Accidents happen. As motorists, we accept this inevitability. Englewood roads are particularly congested with traffic with many inexperienced, uninsured, and negligent drivers. This isn’t just Englewood, but the whole of Florida, with over 400,000 accidents happening in the state every year, according to the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FHSMV).
Many of these accidents are minor and result in little damage and no injuries. However, when the vehicles involved include a larger commercial vehicle like a moving truck, the chances of more serious injuries and damages increase drastically. Moving vans carry a lot more weight, full or empty, and this means the force of impact is much larger. When they crash, the results can be horrific.
If you or someone you love has been involved in such an accident, you shouldn’t fight it alone. You could be entitled to compensation, especially if the accident was through no fault of your own. Speaking to a skilled truck accident attorney will ensure that you get the best shot at seeking compensation that is reasonable and fair following your accident. They will be able to help you build your case, figure out who was negligent, and decide where liability lies.
Fighting large insurance companies is difficult without in-depth knowledge of Florida law, especially when fighting commercial corporations with money to throw at aggressive legal teams. Here at The Law Place, we have dealt with numerous cases just like yours over our collective 75 years of experience. You can place your trust in us to take the burden from your shoulders, allowing you to relax, recover, and recuperate from your ordeal without the added stress of building your own case.
Don’t wait. Get in touch and begin the process of receiving compensation today. Call (941)-444-4444 and book your completely free legal consultation today! Our phones are always manned 24/7.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Englewood
In many of the moving can accident cases we have dealt with, the blame for the crash lies with the van driver or the company who hires them. Most commonly, the causes are:
- Fatigue – Driving whilst tired is one of the biggest causes of accidents on the roads in Florida. Drivers who are fatigued react slower and have less concentration to predict other drivers and their actions.
- Distracted driving – There are numerous ways that you can drive “distracted.” The most common ones are driving while eating food, changing the radio, or using a cell phone without hands-free capabilities.
- Negligent or reckless driving – Reckless driving behaviors include speeding, tailgating, road rage, and failing to yield to drivers with the right of way.
- Driving under the influence – One of the most dangerous and serious causes of crashes is when the driver is under the influence of alcohol or drugs, including prescription medication.
- Poor loading or overloading of cargo – Sometimes, the fault lies with the people who loaded the truck. Uneven loading or overloading means the van may not react the way the driver thinks it will, taking longer to brake or turn.
- Badly maintained trucks – It is down to the company that hires the commercial truck driver to ensure that the trucks used are maintained to the highest standard. Checking for early signs of wear and tear or tire damage is an example of this.
- Inadequate training of drivers – Unfortunately, many commercial trucking companies are focused on profit over safety, and this means they may use drivers who have not been trained to the highest standard or ability to save money.
- Bad weather – Florida often experiences frequent and heavy downpours, which can limit visibility and make roads very slippery, which can cause accidents.
Being involved in a moving van accident can be a traumatic affair, made even worse when it is through no fault of your own. If you or a loved one are in this situation, make sure you seek immediate legal representation from an Englewood accident attorney so they can evaluate your case and advise you what the best course of action is.
Call The Law Place today to schedule a free consultation with a lawyer from our firm and begin the process of receiving the compensation that you deserve.
Types of Truck Accidents in Englewood
How severe the injuries and damages are following a truck accident will depend on the specifics of the crash. The higher the speed, the higher the weight, the size, and the number of vehicles or pedestrians involved will all influence how bad the accident is.
The most common types of truck accidents are:
- Override – This is where a truck rear-ends a smaller vehicle.
- Underride – This is where the smaller vehicle rear-ends the van.
- Cargo spill – If cargo falls out of the moving van, then this can result in accidents, as the cargo can create obstructions once on the road or fall onto another vehicle.
- Rollover – If a driver travels too fast around a corner or bend, their truck can become unsteady and tip over. If the truck falls onto another vehicle or causes a blockade, then this can result in a big chain-reaction crash.
If you were involved in a crash from the list above or any other crash, you should seek legal advice to check whether or not you may be entitled to a claim. Moving van accidents can be extremely dangerous and have the potential for huge damages and injuries that can influence the quality of the rest of your life.
Here at The Law Place, we have dealt with thousands of cases just like yours. We have your best interest at heart and are dedicated to fighting for your right to reasonable and fair treatment and compensation.
To find out if you are owed thousands in compensation, contact The Law Place today and schedule your completely free, no-obligation consultation.
We’re here to serve you. Our phones are open 24 hours a day. What Should I Do If I’m in a Truck Accident in Englewood?
Accidents can be pure chaos. In such a stressful situation, it can be easy to let emotion take over and control your actions. It’s only natural. The best thing to do is to stay calm and follow these steps:
- Call 911 -The first port of call should always be to contact the emergency services as soon as you possibly can. Make sure you are in a place of safety beforehand. Calling the emergency services ensures the safety and health of all parties and will result in a formal accident report that can be obtained as evidence.
- Be careful with what you say – Remember that the other drivers may try and shift blame immediately after the accident. Make sure you watch what you say as it may be called upon in court later on. A simple sorry could lose your case later on. Keep it short and sweet, get their details, ask if they are okay, then retreat to safety until the emergency services turn up.
- Gather any witness information – Law enforcement isn’t perfect, and they may fail to get all the information or the quality of evidence that you can seek yourself. Get the full names, numbers, and contact addresses of any witnesses.
