Truck Accident Injury Claims in Orlando, FL - Paul Knopf Bigger
If you’ve suffered injuries in a truck accident in Orlando, you may have the right to pursue compensation through a truck accident claim. However, trucking companies and insurers often fight hard to avoid liability for injuries and losses from truck accidents. You need an experienced legal advocate to protect your rights and hold liable parties accountable.
An Orlando truck accident injury lawyer from Paul Knopf Bigger can help you seek the compensation you deserve. We can evaluate your case and advise you on your truck accident injury claim during a free initial consultation. Contact us today to learn more.
What Goes into the Truck Accident Claims Process in Florida and Orlando?
The truck accident claims process often comprises multiple steps depending on the circumstances of the crash. While the process can vary from case to case, you can generally expect it to include the following stages:
- Investigation – The truck accident claims process begins with investigating the crash to secure evidence to prove liability for your injuries. A truck accident lawyer can gather critical evidence for your case, including trucking company records, surveillance/traffic camera footage, or police accident reports. Your lawyer may also work with accident reconstruction and engineering experts to develop reports and testimony to illustrate technical issues in the case.
- Documentation of Injuries and Losses – Your truck accident attorney can also collect documentation to prove the injuries and losses you’ve suffered due to the accident. You need proof of your financial and personal losses to pursue compensation. An attorney can bring in medical, vocational, and financial experts to identify your injuries and disabilities and explain their impacts on your life. Expert testimony can help you seek compensation for future losses you may incur long after you’ve resolved your claim.
- Filing of Insurance Claims or Legal Paperwork – Once you and your attorney have evidence to prove who caused the truck accident and documentation of your ongoing and future losses, your lawyer can prepare and file insurance claims or demand letters to notify the trucking companies of your claim.
- Settlement Negotiations – After filing an insurance claim or sending the trucking company a demand letter, your attorney can handle communications with insurance adjusters, trucking company representatives, and defense lawyers, allowing you to focus your time and energy on your medical treatment and rehabilitation. Your truck accident lawyer can aggressively negotiate on your behalf to pursue maximum compensation for you in a settlement.
- Filing a Lawsuit – While most truck accident claims settle out of court, you may need to file a lawsuit if the trucking company refuses to agree to a fair settlement. Your truck accident lawyer can draft your complaint and file it in court to start litigation. The trucking company can file an answer to respond to the allegations in your complaint.
- Discovery – Once parties in a truck accident lawsuit have filed their pleadings, the case proceeds to the discovery stage. In discovery, parties exchange evidence, documents, and information and depose witnesses to narrow down the issues for trial. In many cases, parties will file motions for summary judgment to resolve the case before trial based on undisputed evidence revealed in discovery.
- Trial – If a truck accident claim doesn’t end with a settlement or a summary judgment motion, the lawsuit will ultimately reach trial, where parties can present evidence and witnesses. Based on the facts and arguments presented at trial, a jury or judge will issue a verdict resolving the outstanding disputes in the case.
What Are Causes of Semi-Truck Accidents in Florida and Orlando?
Many 18-wheeler accidents in Florida occur due to negligent or reckless actions by a truck driver or trucking company. However, there are other causes. Some of the most common causes of semi-truck accidents include:
- Speeding or traveling too fast for conditions
- Reckless driving, such as excessive speeding or swerving through traffic
- Tailgating or following too closely
- Running red lights or stop signs
- Disregarding traffic signs
- Distracted driving
- Drowsy or fatigued driving
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Turning or changing lanes without signaling or checking mirrors
- Failing to yield the right-of-way
- Improper wide turns
- Unsafe cargo loads, including overloading the truck or trailer, not balancing the load weight, or not securing cargo from shifting during transport
- Inadequate vehicle maintenance
- Truck or trailer defects or defective securing equipment
- Truck driver inexperience
- Unfamiliarity with routes
What Are Common Injuries in a Truck Accident?
