A fuel truck is any vehicle designed to carry liquefied cargo on the road. They come in many varieties under three primary designs – baffles, bulkheads, and smoothbores. Based on the size and weight of these vehicles, collisions involving fuel trucks can be disastrous.
The Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine advocates for Gainsville fuel truck accident victims. We offer free case reviews where you can explore working with a Gainesville fuel truck accident lawyer. We’re ready to pursue compensation for your hardships today.
Two Quick Things to Know About Pursuing Compensation
While considering legal action, here are two important notes we want to share:
We Work on a Contingency-Fee Basis
After a collision with a fuel truck, you might have problems paying rent, affording groceries, and looking after your children. Paying attorney’s fees are likely the last thing on your mind. Yet, charging attorney’s fees is the last thing on ours, too.
That’s because we work on a contingency-fee basis. You don’t pay anything out of pocket or up front for our help. A percentage of your settlement or court award pays for our help. If we can’t recover damages, you owe our team nothing.
You Have a Limited Time to Pursue Damages
Usually, we’re able to secure compensation for our clients through insurance settlements. Yet, fuel truck accident cases are different. Your damages may exceed your auto insurance policy, compelling you to pursue damages in a court of law.
You must file your case within the state’s established deadline, per Florida Statutes § 95.11(3)(a). You could have anywhere from two to four years to file, depending on whether you were injured or lost a loved one.
Failure to file your case on time could invalidate your right to damages. Yet, with our team on your side, we will evaluate whether filing a lawsuit is necessary, and, if so, file it on time.
Compensable Losses in Your Gainesville Fuel Truck Accident Case
Your recoverable damages largely depend on your situation and may include:
Your Medical Bills
You deserve compensation for the full scope of your medical bills, including those that haven’t happened yet. Compensation could account for hospitalization, surgeries, treatment, and more.
Employment-Related Losses
Being in a collision with a fuel truck can cause serious injuries and affect your ability to work. As such, a settlement or court award can account for lost:
- Wages
- Hourly rates
- Freelance contracts
- Performances and appearances
- Tips
- Bonuses
- Future earning capacity
Various Out-of-Pocket Expenses
Aside from your medical bills and income losses, you could seek the cost of:
- Transportation expenses to and from appointments
- The cost of replacing or repairing your vehicle
- Childcare expenses
- Job retraining
- Physical therapy
- Mental health services
- Funeral and burial fees
Non-Economic Losses
Some of your accident-related losses may not have inherent financial values. For instance, your pain and suffering won’t come with price tags or receipts; instead, its value depends on your situation.
This goes for your other non-economic losses, which may include:
- Loss of consortium
- Emotional trauma
- Diminished quality of life
- Disability
- Scarring and disfigurement
We will consider your diagnosis, prognosis, and overall situation to determine what these losses are worth.
We Can Hold Multiple Parties Accountable for Your Losses
Our fuel truck accident team serving Gainesville will determine each party that owes you compensation. For instance, if a trucking company imposed strict deadlines on its workers, causing a trucker to drive while fatigued, this could make both the trucker and their employer liable for your losses.
Other liable parties may include:
- The truck’s maintenance team
- The truck’s manufacturer
- A government municipality
- A corporation
- Another third-party driver
While this could give you multiple avenues for pursuing damages, it could complicate the claims process. Managing communications with multiple parties can be difficult – especially if they deny liability. This is where your fuel truck accident lawyer in Gainesville comes in. They can assign liability for your losses and pursue damages accordingly.
How Could a Trucker’s Employer Be Liable for My Damages?
You might wonder: “If a trucker hit my vehicle, how could their employer be responsible?” This is possible due to something called “vicarious liability.” A trucker’s employer could be vicariously responsible for its employees’ actions.
A trucker’s employer could be liable for your collision if it failed to:
- Conduct regular drug testing
- Regularly inspect its truck fleet
- Discipline truckers with histories of infractions
- Impose reasonable delivery schedules
- Offer retraining courses
- Check a trucker’s certifications and driving history
We will use evidence to prove liability for your losses. Supporting information may include the truck’s black box data, dashcam footage, and points of impact.
We’re Ready to Seek Damages No Matter How Severe Your Injuries Are
Some law firms see that a client has severe injuries and turn them away. But not us. No matter how serious your injuries are, we’re ready to secure compensation for everything you deserve.
Since 2006, we’ve helped countless claimants recover damages for these injuries:
- Whiplash and other neck injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Smoke inhalation
- Broken or fractured bones
- Severe burns
- Internal injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Amputated limbs
- Back injuries (such as herniated discs and fractured vertebrae)
- Chemical exposure
We have also recovered millions for families who have lost loved ones.
What You Should Do After a Fuel Truck Accident
Being involved in a collision might feel overwhelming. You might feel emotionally paralyzed when it comes to thinking ahead and taking certain steps. Yet, after reviewing this list, you might find that navigating your accident’s aftermath isn’t as complicated as you thought.
The following measures could promote your right to financial recovery:
- Seek medical care
- Request a copy of the accident report and review it for accuracy
- Document your injury-related losses
- Write down everything you remember about the collision
- Review your auto insurance policy
- Notify your insurer
- Refrain from giving a recorded statement
- Limit what you share online
Of course, we also recommend that you consider partnering with the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine.
Contact Our Gainesville Lawyers Today for Legal Counsel
Are you seeking compensation after a fuel truck collision? Look no further for legal aid. Our Florida law firm is ready to manage your case from beginning to end. Again, you pay nothing if your case doesn’t yield compensation.
Call the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine today at 1-800-747-3733 for a free consultation and more information.
We Can Help.