- Take pictures – Legal cases can last a long time, and this means you might be relying on someone’s memory from months or even years ago. The best way to combat this is to take pictures of the accident scene. Often when shown pictures, people recollect the event much clearer.
- Hire an experienced accident lawyer – Legal cases are incredibly complex, and trucking companies will do their best to deceive and influence you in the legal process. It is vital that you have a skilled accident lawyer on your side who can fight your case. You need a team that has a clear understanding of Florida’s legal system and who will fight for you to get the maximum compensation that you rightfully deserve.
We’re Florida’s top litigation team with over 75 years of combined experience Common Injuries From Moving Van Accidents
With the size and weight of some moving vans, accidents involving them can have catastrophic results. Over the years, we have seen countless accidents just like yours with a range of injuries from common to rare. Usually, the injuries include:
- Cuts, bruises, and soreness.
- Neck injuries, such as whiplash.
- Head or brain injuries.
- Internal bleeding and organ damage.
- Broken and fractured bones.
- Wrongful death.
From the initial call to updates on your case status, we are here to get you answers. Common Damages Following Moving Van Accidents in Florida
Following a moving truck accident in Englewood that happened through no fault of your own, you may be able to seek compensation for any damages incurred by the other party. A skilled truck accident attorney will be able to evaluate your case for you and will be able to advise you on the best course of action. This will enable you to seek the highest compensation available to you.
Every case we fight is different, but these are the damages we have managed to seek for our clients in the past:
- Medical expenses – Injuries will need to be dealt with by a medical professional, and their bills can add up quickly to a substantial amount. You shouldn’t have to pay for this and should be able to seek compensation for all medical bills, past, future, and present.
- Lost wages – If the accident has forced you to take time off work through injury or mental trauma, then you could be able to seek payment for any wages you have lost, both now and in the future.
- Pain and suffering – There are certain damages that are hard to put a quantitative sum of money too. These include things like emotional and mental trauma and loss of enjoyment, such as a fear of driving or inability to do hobbies you did before.
- Property damage – Obviously, if your vehicle has been damaged during the accident, you should be able to seek compensation for the repair or replacement fees. You can also seek compensation for any personal items that were damaged during the accident.
- Wrongful death – If you sadly lost a loved one because of the accident, then you deserve compensation to cover the funeral and burial costs and loss of consortium.
The best way to figure out what damages you could be entitled to is to contact us here at The Law Place today. We have dealt with lots of cases similar to yours, which will enable us to build a strong case in a quick time frame, as well as work out damages with speed and accuracy that will lend to your favor in court.
We know the damages following a moving van accident can be huge, and we want you to have the best chance at compensation but, more importantly, the best chance to recover and get back to your normal life. Our job is to grease the wheels and ensure this happens as smoothly as possible.
How a St. Petersburg Truck Accident Lawyer Could Help You
If you are already considering filing a lawsuit for your accident, hiring a personal injury lawyer is a no-brainer. They already have extensive knowledge and resources that you don’t, which will put you on a level playing field when you need to fight the other party’s insurance company.
Some invaluable ways that a skilled attorney from The Law Place can help you include the following:
- Provide immediate legal advice at the scene that may stop you from inadvertently jeopardizing your chances of a successful claim.
- Provide you with information and answer any questions regarding the Florida legal system that you may have.
- Investigate your case, collect evidence for you, and provide a crash scene investigator, if necessary, who can obtain stronger evidence.
- Collate all your evidence, speak to witnesses and obtain statements, speak to the police and obtain police reports and build an airtight case.
- Calculate the value of your case using medical bills and employment records, as well as calculate any pain and suffering costs that are tricky to place value on.
- Handle all communication with the other party, the other party’s lawyer, and the other party’s insurance company.
- Represent and fight for you in court aggressively for the compensation that we believe you’re owed.
One important thing that is worth remembering is that under Florida Statute 95.11, you only have up to four years from the date of the accident to file your claim. After this point, you will no longer have the ability to.
However, as with all personal injury cases, time is of the essence. If you want the strongest chance of a successful claim, you need to get in touch with your legal representation at the earliest possible moment. That way, you can ensure that all the evidence that is fresh and easy to document is, in fact, documented. If you wait too long, evidence can disappear, witnesses can forget what they saw or become harder to reach, and crash scenes can become cleaned of any signs of the accident.
How Much Will My Van Accident Lawyer Cost?
Many people fail to obtain the help of a skilled personal injury attorney because of the misconception that a personal injury lawyer will cost a lot of money. This means they go into a case with a lack of information and legal advice, which leads to a lower payout if they even win at all.
Here at The Law Place, we work on a contingency basis. This means you only pay if you win, and while you do have to pay for our help, the compensation sum you will win is usually many times larger than you could seek on your own. This means that the end result is more money in your pocket and a lot less stress as we fight your case for you.
All our contingency work is regulated by The State Bar Association. This means that you don’t have to be worried about any unexpected costs. To work with an attorney that you can trust, get in touch with The Law Place today.
Contact The Law Place Today
If you or someone you love has been in a truck accident that wasn’t your fault, your first step should be to get in touch with our team here at The Law Place. We are primed and ready to help, providing immediate advice and taking all the stress and burden from your shoulders. This means you can focus on the important things like your recovery, health, and family.
We are here to help guide and support you through this complex legal process, all while fighting on your behalf to secure the compensation that you deserve.
Our phone lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so call us now at (941) 444-4444.