Truck accidents tend to cause more severe injuries than other auto accidents because the heavier weight of commercial trucks means these vehicles impart more violent forces in a collision. Examples of injuries caused by truck accidents include:
- Lacerations and abrasions
- Contusions
- Dislocated joints
- Ligament sprains and tears
- Muscle or tendon strains and tears
- Broken bones
- Degloving injuries
- Neck and back injuries such as whiplash or herniated discs
- Nerve damage
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Perforation injuries
- Internal organ damage and internal bleeding
- Crush injuries
- Head or facial injuries
- Traumatic brain injury
- Burns
- Traumatic amputation, dismemberment, or limb loss
- Fatalities
What Compensation Could Be Available for Truck Accident Victims?
If you’ve been hurt in a big rig accident caused by a truck driver or trucking company, you may have the right to compensation for the losses you incurred due to the accident. A truck accident injury claims lawyer from Paul Knopf Bigger can help you pursue money for the following:
- Medical treatment and rehabilitation expenses, including hospital stays, surgeries, doctor’s visits, medications, and mobility equipment
- Costs of long-term care and support you may need for permanent disabilities you suffer due to your accident injuries
- Loss of wages or income from missed work while recovering from the accident
- Loss of future earning potential and employment benefits if you cannot return to your job or do other work
- Physical pain and anguish
- Emotional distress and trauma
- Loss of enjoyment and quality of life due to disabilities or scarring and disfigurement that interferes with your daily life or ability to participate in activities you enjoy
- Costs of repairs to your car and replacement costs for other damaged or destroyed property or reimbursement for the value of your vehicle if totaled in the accident
How Is Fault Assigned After a Truck Accident?
Multiple parties might be liable for injuries and damage from a truck accident. The following individuals and entities might be held accountable:
- The truck driver
- The trucking company
- The truck’s owner (if not the truck driver or trucking company)
- The shipping company
- Third-party mechanics who service the truck or trailer
- The truck or trailer manufacturer
- Auto part manufacturers
Identifying the party or parties at fault for a truck accident requires reviewing evidence from the crash. Examples of evidence that lawyers often use to assign fault for a truck wreck include:
- The truck’s event data record or electronic control module (“black box”) logs
- The truck driver’s hours of service logs
- The cargo or load manifest
- Radio dispatch records
- The truck driver’s cell phone records
- GPS data
- Results from the truck driver’s post-accident alcohol or drug test
- The truck driver’s pre-trip inspection reports
- Truck or trailer maintenance records
- Post-accident truck inspections
- Accident scene photos and videos
- Surveillance and traffic camera footage
- Dashcam or in-cab camera footage
- Eyewitness testimony
- Police accident reports
- Accident reconstruction and engineering expert reports and testimony
What Should I Do After a Truck Accident?
After an accident with a commercial truck, you can take steps to protect your legal options for pursuing compensation from negligent parties. You should do the following after a truck accident:
- Contact law enforcement to report the crash.
- Get the truck driver’s license, insurance, and employer information.
- Seek prompt medical attention to diagnose injuries you suffered in the crash.
- Follow your doctor’s treatment plan and recovery instructions. Do not put off recommended medical procedures or rehabilitation.
- Report the accident to your car insurance provider and file a claim for personal injury protection (PIP) benefits to get reimbursement for medical expenses and lost wages.
- Request copies of the police accident report and your treatment and rehab records.
- Gather your pay stubs or income statements if you miss time from work or have reduced earnings during your recovery.
- Keep all bills, invoices, and receipts of expenses you incur due to the accident.
- Keep a diary or journal to document pain, emotional suffering, and difficulties with daily activities you experience due to injuries or medical treatments.
Finally, contact an Orlando truck accident injury claims lawyer from Paul Knopf Bigger to discuss your case and learn how we can protect your rights.
Contact an Orlando Truck Accident Lawyer Today for Help with Your Claim
If you’ve suffered injuries in a truck accident in Orlando, you deserve to pursue compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and other crash-related losses. An experienced truck accident attorney at Paul Knopf Bigger can help you seek financial relief and accountability from those who hurt you.
Our lawyers are committed to fighting for justice for injury victims in Orlando and throughout Florida. We can advocate for your rights and help you obtain a fair outcome. Contact an Orlando truck accident attorney at our law firm today for a free consultation about your claim.