If you have been the victim of a commercial trucking accident then you may find yourself facing a staggering amount of bills following the collision. Your expenses may include medical, repair, vehicle replacement, loss of income, and therapy bills among others. These bills can be extensive, but an experienced commercial truck accident attorney can help you recover your damages.
The Florida legal system allows victims in such cases to pursue financial compensation from the responsible party or parties. A qualified attorney will give you the best possible chance of obtaining fair compensation. Here is how a Florida commercial truck accident attorney will help you with your truck accident case.
Consultation and Investigation
After an initial consultation to determine if you have a potentially valid claim your attorney will begin an investigation. In the investigation your attorney will obtain all of the available evidence that can be used to prove your claim. The investigation is intended to determine the cause of the accident.
There are various causes for commercial truck accidents and different parties can be held responsible. Your attorney may send a notice to the commercial trucking company advising them that you are working on a claim and to not destroy any potential evidence. The attorney will then begin gathering evidence such as records from the trucking company. Commercial truck drivers are required to take breaks to avoid driver fatigue. An attorney will look at the mileage log and a record of breaks taken to see if there was a possibility of driver fatigue that caused the wreck.
Other pieces of evidence your attorney can uncover may include, but are not limited to, medical records, black box information, truck camera recording, accident reports, insurance reports, and eyewitness reports. Oftentimes your attorney will obtain photos of the accident scene as well. In some cases, the attorney will hire an accident reconstruction expert to recreate the collision.
When your attorney has thoroughly investigated your case they should have sufficient evidence to establish liability and prove your claim against the responsible party, or parties. Depending on your unique situation, your attorney can negotiate for a settlement outside of court. If the liable party is disputing their responsibility in the accident then your attorney may have to take your case to trial. This is why it’s crucial that you have an experienced attorney on your side that is capable of representing you and obtaining the appropriate evidence.
Act Quickly Following the Accident
It’s important that you take immediate action following the accident. If you wait too long to involve the help of an attorney, then it’s possible for pertinent evidence to be destroyed. For example, the trucking company may tape over the footage from the day of the accident on the truck’s camera. Eyewitnesses may no longer be available for statements. Your chances of obtaining evidence from the collision are greater the sooner you have someone investigate. An experienced attorney will act fast on your behalf to get the evidence you to receive fair compensation.
