Miami & South Florida Truck Accident Lawyers

Helping Truck Accident Victims in South Florida

Eighteen-wheeler accidents, like all car accidents, remain a major problem in Miami and throughout South Florida. Automobile crashes are the leading cause of accidental death in the region.  According to data collected by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, there were more than 165,000 automobile accidents that resulted in injuries in the state in the year 2016 alone. While some of these injuries were minor, unfortunately, many were not. Commercial truck accidents are especially concerning. Simply because of their tremendous size, trucks are involved in a disproportionate percentage of very serious accidents. Further, as Miami is a major city and prominent southern port, trucks are very common on our highways. Major roadways that run through the city, such as Interstate-95 and U.S. Route 1, are full of large trucks. If you have been hurt in a truck crash, you are entitled to full and fair compensation for your damages. To obtain this financial recovery, you need to work with an experienced Miami truck accident lawyer who will give your case the personalized attention it deserves.

Truck Accidents: Dos and Dont’s

A successful truck accident injury claim is built in the hours and days immediately following the wreck. To protect the viability of your legal claim, please consider the following list of three things that you should do and three mistakes you must avoid:

Three Dos

• Secure evidence at the scene of the accident, including photographs and witness contact information;
• Get yourself to a doctor as soon as possible for a comprehensive medical evaluation; and
• Hire a qualified truck accident attorney without any unnecessary delay.

Three Don’ts

• Never admit fault for the accident to the other driver or the responding police officer;
• Do not give recorded statement to the insurance company without first speaking to a lawyer; and
• Do not sign any documents from the insurance company, including a settlement agreement or a release for your medical records, without getting approval from your lawyer.

How Long Do You Have to Bring a Semi-Truck Accident Lawsuit?

Under Chapter 95 of the Florida State Statutes, personal injury victims have two years from the date of their accident to bring a legal claim. What happens if you fail to bring a claim within this time limit? The answer is simple: You will almost certainly lose your right to do so. Please do not let this happen to you. As soon as your accident occurs, get in touch with an experienced Miami truck accident attorney. Your attorney can get your case started and will ensure that you do not miss any important legal filing deadlines.

Commercial Truck Wrecks and Federal Law

Whenever a commercial trucking operation engages in interstate commerce, meaning when the truck crosses state lines during the course of doing business, it is subject to federal regulations. Specifically, it is subject to the safety regulations promulgated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). However, as the state of Florida has adopted the FMCSA model rules as its state rules, commercial trucks that operate entirely within the boundaries of Florida are also subject to the same legal standards. The FMCSA has many different trucking safety regulations, from pre-trip vehicle inspection requirements to strict time limits on how long an individual driver can spend behind the wheel. After your accident, you need to work with an attorney who will aggressively investigate your case to determine if the company violated any safety regulations. A violation of federal safety rules is, by definition, negligence. Negligent companies must be held accountable for putting the safety of others in jeopardy.

Who Can Be Held Liable for a Truck Collision?

Several different parties may be liable for your Miami truck accident damages. Indeed, in some cases, the liable party may even be a third party driver who was operating a smaller vehicle. Though, most frequently, the liable party is involved somewhere in the chain of the commercial trucking operation. When our attorneys investigate liability, some of the parties that we will focus on include:

• The truck driver;
• The company that employs the driver;
• The company that owns the truck;
• The company that is leasing the truck; and
• The manufacturer of the truck or the trailer.

Truck Accident Compensation

In Florida, the purpose of legal compensation is to make the accident victim ‘whole’. In other words, victims are entitled to be placed back into the same position that they would have been if no truck accident had ever taken place. Certainly, that is not possible in a literal sense. As such, victims are entitled to financial compensation that is equivalent in value to that of their losses. If you were injured in a Miami tractor trailer crash, we can help you seek financial relief for:

• Your property damages;
• Your medical bills;
• Likely future medical expenses, including for rehabilitation treatment;
• Long-term disability;
• Lost wages;
• Pain and suffering;
• Disfigurement;
• Loss of limb; and
• Loss of life enjoyment.

How Our Truck Accident Lawyers Will Help

Florida truck accident lawsuits are notoriously complex. If you have been injured in a Miami truck accident, you need to work with an attorney who has a proven track record of success handling these type of claims. Our team will take control of your case immediately after your accident and we will not stop fighting for you until you obtain the judgment or fair settlement offer that you deserve. Specifically, we will:

• Assess liability for your accident, with a focus on all parties that might potentially bear some responsibility for your damages;
• Obtain and organize all relevant evidence, including photographs, crash scene analysis, witness statements, police reports, medical records, truck inspection records and electronic recording data; and
• Negotiate with the insurance adjusters to help maximize your award.

Get Legal Help Today

Were you injured in a Miami area truck accident? Our attorneys are standing by, ready to help. To request your free initial case evaluation, please contact our team today by calling (313) 438-4357. There are no upfront fees for our service, and we will not collect our legal fees unless we successfully help you obtain accident compensation.