Fuel truck accidents can be disastrous and cause fatal injuries to those involved and the people around them. If you or a loved one was injured in a fuel truck accident, you may want to hire a St. Petersburg truck accident lawyer.
A personal injury lawyer from the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine can help you seek the fair compensation you need to make a recovery. We offer free case reviews to help you understand your options.
Compensation for Damages Incurred in Fuel Truck Accidents
Fuel truck accidents can cause severe injuries, such as brain damage, limb amputations, fractures, and spinal cord injuries. In extreme cases, fuel truck accidents can lead to wrongful deaths that deprive families of their loved ones. You should receive adequate compensation for these devastating losses.
When you or a loved one faces a tragedy like this, you’ll inevitably experience financial challenges as well. An adequate investigation into your case by a personal injury lawyer can establish the damages you incurred and the monetary value attributed to them.
Common damages in fuel truck accident claims include:
- Present and future medical charges related to the accident
- Expenses of fixing a motor vehicle
- Damage to property
- Loss of earnings
- Reduced earning capacity
- Disability
- Pain and suffering
- Wrongful death damages, such as funeral expenses
Options for Recovering Compensation
When looking for compensation for damages incurred in a fuel truck accident, you can either bring a case on your own or with the help of a personal injury lawyer. Filing a lawsuit or negotiating a settlement on your own can be highly challenging, given the complications of dealing with fuel truck companies and their insurance providers. Additionally, insurance companies may try to short-change you by giving you a watered-down deal.
Hiring a personal injury lawyer can help you get the most desirable outcome, whether by means of a settlement negotiation or a lawsuit.
Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer at the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine
Being a victim of a fuel truck accident can cause you a lot of emotional turmoil, and handling a case yourself only stands to increase the burden. At the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine, we strive to ease your road to recovery by handling your case.
Our lawyers will:
- Give you legal counsel
- Investigate your case’s facts
- Explain all damages you could seek
- Gather evidence to prove your losses and the other party’s liability
- Handle all communications for you
- Negotiate fiercely on your behalf
- Take your case to trial as needed
- Help you walk away with the best settlement or award in line with the circumstances of your case
What Is the Cost of Hiring an Attorney?
Here at the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine, we provide our services on a contingency basis—so, we won’t charge you anything unless and until we settle or win your case. When we do, we deduct our fees from your final compensation package.
This means you won’t have to worry about upfront fees or paying for a lawyer out of your savings.
Liability for Damages Caused By Fuel Truck Accidents in St. Petersburg
Fuel truck drivers transport highly flammable and explosive substances. Any accidents involving the trucks are often fatal. Drivers of such vehicles need to be vigilant at all times, but this isn’t always the case.
A truck driver can be liable for an accident if it becomes evident that the driver’s negligent actions or recklessness led to the accident. In instances where a company employs the driver, you may sue the company together with the driver. An employer is, in many instances, liable for the actions of its employees.
Other parties that you may sue include:
- The state or a municipality, if there’s proof that the accident was due to potholes on the road or other related circumstances
- The fuel truck manufacturer, if it becomes evident that manufacturing defects were present in the truck
Causes of Fuel Truck Accidents Unique to St. Petersburg
Motor vehicle and fuel truck accidents have proven to be a threat regardless of how many rules and regulations are put in place to reduce them. The general cause of most accidents is often negligence, recklessness, and overspeeding of the drivers involved.
Fuel trucks are massive and can’t adequately slow down in the face of danger. The impact generated once they ram into a vehicle, building, or pedestrian is catastrophic and can lead to fatal injuries.
In St. Petersburg, fuel truck accidents are often caused by:
- Fatigue
- Incompetent drivers
- Drunken driving
- Blind spots
- Unroadworthy trucks
What to Do Immediately After a Fuel Truck Accident
Here’re a few things you should do if you’ve been in a fuel truck accident:
Seek Medical Attention
Seeking first aid and treatment is the most important step after an accident. Even if you appear to be uninjured on the surface, it’s still crucial to get examined by a medical professional, as some internal injuries don’t have visible indications until they’ve inflicted far too much damage.
Gather Evidence
It would help if you recorded everything that might come in handy as evidence in court. Taking photos, videos, and jotting down motor vehicle records can assist your case and give you an upper hand.
Keep a Record of Receipts and Impact of the Accident on Your Life
Keeping a record of all expenses related to the accident can help ensure adequate compensation. Take time to document your experience, and be as detailed as you can.
File a Fuel Truck Claim in St. Petersburg Immediately
In St. Petersburg, Florida, the statute of limitations for personal injury cases is four years from when the accident occurred, per Florida Statutes § 95.11(3)(a). Reporting a fuel truck accident case later may lead to its dismissal. The four-year limit may seem adequate, but that time can fly by when you’re recovering.
Due to the lengthy negotiations with the insurance company that may take place, it’s best to file a case immediately after the accident transpires. The sooner you get your money, the better.
You Can Hire a St. Petersburg Fuel Truck Accident Lawyer for Your Case
If you’ve been in an accident, you can get help from one of our personal injury lawyers. We will fight hard for what you deserve.
Contact the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine today for a free initial consultation.
We Can Help.
