Smith, lvey & Fronrath have the resources, skill, and experience it takes to help you recover and move forward with surety and security.

Our firm has a long track record of success in cases similar to yours. We know how to take on huge insurance companies and know the tactics they use in an effort to shortchange injury victims. We’ll do everything we can to make your case as strong as possible and force the insurer to give you what you deserve.

Black box data: The most crucial evidence in your case

One way we’ll prove your case is by obtaining the “black box” data from the truck that caused your accident. This is an event data recorder that’s somewhat similar to the black box on commercial airplanes.

This box will be critically important to your case since it can provide an incredible amount of key information. For example, it will show the speed at which the truck was traveling both before the accident and at the moment of impact. It will also show when the gas pedal and brakes were applied or released, and it could indicate if there was some sort of defect that played a role in causing the accident.

Not just anyone can get this data which is just another reason you need to hire an attorney as soon as possible.

Common causes of truck accidents

There are several different reasons that a truck accident can happen These are just a few of the more common ones.

The truck driver was speeding
The cargo was negligently loaded, causing a sudden shift in balance that caused the driver to lose control
The trucking company failed to properly maintain the vehicle.
The truck had defective brakes or tires
The driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs

An attorney can determine all of the potentially liable parties and take action against all of them in an effort to ensure you receive full and fair compensation.

Common truck accident injuries

Since a commercial truck is so much larger than a passenger car, the occupants of the smaller vehicle are often subjected to incredibly powerful forces, so injuries resulting from a truck accident are typically severe. Some common injuries include the following:

Traumatic brain injury
Concussion
Broken bones
Organ damage
Amputation
Burns
And many others

Why you shouldn’t just accept the insurance company’s offer

If the insurance company hasn’t already offered you a settlement, it probably will do so very soon. Please don’t accept that offer without speaking with an attorney first.

You might not have a complete understanding of all the medical treatment you may need–there’s a possibility you might need that treatment for several months, or even years. If you take what the insurer is offering, there’s a very high likelihood that it won’t be enough to cover your ongoing medical costs, and you’ll be responsible for whatever is left.

A seasoned lawyer will know how much your case is worth and will know how much to demand. In most cases, insurers will ultimately make more fair settlement offers when they realize the injury victim has legal representation.

Let our Fort Lauderdale truck accident lawyers help

Don’t let the insurance company take care of you if you’ve been injured in a truck accident. Contact the Florida truck accident lawyers with Lytal, Reiter, Smith, lvey & Fronrath because we know how to collect the most compensation possible for our clients.

To schedule your free consultation, please call us at (561) 655-1990 or use our online contact form.