5 Reasons To Hire An Attorney After A Truck Accident
According to the NHTSA, in 2017 alone, there were 4,761 people killed in accidents involving large trucks, and 72% of the people who died in large truck accidents in 2017 were occupants of other vehicles. Considering the weight of trucks, the chances of an individual getting severely injured or killed in a crash involving a passenger vehicle and a truck are much greater than the chances of an individual getting seriously injured or killed in an accident involving two passenger vehicles. Unfortunately, today, truck accidents involving passenger vehicles are getting more common.
After a truck accident, damages and losses can quickly begin to pile up. For instance, injuries can land you in hospital and lead to huge medical expenses. Injuries can also make you have to stay home from work. If you cannot go to work, it means you probably cannot get paid by your boss. Apart from these damages and losses, a truck accident can also lead to mental and emotional pain and suffering, which can make your post-accident life quite unbearable. Pain and suffering can also negatively affect your relationships with your family members and/or friends.
Fortunately, if you have been involved in a truck accident in Florida, you might be able to obtain compensation for the damages you have suffered. In Florida, truck accident victims can receive compensation for economic damages, non-economic damages, and/or punitive damages. To ensure you receive the compensation you deserve after your truck accident, it is crucial that you retain a skilled personal injury attorney. Sadly, because of the uncertainty and confusion that comes after a truck accident, many truck accident victims do not give much thought to retaining a personal injury attorney. As much as you are dealing with a lot, if you were involved in a truck accident, it is crucial that you speak to a skilled truck accident attorney to find out how an attorney can help you protect your legal rights.
If, after a truck accident, you decide to take legal action against the party you believe is to blame for your accident, you need someone knowledgeable on your side. Pursuing compensation on your own is a huge risk. Below are five reasons to hire an attorney after a truck accident:
Finding Liable Parties
Truck accident cases are different from other accident cases because, in a truck accident, multiple parties could be liable for your damages and losses. Liable parties can be truck drivers, trucking companies, truck manufacturers, government entities, etc. An experienced truck accident attorney can help you find all liable parties and hold all liable parties responsible.
Handling Negotiations
Dealing with an insurance company can be quite difficult. When multiple insurance companies are involved, things only get worse. However, if you retain an attorney with the experience needed to handle a truck accident case with multiple defendants, you might not experience such a hard time. A skilled attorney can help you handle complex negotiations with multiple insurance companies.
Making Sure Florida’s Comparative Fault Laws Are Applied Correctly
When you work with a skilled truck accident attorney, you can ensure the defendant does not misapply Florida’s comparative fault laws. For example, an attorney can help you avoid being misled into believing that you cannot recover compensation if you are more than 50% to blame for your accident. In Florida, even if an accident victim is more than 50% at fault for their accident, they can still obtain compensation.
Ensuring You Have a Proper Legal Strategy
Being an individual with no legal background, you might not know the best legal strategy to apply in a truck accident claim. A skilled truck accident attorney can help you develop an appropriate legal strategy. An attorney can assess your case, gather evidence, locate expert witnesses (if they need to), and determine the best course of legal action to ensure you get the compensation you deserve.
Ensuring You Have Legal Guidance Throughout Your Case
Even after you have come up with a legal strategy, you need a professional on your side who can guide you through the complex legal process because truck accident claims are usually more complex than other claims. One of the reasons for this is the complex trucking laws. For instance, the complex trucking laws issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) will almost certainly be a factor in your truck accident case. An experienced attorney can help you understand such complex laws.
Contact a Naples Truck Accident Attorney
If you’ve been hurt in a Florida truck accident because of another party’s fault, reach out to a dedicated truck accident attorney for help. The passionate and effective Naples truck accident attorneys at The Law Offices of Marc L. Shapiro, P.A., are here to help you. Call us at 239-649-8050 today to schedule a free consultation. Allow us to help you recover the compensation you deserve.
Resources:
leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0700-0799/0768/Sections/0768.81.html
