If you’ve been in a big rig truck accident, it could be difficult to think about moving forward and recovering the damages owed to you. That’s a normal feeling. However, with the help of a Brandon truck accident lawyer, you won’t need to deal with any of these things yourself.
The Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine can take care of filing claims and dealing with third parties, so you can focus on healing. Our Florida lawyers are equipped to manage the paperwork involved and negotiate a fair deal on your behalf.
Common Causes for Big Truck Accidents
While there are many reasons for getting into an accident, some causes are more common among accidents involving big rig trucks:
- Truck accidents that occur because a driver fell asleep at the wheel or had a medical event while driving are sometimes classified as “non-performance” errors.
- Sometimes, truck drivers may not recognize that there is a situation up ahead or outside the truck that they need to respond to. The reasons for not recognizing it can be because of inattentiveness, distraction, or something else. Similarly, a driver may not take appropriate or reasonable actions while driving. These “performance” errors can include making too-sharp turns to while driving.
- A bad decision can involve any action that resulted in a bad outcome. For example, the driver may have been driving too fast or changing lanes to rapidly, or they may have been following the car in front of them too closely.
Additionally, there are plenty of other factors that can lead a big rig truck accident. Some of these may be:
- Mechanical issues
- Traffic flow interruption
- Impaired driving
- Driving too fast for road conditions
- Unfamiliarity with the roads
- Roadway construction
- Fatigue or tiredness
Injuries in a Big Rig Accident
A big rig truck can do a lot of damage and cause plenty of injuries when it collides with another vehicle. The weight of a large truck alone is devastating to run into. Fatalities can occur, which can leave a family with extensive damages. Some of the other injuries that may occur include:
- Spinal injury or paralysis
- Amputation of a limb
- Traumatic brain injury
- Broken bones
- Whiplash and other neck injuries
- Burns or smoke inhalation if the vehicle catches on fire
- Lacerations
- Cuts and bruises
This is a partial list of the physical injuries you may incur after an accident with a big rig. There are also mental health consequences, such as pain and suffering. Some people may suffer from PTSD, anxiety, or depression after an accident. These injuries may not be seen but are just as damaging. Your Brandon big rig truck accident lawyer can help you recover the expenses and estimated values of your various injuries through economic and noneconomic damages.
How do Punitive Damages Work in Florida?
In some instances, there may be a cause for someone to file for punitive damages. Punitive damages are only awarded in cases where a driver was extremely grossly negligent or malicious. The conduct must be more than just the typical negligence that you see in a vehicle accident. The reason for punitive damages is to deter others from doing the same actions and to punish the wrong doer.
In the state of Florida, there is a cap or limit on the amount of money that can be awarded for punitive damages, outlined in Florida Statutes § 768.73. As the victim, you can receive no more than three times the amount of compensatory damages awarded to each claimant entitled or the sum of $500,000, depending on whichever value is higher.
What Is a Big Rig?
A big rig truck is simply another term for a semi-truck. A semi-truck, as most are familiar, is a tractor and trailer combination. The front part with the engine is referred to as the tractor and the trailer is the part that pulls behind. The trailer contains whatever is being transported. Sometimes big rigs are also known as 18-wheelers, because of the style of semi-truck that it is.
No matter how you look at it, a big rig is a heavy-duty truck that can weight up to 80,000 pounds.
Big Rig Truck Accidents
You probably see numerous big rigs driving on the highways every day, taking their deliveries to their destinations. With so many on the roadways, it’s not surprising the high number of accidents that occur annually. In a 2020 report published by the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles department, over 27,000 truck drivers were involved in accidents and over 4,000 passengers were involved in truck accidents.
Seek Help from a Brandon Big Rig Truck Accident Lawyer
If you have been in an accident due to a big rig truck accident, you don’t have to sit back and watch your bills pile up. You can get help while you are recovering from your injuries. A Brandon big rig truck accident lawyer will assess your case and let you know where you stand, so get started with a free case evaluation from the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine.
Our attorneys are personable and strive to keep their clients on top of all the details pertaining to their case. You will even have access to your attorney’s personal phone number once you agree to hire our firm. A Brandon big rig truck accident lawyer will take on your case for no upfront costs. You have nothing to lose taking the first step forward. Get in touch to schedule an appointment today.
We Can Help.
