Fuel trucks can pose many risks to the occupants in the vehicles they strike. Not only are fuel trucks large and heavy, but they may be carrying fuel that poses a risk of catching fire. These risks require fuel truck owners and drivers to take all the precautions they can to avoid causing an accident.
If a driver, fuel truck owner, or another party caused an accident, harming you or your loved one, the team for a Punta Gorda fuel truck accident lawyer would discuss the possibility of pursuing financial recovery for your injuries and losses.
Call the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine at 1-800-747-3733 today for a free consultation. During that time, we can hear the details of your accident and explain how we might be able to help you.
Truck Drivers Must Always Exercise Caution
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) explains that truck occupants are at far less risk of death when they collide with smaller vehicles. It is those who are in other vehicles, as well as pedestrians, that account for 82% of fatalities from accidents involving large trucks.
Every driver is responsible for acting with caution regardless of what vehicle they are driving. Fuel truck drivers, however, should be aware that their vehicle puts others at a greater risk than smaller vehicles might. With this in mind, they should always drive with extreme care.
Fuel truck drivers are not perfect. They can make errors, poor judgment calls, and act in ways that put others’ safety at risk. A fuel truck driver could cause an accident if:
- They take their attention away from the road.
- They engage in risky driving behavior.
- They are impaired in some way.
- They do not have sufficient skill or experience to drive a fuel truck.
A truck driver may not always be responsible for an accident, and they may not be responsible in your case. If a fuel truck driver is responsible for your accident, they may not be the only party that your lawyer will pursue for financial compensation.
Parties Who May Be Responsible for Your Losses
A fuel truck driver may be an employee, and this could impact the share of liability for your accident. Your lawyer will decide if your case should have multiple defendants. Consider the following classes of defendants who may be liable for your accident.
Fuel Truck Driver
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) explains that, statistically speaking, most accidents are due to driver error. Distracted driving, impaired driving, and aggressive driving are among the categories of driver behaviors that may have led to your accident and could be tied directly to a fuel truck driver.
Your lawyer will make the case that a fuel truck driver was negligent if they are responsible for your accident.
A Fuel Truck Driver’s Employer
The driver of a fuel truck may generally work for someone else. Depending on the specific circumstances, the law may mandate that employers of truck drivers are responsible for their employees’ behavior when they are driving. Therefore, any employer of the fuel truck driver who caused your accident could be legally liable for your losses.
Other Potentially Liable Parties
Determining who is liable for your accident is not something that can occur from a distance. A lawyer needs to have access to all available evidence related to your accident, and at that point, they can determine if the driver, their employer, or other parties are liable for your losses.
You do not have to deal with liability and other potentially complex features of a lawsuit. Instead, a Punta Gorda fuel truck accident lawyer can complete your case. Call the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine today at 1-800-747-3733 to learn how we can go the extra mile while representing you or your loved one.
Why Clients Seek Legal Representation
You or your loved one are not the first to be harmed in a fuel truck accident in Punta Gorda. Clients before you may have chosen to hire a lawyer rather than going it alone after their fuel truck accident, and there are several reasons why you may choose to do the same.
One reason to hire a lawyer is that they are familiar with the process of completing an insurance claim or a personal injury lawsuit. Another reason to hire a lawyer is that they may have resources available to them that could help your case.
These are not the only two motivations that you might have for hiring a lawyer. Other reasons include:
- A lawyer will handle your case at every phase, which may include gathering evidence, calculating your losses, and negotiating a settlement.
- A lawyer will defend your rights.
- A lawyer will handle all communications and negotiations related to your lawsuit or insurance claim.
You could be injured, or you may be dealing with the tragedy of losing a loved one. When you hire a lawyer, you allow them to take on your compensation case so that you may direct your attention toward healing, arranging a loved one’s funeral, or focusing on other responsibilities.
If you are interested in seeking legal action, Florida allows four years from the accident’s date to do so, according to Florida Statutes §95.11(3)(a), and two years to pursue a wrongful death lawsuit if you lost a loved one to the accident.
The team at the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine works on a contingency agreement. This means that clients do not have to pay anything out of their own pocket for our legal services. Rather, a lawyer gets paid from any financial awards that they secure for their client. They do not get paid if they do not win.
Call the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine for Help Today
A Punta Gorda fuel truck accident lawyer can seek compensation for your covered losses, whether you have been injured or lost a loved one because of a fuel truck accident. Call the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine today at 1-800-747-3733 for a free consultation. You worry about getting better. We take care of everything else.
We Can Help.
