Truck Crash Claims
As most Floridians know, large trucks (also known as tractor-trailers, “big rigs,” and “18 wheelers”) are found on roadways throughout Florida. Because of their size and weight, and associated maneuverability issues, they can cause significant accidents with serious injuries. Such accidents can occur as a result of the driver’s negligence or a host of other reasons, including a failure to follow certain state or federal safety regulations. In any event, The Law Offices of Donald M. Kreke stands ready to help you with your truck accident claim.
Truck Accidents can Cause Serious Injuries
Truck accidents can involve serious injuries, including traumatic brain injuries causing brain damage. Sometimes, victims of truck accidents will spend the rest of their lives in a facility that monitors their daily living. Alternatively, such victims may need to live in a medical facility, or will require around the clock attendant care. These victims will need to seek significant compensation from the at-fault driver and the company he or she was driving for at the time of the accident as such medical care can cost millions of dollars.
If you or a loved one has suffered an injury involving a large truck, it is important that you hire an attorney to seek compensation on your behalf that will help provide for your damages.
Once you retain us to serve as your truck accident claim attorneys, we will seek to obtain compensation for your losses, which may include:
- past and future medical expenses related to the injuries you sustained in your truck accident; and
- past and future lost wages associated with your truck accident; and
- past and future pain and suffering from the injuries you sustained in the truck accident.
We will attempt to make sure that your own insurance carrier pays your medical bills and lost wages in accordance with the personal injury protection (“PIP”) part of your insurance policy. In Florida, drivers are required to carry PIP coverage in the minimum amount of $10,000.00. Naturally, that may not be enough to pay for your medical bills and lost wages.
In doing so, we will fully investigate and otherwise work on your claim by doing the following:
- Obtaining all accident and incident reports.
- Inspecting the site of the accident.
- Inspecting the vehicles involved in the accident.
- Identifying witnesses and taking their statements.
- Securing and seeking to preserve any evidence that may be destroyed or lost.
- Collecting any and all photographs of the scene of the accident, and the cars involved in the accident.
- Working closely with various experts or consultants (including witnessing accident reconstruction efforts).
- Speaking or otherwise negotiating with representatives from the insurance company or companies for the at-fault driver(s).
- Obtaining all of your medical records and bills.
- Preparing and sending a demand to the at-fault driver or his or her insurer.
- Attempting to settle your truck accident claim on favorable terms.
- If necessary, filing a lawsuit against the at-fault trucking company.
We may also seek opinions from consultants and/or experts regarding:
- How the accident occurred, what caused the accident, etc. Accident reconstructionists and/or engineers typically provide opinions regarding these issues.
- The effects of the impact of the accident on your body, and issues related to the use of seatbelts. Biomechanical engineers typically provide opinions regarding these issues.
- Your medical issues, including the injuries you sustained, the severity of your injuries, whether your medical care after the accident was reasonable and necessary, what type of medical care you will need in the future, etc. Various types of doctors (including, but not limited to physiatrists, orthopedic surgeons, plastic surgeons, brain doctors, etc.) typically provide opinions regarding these issues.
- Issues related to your lost wages and ability to work in the future, and in what capacity. Vocational rehabilitation experts typically provide opinions regarding these issues.
- Issues related to quantification of your damages. Economists typically provide opinions regarding these issues.
In the event that the at-fault driver is uninsured or underinsured, and you have an insurance policy providing coverage for losses suffered as a result of such a driver, we will seek to obtain compensation for you from your own insurer. As you may expect, your own insurer will want to investigate the loss and limit the amount it pays to you. We will make every effort to make sure your own insurer adequately compensates you for your losses.
If you happen to be married at the time of the accident and your spouse’s relationship has been affected by your injuries, we can represent your spouse too. In that case, we would seek to get compensation for your spouse for his or her loss of love, affection, services, etc. due to the accident.
Things to Do After a Truck Crash
Truck accidents can be traumatic events and cause much confusion. Here are some things you should keep in mind after you are involved in an accident.
- Make your safety and the safety of others your first priority. Put your hazard lights on and locate a safe place away from the dangers of the roadway where you can wait until local authorities and/or first providers arrive.
- Call the local authorities and report the accident.
- Call for medical assistance if needed.
- Call your insurer and/or your insurance agent and report the accident.
- Cooperate with the local authorities and other first responders during their investigation of the accident.
- Do not make statements that are outside of your expertise.
- Take photographs of the accident scene, the position of the vehicles involved in the accident, and the damage to each of the vehicles.
- Get the name, address, telephone number, and insurance information of the person or people who caused the accident. If the accident involved a truck owned by a company, you should also get the name of the company which employed the driver and the name of the company which owned the truck.
- Get the name, address, and telephone number for any people who witnessed the accident.
- Do not provide a written or oral statement to the at-fault driver or his or her insurer or employer.
- Do not sign any documents related to the accident unless they are from the local authorities, your attorney, your insurer, or your medical providers.
- Upon leaving the scene of the accident, seek medical assistance, if needed.
- Preserve the photographs you took and the documentation you acquired related to your accident. You will want to share those articles with your attorneys.
- Request (preferably through your attorney(s)) for the at-fault driver to provide information from the tractor-trailer’s black box (data recorder), the driver’s log, and the driver’s cellular phone records for the day of the accident.
- If a representative of the at-fault driver’s insurer calls you, do not talk to him or her. Rather, refer that person to your attorney.
Have You Been Injured in a Truck Crash and Sustained Permanent Injuries?
Call The Law Offices of Donald M. Kreke today for a free consultation regarding your truck accident claim. If you are injured and unable to come to our office, we will come to see you.
Other Legal Matters Handled by The Law Offices of Donald M. Kreke
In addition to truck accident claims, The Law Offices of Donald M. Kreke handles other legal matters including: personal injury matters (including, but not limited to, automobile accident claims, motorcycle wreck claims, boating collision claims, claims against cruise lines, premises liability claims, slip and fall accident claims, negligent security claims, dog bite claims, and defective products claims), property insurance claims – both residential and commercial – and inception claims, and supplemental and re-open claims (including, but not limited, broken pipe claims, fire claims, flood claims, hail claims, hurricane claims, mold claims, roof leak claims, sinkhole claims, storm claims, tornado claims, vandalism and theft claims, water claims, wind claims, loss of business income claims, and extra expense claims), bad faith insurance claims, property damage claims, collection matters, criminal defense matters, traffic offenses (including speeding tickets), claims against insurance brokers and/or agents, medical malpractice claims, nursing home claims and elderly abuse claims, and matters involving contract disputes. We also assist clients with reviewing and drafting contracts. If your legal issue or matter is not listed above, please contact us. We may be able to help.