Truck Accident
Were you or a loved one injured in a large truck accident in Port St. Lucie, FL? The at-fault party may owe you compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and more. An experienced Port St. Lucie truck accident lawyer at Graves Thomas Rotunda Injury Law Group, P.A. can help you maximize your financial award.
Since 2005, our experienced attorneys have dedicated our law practice to helping personal injury victims like you. Collectively, our lawyers have over 50 years of experience in personal injury law. We’ve successfully recovered over $250 million in settlements and verdicts.
We’re ready to put our proven track record of success to work for your family. Contact our law offices in Port St. Lucie, Florida at (772) 677-0373 to schedule a free consultation today.
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How Can Graves Thomas Rotunda Injury Law Group P.A. Help After a Truck Accident in Port St. Lucie?
Accidents involving 18-wheelers and big rigs can cause a shocking amount of damage. Victims often suffer severe and painful injuries. Medical costs are extremely high. Your financial situation can quickly get out of hand if you can’t work during recovery.
Someone else caused the crash. Why should you be left struggling with the consequences? Unfortunately, you can’t expect the trucking company and their insurance companies to step up with a fair settlement offer.
Our experienced Port St. Lucie personal injury attorneys at Graves Thomas Rotunda Injury Law Group, P.A., are prepared to fight on your behalf.
When you trust us for your legal representation, we will:
- Launch our own investigation
- Collect evidence to establish causation and liability
- Identify all parties who legally owe you compensation
- Assess your damages and determine your case value
- Protect against unfair allegations that you caused the crash
- Negotiate with the insurance companies for a full settlement
- Fight for you before a judge and jury if necessary
Our Port St. Lucie personal injury lawyers stand up to major corporations and insurance companies daily. If you were hurt, you can count on us to go the extra mile and fight for every dollar. Just call us today to get started.
How Common Are Truck Accidents in Florida?
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) publishes data on accidents involving large semi-trucks and tractor-trailers. In 2023, 9,595 large truck accidents were reported across the state of Florida.
At least 4,517 people were injured in those truck crashes. Unfortunately, 322 victims were killed in fatal accidents.
What is My Port St. Lucie Truck Accident Case Worth?
Some factors that will influence the value of your personal injury case include:
- The severity of your injuries
- Your prognosis for making a full recovery
- The cost of your medical treatment and rehabilitation
- Your need for ongoing future care and assistance
- How the injury impacts your earnings during recovery
- Whether your earning capacity will be impacted after you reach maximum medical improvement
- Your physical pain and emotional trauma
- Damage to your lifestyle and quality of life
- Whether shared fault is an issue
Our lawyers will work closely with you, your doctors, and your family to understand the full impact of the accident. Once we understand the facts, we’ll fight to recover the full compensation you deserve.
What Types of Compensation Are Available to Truck Accident Victims in Port St. Lucie?
Personal injury laws in Florida allow victims to demand compensation for economic damages and non-economic damages.
While all cases are different, some examples include:
- Current medical bills, including ER visits, hospitalizations, doctor’s visits, medications, etc.
- Future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning potential
- Rehabilitation
- Skilled nursing care
- Property damage and vehicle repairs
- Workers’ compensation if your accident occurred while working
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional distress and trauma
- Ongoing mental health issues, including anxiety and depression
- PTSD
- Diminished quality of life
- Physical disfigurement and scarring
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of consortium
Some damages are fairly easy to prove. Your future losses and non-economic damages will be much more difficult to establish. Our lawyers can help. Before taking any insurance offer, contact our lawyers in Port St. Lucie for help documenting and valuing your damages.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?
You shouldn’t have to drain your life savings to get quality legal representation. That’s why our law firm works on a contingency fee basis. You only pay attorneys’ fees if our attorneys in Port St. Lucie recover compensation on your behalf. When we do, we take a set percentage.
Can I Recover Damages If I’m Being Blamed for Causing a Truck Accident in Florida?
If the insurance company proves you were partly responsible, your damages will be reduced. It’s possible that you could lose your right to compensation altogether.
