If you suffered losses after a steel truck accident, our Naples truck accident lawyers can pursue your losses. Compensation in your case could account for your medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering. We work on a contingency-fee-basis, so you don’t pay us anything unless we secure damages on your behalf.
Possible Damages in Your Steel Truck Accident Case
Depending on the injuries you suffered in an accident with a steel truck, you could potentially recover these losses:
Economic Damages
We can prove the cost of your economic damages by totaling their financial values. You could seek:
- Hospitalization costs
- Lost income
- The costs of rehabilitative therapies
- The costs of medical devices and accessories
- A home health aide
- Transportation costs
- Medications
- Out-of-pocket costs
- Future medical expenses
Non-Economic Damages
The value of your non-economic damages depends on the details of your situation, including your mobility, recovery period, and earning capacity. These losses comprise:
- Physical pain
- Emotional anguish
- Permanent disfigurement
- The loss of a limb or limbs
- The loss of a sense, such as eyesight
- Disability
- Loss of consortium
- Impaired quality of life
Not all types of compensation may apply in your case, and you could receive other types of damages not listed here. The value of your settlement depends on the severity of your injuries and the effect they have on your life.
How Can a Steel Truck Accident Lawyer in Naples Help You?
Our Naples personal injury lawyers can help you by:
Calculating Your Damages
We can use the following documents to prove the value of your economic and non-economic losses:
- Your employment records
- Your medical bills and medical records
- Testimony from economists and actuaries
- Invoices, receipts, and billing statements related to your losses
- Information from your healthcare provider
Determining Fault for Your Accident
Florida’s a no-fault state. However, you can still pursue another party for your losses. If another party’s negligence caused your accident and you suffered serious injuries as a result, you can hold them accountable through a claim or lawsuit.
We can determine fault for your accident by:
- Viewing traffic camera recordings
- Interviewing eyewitnesses and experts
- Reading the police report
- Reviewing the points of impact on your vehicle
- Examining the truck’s black box data
We can also review the trucker’s driving logs. They may have violated the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)’s mandates.
Negotiating a Settlement
To resolve your case via an insurance claim, we will:
- Determine the liable party
- Manage all correspondence with the claims adjuster
- Identify the liable policy
- Present your damages
- Counteract any bad faith insurance practices
Filing Your Lawsuit
If we can’t resolve your case in this manner, we will file a truck accident lawsuit. The following statutes could apply to your case:
- Per Florida Statutes §95.11(3)(a), you generally have four years to file your injury lawsuit.
- Per Florida Statutes §95.11(4)(d), you typically have two years to file your wrongful death lawsuit.
You could lose the right to seek damages if you miss these deadlines. If any exceptions apply to your case, our team will identify them.
Advising You on Your Next Steps
The smallest misstep could upset your entire case. With us on your side, we may recommend that you do the following:
- Stay off social media.
- Refrain from giving a recorded statement.
- Keep track of your injury-related losses.
- Seek medical care.
- Follow your doctor’s recommendations.
We advise against accepting the first offer that comes your way. It may not account for the full scope of your condition, including complications you could expect in the future.
We Can Address Your Case’s Challenges
Even when fault is clear-cut, steel truck accidents can get complicated. Various challenges could threaten your ability to seek damages, like if:
The Insurer Denies Your Claim
We can present evidence, argue your case, and highlight the liable party to secure approval. If the insurer denies your claim again, not a problem; we’ll take your case to court.
The Insurer Lowballs Your Losses
You are under no obligation to accept a settlement offer. If we don’t think it’s fair, we can keep negotiating. By understanding the value of your damages, we can explain what constitutes a satisfactory offer.
You Contributed to the Accident
No one’s perfect. If you contributed to the accident, this has no bearing on your ability to seek damages. Florida Statutes §768.81 says that even if you contributed to 99 percent of the collision, you could seek one percent of your losses.
While your portion of fault may affect your final settlement amount, it does not prevent you from seeking damages altogether.
The Statute of Limitations Expired on Your Case
Earlier, we mentioned that if you miss the filing deadline, you lose the right to seek damages. However, Florida Statutes §95.051 outlines some exceptions that may extend this deadline, such as:
- You were injured as someone under 18 years old.
- The trucker fled the accident scene or the state.
- The trucker gave you a fake name, making it harder to locate them.
- You did not discover your injuries until a later date.
Let our team decide how long you have to file. Even if you think the statute of limitations has expired, give us a call.
Types of Injuries That Qualify for Compensation
Florida Statutes §316.027 define the “serious injury” threshold. If your injuries meet this threshold, you could seek damages from another party. Otherwise, you may be limited to filing a claim with your own insurer.
Some examples of serious injuries include:
- Head and brain injuries
- Internal organ damage
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Fractures and crushed bones
- Severed limbs
- Burns
Serious injuries in crashes with steel trucks can require long-term hospital stays, painful medical treatments, and ongoing rehabilitation. Accident victims may also miss long periods of work.
All this can be costly as well as physically and emotionally taxing. We believe you should be compensated for all of these hardships.
Our Steel Truck Accident Team Can Fight for You
Let us get what you deserve. To explore working with a steel truck accident lawyer in Naples, call today.
We Can Help.
