In Fort Myers, truck accidents are becoming more frequent, mostly due to the booming construction and delivery industries. Truck accidents can vary in severity, some accidents cause long-lasting and life-threatening injuries, and some leave scarring or superficial injuries. However, when talking about an accident with an 18-wheeler truck, it’s unlikely that the victims will walk away with minimal injuries. Because of the size and weight of these trucks, they can easily lead to multiple vehicle accidents, cause serious injuries, and leave dangerous debris on the road that may affect other drivers after the truck accident.
According to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, around 100,000 motorists in 2019 suffered injuries due to truck accidents across America. Although the number of truck accident cases is lower than that of any other vehicle on the road, as they are only responsible for 3% of all accidents, they have the highest chance of causing a fatality. In fact, 12% of all fatalities on the roads are caused by truck accident cases.
If you have been involved in a truck accident, or a loved one has been injured due to one, then you may be liable to claim compensation. Following a Fort Myers truck accident, it’s essential that you find and hire a capable personal injury lawyer who can help you with your compensation claim. Filing a claim for compensation can be a very complicated process, especially if it’s your first time filing one. The personal injury lawyers at The Law Place are ready to help you.
We also offer a free consultation with every case so that you can speak to an experienced personal injury lawyer who can advise you on your next steps and what may be best for you. So what’re you waiting for? Contact The Law Place today at (941) 444-4444.
Why You Need an Experienced Fort Myers Truck Accident Attorney
A Fort Myers truck accident attorney can help you in many ways. Providing that you or a loved one has been involved in a truck accident and your case meets the requirements to claim compensation, then our attorneys at The Law Place may be able to help you to claim and win the maximum amount of compensation that is available. Unfortunately, after a truck accident, the trucking company involved will have a team of insurance lawyers and investigators that will go to the scene of the accident and start building a case to minimize their liability and diminish your claim as much as possible. This is so that the company doesn’t have to pay out anything but the minimum amount of compensation to you. Our Fort Myers truck accident attorney team are experienced and deal with these cases daily, so we will not fall for any tricks that insurance companies use to belittle your claim.
For a trucking company, a truck accident can be very expensive. They have to repair their trucks after the accident, payout compensation if they are at fault, and in the worst-case scenario, face legal action for corporate negligence. This is why they fight back so hard against these cases. Therefore, it’s essential you find yourself a capable Fort Myers truck accident attorney who knows these cases well. The difference between walking into court with or without a lawyer could make a huge difference when it comes to your case and the amount of compensation you may receive.
We know that, after a truck accident, you most likely don’t want any added stress. Dealing with the mental trauma and the injuries that can be involved with a truck accident can be brutal. Because of this, our lawyers will take over your case for you. We aim to take away any stress that a truck accident case may give you while you focus on your recovery. We will investigate your case for you, talk to any witnesses and those involved in the accident, contact the police, look over the police report, and deal with any other specifics such as filing a compensation claim for you.
So, if you have been involved in a truck accident in Fort Myers and want to claim compensation, then contact the personal injury lawyers at The Law Place. We boast over 75-years of experience between our lawyers, and many of these years of experience are in dealing with traffic-related accidents just like yours. We want to help win your case, so contact The Law Place today and schedule your free consultation with an experienced Fort Myers truck accident lawyer.
Commons Causes of a Fort Myers Truck Accident
In many cases, a Fort Myers truck accident lawyer may look to pin all the blame on the truck driver. However, there are lots of people and factors that have to be looked at in order to establish the cause and who to blame. The truck driver could be in the wrong. They could have been driving recklessly or driving whilst too tired, but the trucking company could be to blame for a vehicle malfunction.
In any case, our lawyers at The Law Place will look at these factors and decipher what the cause of the accident actually was. For example:
- Vehicle malfunction – Trucks that malfunction on the roads are usually because the trucking company has prioritized profits over safety. It’s the trucking company’s responsibility to perform regular vehicle maintenance. However, when companies neglect to do this, trucks can malfunction on the road and potentially cause dangerous accidents. This is known as corporate negligence.
- Driver being distracted – Due to the long hours that truck drivers spend on the roads of Fort Myers, they can become less alert over time. The size and weight of their vehicle mean it takes much longer to come to a stop if needed. So if the driver is distracted when something happens on the road, they may not stop in time and cause an accident.
