What to Expect After a Florida Truck Accident
Michael Babboni
Trucking Accidents
Truck accidents happen daily on Florida roadways, and many of these accidents result in injury. If you were involved in a truck accident, you might be entitled to compensation.After a Truck Accident
Truck accidents account for many of the accidents on Florida roadways. Due to the size of the vehicles involved, they are different than other car accidents. Larger trucks can cause a more massive impact that results in more damages. Additionally, truck drivers owe a duty of care to other drivers sharing the roadways.
Some of the more common injuries resulting from a truck accident include spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, brain and nervous system damage, whiplash, burns, lacerations, internal injuries, psychological trauma, bone fractures, and concussions. Each of these injuries can greatly reduce your life expectancy and can cause fatalities.
Aside from injuries, you can expect other damages, including property damage. The accident can result in damage to your vehicle and other property you have in your vehicle.
As you can see, trucks can cause massive damage. For this reason, you want to seek medical attention right away following the accident and then consult with an experienced personal injury attorney who can tell you how best to proceed following the accident.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents
Some of the more common causes of truck accidents include driver fatigue, distracted driving, driving under the influence, wrong lane changes, unbalanced loads, speeding, faulty training and lack of experience, and other careless and reckless drivers.
Pain and Suffering
When it comes to pain and suffering following a truck accident, some considerations to keep in mind include the severity of the injuries, the impact and limitations of the injuries and how they affect your daily life, your current age, the recovery period, and any past, current, or future suffering that results from the accident.
Truck accidents can be devastating and leave the victim and their family with severe injuries and mounting medical debt. To calculate pain and suffering, all the factors above will be considered. These factors act as a guide for the valuation of non-economic damages.
• Multiplier Method: With this method, you multiply quantifiable damages with a number between 1 and 5. That number will be determined using the factors above.
• Per Diem Method: The court can attach a daily figure to calculate your suffering with this method. Some use daily income as this number; however, other numbers can be justified.
• State Caps: The state of Florida limits these non-economic damages to $200,000, meaning this is the most that can be claimed against a state or local government.
Truck Accident Settlements
So, what is a good settlement following a truck accident? If the truck driver were found to have breached their duty of care, they would be held responsible for any damages you suffer as a result. A fair settlement will cover all the expenses incurred because of the accident, including your medical bills and treatment costs, along with the cost of any required medical equipment.
If you suffered non-economic damages and the other party is at fault, your attorney can help recover fair compensation without reducing the settlement demand. If it ends up being a wrongful death claim, then the settlement should also cover the funeral and burial expenses.
If you were involved in a truck accident and suffered injuries and damages, you may be entitled to compensation. Consult with an experienced personal injury attorney who can help navigate your case and lead you to fair compensation.