Florida follows modified comparative negligence laws. Once your share of blame exceeds 50%, you lose your right to damages. When you share some, but not most, of the blame, your compensation is reduced by your share of fault.
Our Experienced Accident Attorneys in Port St. Lucie Will Fight to Recover Compensation for All of Your Truck Accident Injuries
A typical commercial truck can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds. Most motor vehicles are much smaller and lighter. It’s not entirely surprising that trucks can cause significant injuries when they’re involved in car accidents.
Our team at Graves Thomas Rotunda Injury Law Group, P.A. handles all types of personal injury claims, including those involving:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord damage
- Paralysis, including quadriplegia and paraplegia
- Broken bones
- Crushing injuries
- Concussions
- Facial injuries
- Shoulder injuries
- Soft tissue damage
- Internal organ damage
- Head and neck injuries
- Whiplash injuries
- Internal bleeding
- Burns
- Amputations
- Catastrophic injuries
Our lawyers also represent clients in fatal truck accident cases. If you lost a loved one in a fatal crash, contact our wrongful death attorneys to learn more about your right to compensation.
What Causes Most Truck Accidents in Port St. Lucie?
While truck accidents happen for many different reasons, some are more common than others.
Some of the most common causes of trucking accidents in Port St. Lucie include:
- Distracted truck drivers
- Speeding
- Fatigued drivers and violations of FMCSA hours of service rules
- Ignoring state and federal trucking regulations
- Failure to yield the right-of-way
- Lane departures
- Aggressive driving
- Unqualified or inexperienced truck drivers
- Unsafe passing
- Tailgating
- Dangerous or wide turns
- Drunk driving
- Failure to conduct proper vehicle inspections before and after trips
- Road hazards
- Poor weather
- Worn tires, faulty brakes, and other vehicle problems
Under Florida law, truck drivers must obtain a commercial driver’s license (CDL) before operating a large truck. Despite the requirement, truck drivers cause accidents all the time. If you were injured in a truck accident, our Port St. Lucie truck accident attorneys can help you identify the cause. Contact us today for a free case review.
How Do I Prove Negligence After a Commercial Truck Accident in Florida?
As with any vehicle accident, negligence is often the root cause. To recover damages above and beyond what your own insurance covers, you’ll have to prove that someone else’s acts caused your injuries.
To win your case, you’ll have to prove the four elements of negligence:
- A legal duty of care existed
- The at-fault party breached that duty
- The breach directly caused the accident
- You suffered identifiable damages, including physical injuries, financial losses, and emotional trauma.
Our lawyers can help you find the strong evidence you’ll need, including:
- Data from the truck’s black box electronic recording device
- Hard data from the accident scene, including skid marks, vehicle damage, and conditions
- The truck driver’s hours-of-service log
- Truck maintenance and inspection logs
- Video surveillance footage from dashcams and other sources
- Eyewitness reports
- Medical records
- Police and accident reports
- Opinions from accident reconstruction specialists
If you were involved in a truck accident in Port St. Lucie, don’t hesitate to reach out to our law firm to arrange a free case review today.
Who is Liable for Paying My Damages After a Truck Accident?
All parties who share blame for a crash can be held liable, including:
- Negligent truck drivers
- Trucking companies
- Truck leasing companies
- Truck or equipment manufacturers
- Maintenance companies and mechanics
- Third-party motorists
- Companies responsible for loading and securing the truck’s cargo
- Government agencies
Multiple parties often share blame in truck accident cases. Whether the truck driver was an employee or an independent contractor, the trucking company will likely share responsibility if they caused the crash.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Truck Accident in Florida?
The statute of limitations in Florida personal injury cases is two years. You have two years from the accident date to take legal action. After two years pass, you give up your right to sue for damages.
Contact a Port St. Lucie Truck Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation
Truck accident claims can be particularly complex. An experienced Port St. Lucie truck accident lawyer can help with every aspect of your case. Contact Graves Thomas Rotunda Injury Law Group, P.A., to learn more about how our team can help you win your case.
The call is free. The consultation is free. The counsel is priceless.
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