Palm Beach Gardens Truck Accident Lawyer

When a large truck is involved in an accident, it can result in casualties and great damage. Residents of Palm Beach Gardens are acquainted with truck crashes especially on busy streets such as Florida’s Turnpike, PGA Boulevard, and the I-95. Each crash results in painful injuries, medical costs, and lost work, yet injured individuals can’t always get the reimbursement they need. If sustained injuries in a Palm Beach Gardens truck accident, you need to get the help of an experienced truck accident attorney.

According to TCPalm residents have selected Philip DeBerard, Injury Attorney as the Best Personal Injury Lawyer in the region. The DeBerard firm has more than 40 years of practice helping injured Floridians obtain their rightful financial recovery after their collision. Over the years, our firm has recovered millions worth of settlements for our injured clients. We leave no stone unturned in fighting for your full repayment, be it for dollar losses like medical costs, missed income and earning capacity, and vehicle repairs, or for non-monetary damages like your pain and emotional distress.

Your consultation with us is free, and you won’t be billed lawyer fees until we obtain compensation for you.

Important Things to Do After a Truck Accident in Palm Beach Gardens, FL

It’s terrifying and disorienting to get in a road accident, more so if it involves a semi-truck, tractor-trailer, delivery truck, dump truck or 18-wheeler that possibly weighs 80,000 pounds. But while the situation is overwhelming, it can greatly help if you stay calm and remember these things to do after a truck crash:

• Get to a safe spot. As truck collisions typically occur on bustling highways, you should get off the road and distanced from oncoming vehicles. Also check on your companions, if any, and help them move to safety.
• Call the police. Ask for an officer to assist you where you are and to make an accident report. If you or any of your passengers is hurt, even if it looks like a minor injury, you must also ask for a medic to provide medical attention.
• Start documenting. While waiting for responders, take pictures or videos of the accident scene, including your apparent injuries and vehicle damage. Exchange insurance information and contact details with other drivers involved. Also, if you see potential witnesses around, politely ask them for their contact information.
• See a doctor. Some injuries could send you to the E.R. Right away, but many other injuries don’t become obvious immediately after the crash. Don’t wait to see a doctor, as any delays in your medical care may be hurting their personal injury case. It’s best to consult a physician within 24 hours of the crash and to come to any subsequent clinic appointments.
• Notify your insurer. Your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance company likely requires you to notify them if you get in an accident. With a phone call or online contact, you can initiate your injury claim with them. In many truck injury cases, PIP policy limits are not enough to cover all associated costs, so you’ll need to look into other legal remedies.
• Reach out to an attorney. It’s prudent to have a lawyer’s advice right from the get-go. Even if you believe that the insurer sympathizes with you, you may soon realize that truck accident claims are much more complex (we discuss why below). A competent injury attorney could help you pursue an effective PIP claim as well as an injury liability claim against the at-fault party. Take advantage of your free consultation with the highly experienced Philip DeBerard, Injury Attorney.

Florida Truck Accident Claims Are Tricky – Here’s Why

A truck personal injury case will probably be more challenging than an “typical” auto accident case, not just because of the potentially catastrophic injuries involved, but because of certain practices and laws in commercial trucking. Consider these factors that may impact your truck crash case.

Commercial trucks follow special rules that require legal know-how

On top of general rules of the road, there are standards promulgated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) that truck companies and truck drivers must obey. For instance, the agency requires truckers to take particular amounts of rest breaks to prevent fatigue on the road, and truck companies are required to routinely inspect and maintain their trucks. These industry-specific rules often become a factor when investigating the cause of a truck crash.

Trucking firms already have valuable evidence

When a commercial vehicle is involved in a crash, the freight company will quickly start assembling their defense against possible liability claims. They are ahead in this area because they already possess records that may be vital in the case. To name some, they have personnel files, fleet inspection and maintenance logs, history of accidents, and the crashed vehicle itself.

If you want an effective truck injury claim, get the help of a skilled lawyer who’s knowledgeable in trucking evidence and how to get it. This is why real-world experience is one of the most important things to look for in a truck accident attorney.

Commercial vehicle companies may avoid liability

In many cases, the transport or delivery company could be held liable if their negligent actions contributed to the crash. For example, they could have hired unqualified drivers, failed to repair their truck, or violated hours-of-service rules. When this happens, the injured claimant may seek compensation from the negligent company, as well as from other involved parties whose negligence factored the crash.

Unfortunately, well-resourced companies are able to defend themselves from liability, often by arguing that the at-fault driver was not an employee of the company but an independent contractor. Major companies like FedEx and Amazon are known to have used this defense. Injured individuals who need full monetary recovery should get the help of a fearless attorney to fight for maximum compensation.

The comparative negligence rule in Florida could reduce compensation.

In Florida truck accident claims and personal injury cases, the comparative negligence principle looks at all parties who acted negligently in the accident. If the injured claimant is also deemed negligent, they shall be held partly accountable for their own injuries and the amount they could receive reduced according to their percentage of fault. For example, if they were 10 percent at fault, it will result in a 10 percent deduction from their award.

Defense lawyers and insurance companies can work this rule to minimize the settlement in a vehicle injury claim. They will have try to place some blame on the claimant, perhaps by contending that the claimant was following the truck too close or failed to yield the right of way. If you’re pursuing a third-party damages claim against an at-fault truck driver or company, make sure to protect your claim with the help of an experienced injury attorney.

Consult with Philip DeBerard, Injury Attorney in Palm Beach County Today

With more than 40 years of experience, the law firm of Philip DeBerard has become a known ally of injured Floridians, particularly in Palm Beach Gardens. Our team has won favorable settlements and jury awards for our clients. Some of our recent winning cases are a semi-trailer accident case where the insurance company settled at $2 million and a a truck injury claim where the trucking company settled at $1.25 million.

Tell us about your truck collision injury. Your starting consultation with us is free, and you won’t have to pay us any lawyer fees until we’ve achieved compensation for you. Contact us today at 800-299-8878.