People who are fortunate to survive truck accidents often deal with painful injuries, lost income, and crippling debt from medical and rehabilitation bills.
After a truck accident caused by another driver’s negligence, you may file a claim and sue for damages. The first step is hiring a truck accident lawyer in Fort Lauderdale to get the ball rolling.
The Blakeley Law Firm PA is one of the top-rated truck accident law firms in Fort Lauderdale and has built a reputation for going the extra distance for our clients.
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Why You Should Hire Blakeley Law Firm PA
If you’re ready to hire a truck accident attorney in Fort Lauderdale, here are some reasons why you should choose us.
We Have Incredible Courtroom Experience
Not every truck accident claim is resolved out of court. If your claim goes to court, you’ll need a reliable attorney by your side.
At Blakeley Law Firm PA, we have many years of courtroom experience, helping our clients navigate simple and complex truck accident claims. You don’t have to fear the prospect of going to court – we’ll give you the best chance to succeed when the going gets tough.
We Can Help You Prove Liability
In civil cases, the burden of proof is on the plaintiff. This means that you have the responsibility of supplying evidence to prove your claims. The defendant can simply maintain their innocence.
Your claim will fail if you can’t satisfy your burden of proof. Having concrete evidence makes a difference in building an air-tight claim that quickly heads to negotiations.
When you choose us, we can help you compile sufficient evidence to back up your claim and prove the defendant’s liability.
You Can Collect a Higher Settlement
Truck accident victims who hire an attorney are more likely to collect a massive settlement than those that don’t. To begin, many people have no idea how to determine their claims’ value.
Also, insurance companies will always take their chances fighting against truck accident victims with no legal representation. Hiring a truck accident lawyer can increase your chances of collecting the settlement you’re looking for.
On top of that, you can issue a demand letter that doesn’t fall on deaf ears. Our legal team is ready to aggressively fight for you so you can maximize your claim’s success.
You Don’t Pay a Retainer
Many truck accident lawyers work on a contingency basis. This means that they don’t get paid unless they win a settlement or verdict. Truck accident victims who are already in debt can avoid paying for legal representation by hiring a lawyer.
On top of that, if an attorney takes on your case, it means they have strong faith in your claim’s success. If we decide to handle your claim, we’ll invest all of our resources to pursue the best outcome possible.
Again, you don’t owe us anything unless your claim succeeds.
The Dangers of Truck Accidents
Nearly 6,000 people die in trucking accidents every year, so you’ve heard horror stories of truck accidents from family, friends, and even people on the internet. Trucks are much larger than cars and can cause incredible damage if they collide into other vehicles and pedestrians.
In fact, a standard car and its passengers are likely to suffer more damage than if they were struck by a similar car.
Since truck accidents have a high tendency to result in massive property damage, life-threatening injuries, and fatalities, truck accident settlements have high earning potential.
If a truck accident injured you, you shouldn’t have to deal with the consequences alone. At Blakeley Law Firm PA, we offer world-class representation to our clients to give them peace of mind during the claims process.
Do I Need a Truck Accident Lawyer in Fort Lauderdale?
Hiring a Fort Lauderdale truck accident lawyer is often the first step in collecting a sizable settlement from an insurance company. Of course, you can always choose to represent yourself in these dealings, as well as in the courtroom.
The problem is that you’ll be taking on a monumental risk that’s unnecessary. Hiring a truck accident lawyer is the best way to collect a settlement for your injuries.
Your lawyer will have first-hand knowledge in how to navigate negotiations with the opposing counsel. Also, they’ll be ready to take your claim to court if the insurance company denies it.
What’s more is that there is no cost to hiring a truck accident attorney in Fort Lauderdale. As you can see, you have nothing to lose when hiring a truck accident lawyer.
The legal team at Blakeley Law Firm PA is experienced in handling major and complicated truck accident cases in Fort Lauderdale. We’d love to speak with you about your claim to see if it has merit.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents
Truck accidents are caused by a myriad of factors.
The most common causes of truck accidents are:
- Driver Fatigue: This is one of the most common truck accident causes. Truck drivers normally work long hours and are prone to fatigue and falling asleep behind the wheel.
- Speeding: Speeding violates the rules of the road. It also increases a driver’s chances of colliding into another vehicle.
- Improperly Loaded Cargo: If cargo was loaded onto a truck incorrectly, the imbalanced proportion of weight can cause the truck to collapse during turns at high speeds.
- Machine Failure: Vehicle system malfunction can happen at any time. During high traveling speeds and poor weather conditions, these malfunctions can become deadly.
- Aggressive Driving: Weaving through traffic, tailgating, and failing to use turn signals are a few examples of aggressive driving.
- Poor Weather Conditions: Adverse weather conditions can make it difficult to see and drive on the road.
- Distracted Driving: Texting while driving is one of the top causes of deadly motor accidents. It’s also a common occurrence in truck accidents.
- Inexperienced Driving: Truck drivers with inadequate experience are more prone to making dangerous driving mistakes.