- Truck driver fatigue – Driver fatigue, generally speaking, is the fault of the driver. They may not be sleeping enough, or they may have chosen to overwork themselves. However, companies such as Amazon offer payment schemes that reward longer hours. Although it may be a good thing for the driver, working longer hours can drastically reduce their alertness and cause them to feel fatigued. Driver fatigue is known to be almost as bad as driving under the influence of alcohol. This is because driving whilst tired can result in the driver making a mistake or falling asleep at the wheel, causing an accident.
- Driving over the speed limit – Speed limits are there for a reason. Fort Myers, FL., takes speed limits very seriously. Driving over the posted speed limit endangers not only the other drivers on the road but any pedestrians as well. This is especially the case when driving a truck.
- Driving under the influence – Driving under the influence of alcohol, unfortunately, is one of the most common causes of an accident. Driving under the influence can impair the truck driver’s vision and make them less alert. If this is the case, the driver would be at fault for the accident and would most likely also face a DUI charge.
- Overloaded cargo – Due to the amount of weight these 18-wheelers can carry, it goes without saying that the cargo has to be loaded and strapped down properly. If the truck doesn’t get loaded properly, then cargo may fall off the truck while driving, causing debris on the road that could potentially cause an accident for other drivers on the road. Not only this, but lose cargo can move around in the truck and cause the driver to have less control of the vehicle, potentially creating an accident.
If you have been involved in a truck accident in Fort Myers and have been injured, then you may be able to claim compensation. The Law Place is here to help you with your claim, so call today to schedule your free consultation!
How Will a Truck Accident Lawyer Prove My Case in Fort Myers, FL?
When it comes to insurance and compensation cases, an experienced truck accident lawyer can help in many ways. Our law firm can help with the following:
- We will go to the police officers that were on duty the night of your accident, question them, and go through the police report to get the best idea of what happened and who may have caused the accident.
- We will personally attempt to contact any and all witnesses that have been listed on the police report. This will include anyone involved in the accident as well.
- We visit your family members or friends that you are close with and ask them how the injury has changed your mood, attitude, and everyday life. We do this because it may help you claim pain and suffering. This refers to your mental trauma after the accident. If you feel as though you can’t enjoy life to the same capacity as you could before the truck accident, then you may be able to claim pain and suffering.
- We will go through all your medical records after the accident. This will help us decide how much compensation you may be able to claim for your injuries. We will do our best to reimburse the medical bills for the injuries sustained due to the Fort Myers truck accident.
- We will go through any and all street camera footage or any footage from cameras held by nearby businesses. This will be used as evidence to help your claim. However, these street and business cameras only keep their footage for a limited amount of time before they get wiped. This is why it’s essential to get in contact with a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible following a truck accident.
- Trucking companies have to install black boxes in their vehicles. These black boxes record data on the vehicle and how it has been driven. We will do our best to retrieve this information as it may shine a light on who was at fault. If the black box shows that the driver was driving recklessly, then we may be able to prove the driver was at fault.
- We will look into the recent maintenance of the truck. If the truck hasn’t been properly maintained, then we may be able to prove that the trucking company was at fault for the accident.
This list is just a small selection of what we have to offer at The Law Place. We will work day and night to ensure that we get the best outcome possible for our clients. So contact The Law place today to schedule a free consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer.
Compensation for Truck Accidents in Fort Myers, FL.
There are different types of compensation claims. The most common types of compensation you may be able to claim are listed below:
- Medical bills – Any injuries that are a result of a truck accident will most likely result in medical bills. These medical bills can be claimed back in compensation.
- Loss of wages – If, because of a truck accident, you or a loved one has lost the ability to go to work for a long period of time, you may have lost wages that you relied on. If this is the case, then you may be able to claim compensation for these lost wages.
- Wrongful death – In the worst-case scenario, you may have lost a loved one. Although it may not help you mourn or help your suffering, you may be able to claim for funeral costs.
- Property damage – Any damages to your vehicle or belongings inside your vehicle can be claimed back in compensation.
Contact The Law Place Today!
If you have been involved in a truck accident, contacting The Law Place is your best option. Truck accidents can change your life. They can cause life-threatening injuries, massive unexpected bills, and in the worst case, can cause fatalities. No one should have to suffer the consequences of someone else’s mistake on the roads. So take the first step in helping yourself by contacting The Law Place today and scheduling a free consultation with us.
Our phone lines are open 24 hours, 7 days a week. Contact us at (941) 444-4444.
