Being involved in a truck accident can be a horrifying event. Large trucks have the capacity to cause severe damage due to their size and weight. If you or a loved one were involved in a truck accident in Melbourne, FL, you may be able to recover compensation to cover medical bills, lost wages, vehicle and other property damage, and more.
Navigating the legal process for recovering compensation can be complicated. A Norden Leacox Car Accident And Personal Injury Lawyers experienced truck accident lawyer can manage your case so that you can spend more time focused on your recovery.
Our Melbourne truck accident lawyers are here to help. Your first consultation with us is free, so contact our law office today at 321-450-7134 to discuss your case.
How Norden Leacox Car Accident And Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Truck Accident in Melbourne, FL
Our exceptional team of attorneys has 75 years of legal experience and a proven track record of success in Melbourne, FL. We’ve recovered tens of millions in compensation for our injured clients.
When you hire one of our highly skilled Melbourne personal injury attorneys, you can count on us to do the following to get the best possible outcome in your case:
- Investigating the truck accident
- Identifying the at-fault parties
- Explaining your legal options
- Gathering evidence to strengthen your claim
- Assessing the extent of your injuries
- Contacting the insurance providers on your behalf to negotiate a settlement
- Vigorously represent you in court, if necessary
Norden Leacox has the experience you can trust to get the results you deserve. Call our trusted truck accident lawyers in Melbourne today to schedule a free consultation.
How Common Are Truck Accidents?
Truck accidents have steadily increased over the past several years. In 2021, 117,300 trucks were involved in injuring-causing accidents nationwide—a 15% increase since 2016. And while large trucks accounted for only 5% of vehicles on the road, they made up 9% of all vehicles involved in fatal accidents in 2021.
What Is My Melbourne Truck Accident Case Worth?
It’s impossible to provide an accurate estimate of what your truck accident case might be worth without specific details about your case. That’s because many factors influence the potential value of a personal injury claim.
In your truck accident case, these factors may include:
- The severity of your injuries
- The amount of your medical bills
- The extent of your property damage
- The insurance policy limits
- Whether you share some of the fault in the accident
- What evidence is available to support your claims
Our attorneys will review your case and explain how these factors affect the value of your case. Contact our Melbourne truck accident lawyers today to schedule your free consultation.
What Kinds of Damages Are Available to Melbourne Truck Accident Victims?
The main remedy available to personal injury victims, including truck accident victims, is compensatory damages. These are money awarded to an injured party to compensate for their injuries or other losses. Their purpose is to make the victim whole again after an accident.
Compensatory damages can be divided into two main categories: economic damages and non-economic damages.
Economic Damages
Economic damages refer to direct financial consequences incurred in the accident. They may also be called tangible damages or special damages.
They may include the following:
- Past and future medical costs
- Vehicle and property damage
- Transportation costs
- Lost wages
- Diminished future earning capacity
You may be required to prove your damages during settlement negotiations or at trial. Economic damages can often be established with invoices, receipts, or other documentation.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages, on the other hand, relate to the subjective or emotional consequences of the accident. They are sometimes called intangible damages or general damages.
They may include the following:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional anguish
- Loss of companionship or consortium by a loved one
- Disability or disfigurement and the associated impacts
- Diminished quality of life
Because they’re more subjective in nature, non-economic damages may require expert witnesses or other types of evidence to establish.
Our experienced Melbourne truck accident attorneys will help assess all of your damages, aiming to maximize the value of your claim.
How Much Does It Cost To Hire a Truck Accident Lawyer in Melbourne, FL?
If you’ve been injured in a truck accident, you may be dealing with unexpected costs, such as medical bills, lost wages, and more. Fortunately, you won’t have to pay any fees upfront to hire a personal injury lawyer with our firm.
Our personal injury lawyers in Melbourne accept cases on a contingency fee basis. Contingency fees are collected at the end of a case if the client successfully recovers compensation. Most personal injury lawyers charge between 33% and 40%.
The benefits of contingency fees are that you don’t have to have money upfront to pay for an attorney, and the attorney only gets paid if you do.
Can I Recover Compensation if I’m Being Blamed For a Truck Accident in Florida?
If the opposing party blames you as being partially at fault in the accident, this may impact your ability to recover compensation from them (note that you can utilize your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage for limited benefits regardless of fault).
Florida has a modified comparative negligence law that allows an injured party to recover compensation so long as they are not more than 50% at fault.
If they are 50% or less at fault, then their compensation will be reduced in proportion to their degree of fault. If they are 51% or more at fault, they cannot recover any compensation.
For example, if you suffer $100,000 in damages in a truck accident and are found to be 20% at fault, you can still recover up to $80,000 in damages.
As you can see, the amount of fault you are assigned in a truck accident case can have a big impact on your financial recovery. Having an attorney on your side will allow you to respond to these allegations of shared fault effectively.
We’ll Work To Recover Compensation for All of Your Truck Accident Injuries
Truck accidents can cause severe injuries. Some injuries you may suffer in a truck accident include:
- Sprains
- Contusions
- Burns
- Traumatic brain injury
- Spinal cord injury
- Broken bones
- Amputations
- Soft-tissue damage
- Concussions
Our attorneys will fight to recover compensation for all of your truck-accident-related injuries.
What Causes Most Truck Accidents in Melbourne, FL?
The leading causes of truck accidents are driver-related and include:
- The driver fell asleep
- The driver suffered a physical ailment
- Distracted driving
- Following too closely
- Speeding
- Inexperienced driving
- Alcohol or drug use
Other causes of truck accidents include vehicle issues, weather, and road conditions. In many truck accidents, more than one of these issues contributed to the crash. An experienced truck accident lawyer will investigate your accident to identify all of the potential causes and at-fault parties.
How Do I Prove Negligence After a Truck Accident in Florida?
Most often, you’ll need to establish negligence in order to win your truck accident claim against the at-fault party. To prove negligence, you must establish the following four elements:
- The defendant owed you a duty of care. A duty of care is a legal obligation to act with a certain level of care to prevent unnecessary harm to others. Generally, one must use a reasonable amount of care and caution under the circumstances.
- The defendant breached the duty of care. This usually means showing that the defendant did not act reasonably.
- You suffered injury, harm, or other loss. This may include physical injury, medical costs, vehicle damage, pain and suffering, or other damages.
- The defendant’s actions were the cause of your injuries. You must prove that the defendant was both the actual and legal cause of your injuries.
You must prove these elements by a preponderance of the evidence.
How Long Do I Have To File a Lawsuit After a Truck Accident in Florida?
Each state provides a deadline for filing personal injury lawsuits. This is known as the statute of limitations. In Florida, you must file your case within two years of the accident, or you won’t be able to file your case.
While many cases will settle before a lawsuit is filed, it’s important that you are aware of the statute of limitations in your case. There are exceptions to the two-year time limit, so it’s best to contact our law office as soon as possible after an accident.
Contact Our Melbourne Truck Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation
If you’ve been injured in a truck crash, you may be feeling overwhelmed by the experience and its aftermath. Let our seasoned Melbourne truck accident lawyers help you navigate the complexities of the personal injury claim process.
Contact our office today to schedule a free consultation with a member of our team.