- Driving Under the Influence (DUIs): Drugs, alcohol, and illegal substances can impair your driving abilities. DUIs can cause both new and experienced truck drivers to crash.
- Failure to Obey Traffic Laws: Running red lights and stop signs can cause all kinds of serious truck accidents and corresponding damage.
As you can see, there are many reasons why a truck accident can occur. Contact Blakeley Law Firm PA today to explore how our legal team can assist in your truck accident claim.
Common Truck Accident Injuries
Truck accidents have the potential to cause substantial property damage and bodily harm. Injuries can either be short term and minor, or chronic and life-threatening.
Here are the most common truck accident injuries in Fort Lauderdale:
- Bone fractures
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Burns and lacerations
- Neck and back injuries
- Head injuries and concussion
- Internal bleeding
- Paralysis
- Whiplash
- Soft tissue injuries
- Blunt-force trauma and crush injuries
Almost all of these injuries require extensive medical care and rehabilitation. Depending on your insurance provider, you may not be covered for routine visits to the doctor for treatment and rehab.
If this is the case, you should hire a truck accident lawyer in Fort Lauderdale to represent you.
Proving Fault and Liability
The crux of any truck accident claim is proving that the other driver was at fault for the collision and your injuries because of negligence. Negligence is the failure to act reasonably and with common sense.
To collect a settlement or win a verdict in court, you’ll need to prove both fault and negligence through what is called a preponderance of evidence. This simply means that the burden of proof is on you to provide sufficient evidence to back your claim.
By hiring a truck accident attorney, you can gather valuable evidence to prove that the other driver holds most or all of the blame for your accident and injuries.
The most common forms of evidence in truck accident claims are:
- Photographs and Videos: Traffic camera footage and corresponding photos can be used to reconstruct the scene of the accident and tell what really happened.
- Witness Statements: People at the scene of the accident can be called into court to testify about what they saw.
- Police Reports: Police officers create reports based on eyewitness and victim accounts. It can be used to gather more facts about a truck accident and establish fault.
- Medical Reports: Your doctor will compile a medical report that contains your recent diagnosis and treatment procedures. Medical reports are used to
- Expert Testimony: Your lawyer can call on the help of an expert witness, which could be a physician, to bolster your claim with their expertise.
This evidence is crucial to building a rock-solid claim. The legal team at Blakeley Law Firm PA will fight vigorously on your behalf to collect a fair settlement.
Compensation for Truck Accident Victims
Truck accident victims can collect two types of compensation: economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages are purely tied to the financial losses you’ve endured because of a truck accident. These include:
- Lost income: If you missed significant time from your job, a truck accident settlement could reimburse you.
- Medical and Rehabilitation Bills: Truck accident injuries can cause medical and rehab bills to pile up. Luckily, your lawyer can collect a settlement so you can recoup these losses.
- Property Damage: A truck accident settlement could reimburse you if a truck accident damaged your property. For example, if a truck accident destroyed expensive camera equipment, you can add these expenses into your settlement amount.
Ultimately, economic damages correspond to the losses you experienced after a truck accident. On the other hand, non-economic damages aren’t usually tied to financial losses.
Instead, the most common non-economic damage is pain and suffering. This is the physical and mental anguish you’ve experienced because of a truck accident. Pain and suffering can vary based on the severity of your injuries.
Statute of Limitations for Truck Accident Claims
The statute of limitations for truck accident claims is two years in Florida. This means that you have two years from the date of your injury to file a claim.
Filing a truck accident claim is a comprehensive process. If you submit your own claim, it may take several months to compile evidence and issue a demand letter.
It’s possible that the insurance company won’t even take your claim seriously and stonewall you. When you hire a truck accident attorney, there’s a greater chance your claim will be taken seriously.
This way, you can submit a truck accident claim as soon as possible.
How Much is My Case Worth?
The value of a truck accident claim can vary depending on:
- Severity: If you were involved in a serious truck accident with life-threatening injuries, you could command a larger settlement than someone in a minor accident.
- Involved Parties: Depending on the collision, multiple parties could be responsible. This includes trucking companies, vehicle manufacturers, and even government agencies.
- Comparative Fault: Florida is a comparative fault state, meaning that you could be assigned a percentage of the fault in a truck accident. You can command a larger settlement if you don’t take any responsibility.
Many truck accident victims don’t know how to value their claims. The best way to find out is by contacting Blakeley Law Firm PA and scheduling a free consultation to discuss your case.
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Overall, truck accidents claim the lives of thousands of people every year. Survivors often have to live with painful injuries in addition to crippling debt. You shouldn’t have to deal with these consequences alone.
If someone else has caused your accident because of negligence, you have the right to file a truck accident claim. The legal team at Blakeley Law Firm PA have many years of experience, with millions of dollars won for our clients. Reach out to a Fort Lauderdale personal injury lawyer.
If you want to pursue a truck accident claim with our help, we encourage you to give us a call at (954) 253-9445 to receive a free, 24/7 consultation.