When a commercial truck driver makes a careless or reckless mistake on Boca Raton’s roads, other motorists and their passengers often pay the price. Commercial truck crashes can lead to serious and even catastrophic injuries, requiring extensive medical care, inpatient rehabilitation, ongoing care, and other expenses. The Boca Raton personal injury lawyer at the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine understand the stress and worry accident victims face.
We know you need compensation to pay for your losses, and we will fight to recover this payout for you from the truck driver, trucking company, or other liable parties. Call our office today for a free, no-obligation consultation to learn how our Boca Raton truck accident lawyer can lead your case. We can represent you without upfront fees and costs and only get paid if you win your case.
We Will Fight For All Your Damages From A Boca Truck Accident
Eighteen-wheeler accidents often cause serious injuries, at least in part because of the drastic size and weight difference between tractor-trailers and passenger vehicles. As the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reports, tractor-trailers are 20 to 30 times heavier than passenger vehicles and can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, the legal limit, at full capacity.
While we can get a general idea of how much your legal claim might be worth rather quickly, there is no way to know for sure what a fair settlement will look like until we fully investigate all your losses, understand your future care needs, and examine how your injuries affect your life.
You could recover economic and non-economic damages after a negligent truck driver causes an accident in Boca Raton, which include:
- Medical expenses (e.g., an ambulance ride, emergency care, hospital care, surgeries, tests, medications)
- Rehabilitative therapy (e.g., physical therapy)
- Loss of income
- Reduced earning capacity (loss of future earnings)
- Property damages
- Pain and suffering
- Impaired quality of life
- Mental anguish
- Emotional pain, emotional distress
- Loss of companionship, loss of consortium
- Scarring, disfigurement, and disability
- Loss of enjoyment of life
Wrongful Death Damages
If a loved one suffered fatal injuries in a Boca Raton semi-truck crash, our Boca Raton wrongful death attorney could help you recover damages on behalf of your family member and your family. These losses include:
- Funeral and burial expenses
- The decedent’s accident-related medical bills
- The loss of household income
- Other related losses
We can meet with you and review how these legal actions work and how to prove wrongful death in Florida. Call the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine today for a free consultation.
Proving Your Losses In A Boca Raton Commercial Truck Case
Our Boca Raton semi-truck accident lawyers must gather documentation showing your hospital bills, rehabilitation costs, therapy bills, expenses relating to assistive and adaptive equipment, the cost of replacing or repairing your vehicle, and other related expenses. We also must document the time you missed from work and how much income this cost you.
Then, we can reach out to experts who can help us get a clear picture of the ongoing or future medical care you may need because of your injuries. They will explain what new adaptive equipment—such as wheelchairs or lifts—you may need and how often you will have to purchase replacements. They will discuss in-home care and specialized therapies that may become necessary. With this information, we can begin to get a full picture of your future care needs.
Our Law Firm Can Demand Damages For Your Pain And Suffering
Then, of course, there are pain and suffering damages. These non-economic damages are not financial losses. Instead, they provide compensation for the emotional losses you suffered. Often, the total of these damages is much higher than the total of your financial losses.
Once we have a good idea about a fair settlement value in your case, we can share this with you and begin settlement negotiations with the trucking company and its legal team. It is important to note, however, that we will not know the exact value of your personal injury claim until we reach a settlement, or the court awards you a judgment.
We Will Determine All Liable Parties in Your Boca Truck Collision
In relatively minor traffic accidents that do not involve serious injuries, liability does not play a role in your auto insurance claim. Florida is a no-fault auto insurance state and requires you to carry your personal injury protection (PIP) insurance policy, per Florida Statutes § 627.736. This policy covers the treatment of minor-to-moderate injuries and lost income after a crash. If the truck accident caused you to suffer serious injuries, however, we can help you identify the at-fault parties in your Boca Raton truck accident.
Most commonly, accidents happen when a motorist or truck driver makes a mistake and breaks a traffic law, leading to an accident. Like any other car accident, if the trucker caused the crash and you suffered severe injuries, we can file a third-party liability insurance claim against the liable party. Unlike most car accidents, however, we do not file a claim against the truck driver alone.
Why The Trucking Company Could Be Responsible For Damages In Your Case
Florida has a vicarious liability statute that holds employers responsible for their employees’ actions while working. This includes truck drivers transporting goods for trucking companies. Thanks to vicarious liability, we pursue most truck accident lawsuits based on the trucking company’s large corporate insurance policies.
Occasionally, other parties are liable for your accident, as well. This may occur when a defective truck part or negligent maintenance company causes the crash. When our Boca Raton personal injury lawyers investigate your accident, we can identify all potentially responsible parties and explain your legal options for compensation. We will handle negotiations with all insurance carriers to recover damages. If we cannot settle your case, we can pursue a lawsuit and continue the legal process in court.
How Hard Is It To Prove Negligence In A Boca Raton Truck Accident Case?
To win the financial recovery, you need to cover your medical care and other accident-related losses; we must show the driver acted negligently. This requires collecting a broad range of evidence to prove:
- The driver had an obligation to uphold traffic laws in addition to state and federal trucking regulations.
- They did not uphold one or more of these rules.
- Their failure to do so directly led to your accident and injuries.
- You suffered serious physical, emotional, and financial damages.
Sometimes, the thought of saving a few dollars tempts accident victims to try to collect this evidence and build a personal injury lawsuit case on their own. When it comes to complex truck accident claims and proving liability, this is not a task you want to attempt without a trucking accident lawyer.
Why Is It Harder To Collect Evidence In A Big Rig Collision Case?
The trucking company holds much of the evidence in a truck accident case, and it takes a lawyer to protect and obtain it. Federal and state regulations require truck drivers and trucking companies to keep strict records. It is this documentation that will help prove your case.
We must send a spoliation letter as soon as possible after your trucking accident, obligating the trucking company to gather and keep essential evidence like:
- The driver’s written logs
- Any electronic log data
- Onboard computer data
- Maintenance records for the truck
- Results from the required post-accident drug and alcohol testing
- The trucker’s training and driving history
This crucial evidence is often key in proving how and why a truck collision happened. For example, we can see if the trucker was breaking federal hours of service regulations by failing to take the required rest stops. If a drowsy truck driver fell asleep behind the wheel, this might be the key piece of evidence that ensures we can recover the fair compensation you deserve.
Call Us For Help From A Boca Raton Truck Accident Lawyer – Free Consultation
At the Law Offices Anidjar & Levine, we can lead your case and seek the maximum compensation you deserve. You can reach us today for a complimentary initial consultation. We will offer responsive legal care for your situation and work on your truck accident claim or lawsuit on a contingency fee basis. Florida Statutes § 95.11 limits the time you have to file a personal injury lawsuit and a wrongful death action, so get in touch with us as soon as possible so we can start and file your case on time.
Not only will you receive legal advice, but we can also schedule important appointments for you during post-accident recovery, such as your doctor’s appointment or car repair service visit. If you don’t win your case or recover compensation, you won’t owe us any money. Call today to get started.
We Can Help.
