Vero Beach Truck Accident Lawyer

Injuries and losses are often extensive in a large-truck accident. In Vero Beach, people are acquainted with truck collisions particularly on busy roads such as Beachland Boulevard and the A1A. Each collision results in serious injuries, medical bills, and lost earnings, yet injured individuals don’t always get the compensation they are entitled to. If you’ve been injured in a tractor trailer accident, you should consult with trusted truck accident lawyer as soon as possible.

The Treasure Coast community has chosen Philip DeBerard, Injury Attorney as the most trusted Personal Injury Lawyer in the Treasure Coast according to TCPalm. The DeBerard team has over three decades of experience helping injured Floridians obtain their rightful financial recovery after their crash. Through the years, our team has won millions of dollars in settlements for our injured clients. We leave no stone unturned in advocating for your full compensation, be it for economic losses like medical bills, lost income and earnings capacity and property damage, or for non-monetary harm like your pain and suffering.

Consult with us free of charge, and you won’t have to pay us lawyer fees until we get compensation for you.

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

It’s scary and confusing to get in a road accident, and even more if it involves a semi-truck, tractor-trailer, or 18-wheeler that can weigh 80,000 pounds. But as overwhelming as the situation is, it will greatly help if you stay calm and bear in mind these things to do after a truck collision:

• Move to a safe area. As truck collisions usually occur on bustling highways, you’ll need to get off the road and away from oncoming traffic. Also check on your companions, if any, and help them get to safety.
• Phone the police. Request an officer to aid you where you are and to make an accident report. If you’re hurt, even if it looks like a minor injury, you should also ask for a medic to ensure medical attention.
• Capture the crash site. While waiting for law enforcers, take pictures or videos of the crash site, including your visible injuries and property damage. Exchange contact and insurance info with the other driver. Also, if you notice potential witnesses at the location, politely request their contact information.
• Consult a doctor. Some injuries could send you to the emergency room right away, but others don’t become obvious immediately after the incident. Don’t delay going to a doctor, as delaying medical care might be hurt your injury claim. It’s best to visit a doctor within 24 hours of the crash and to attend any subsequent doctor’s appointments.
• Notify your insurer. You’re likely required by your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) provider to let them know if you get in an accident. With a phone call or online contact, you can initiate your injury claim with them. Unfortunately, when severe injuries are involved, PIP policy limits are not able to cover expenses fully, so you may need explore supplementary legal options.
• Call an attorney. It’s prudent to have a lawyer’s advice as soon as possible. Even if you believe that the insurer is kind to you, you may soon learn that truck crash claims are much more difficult (we discuss why below). An experienced injury attorney could help you pursue a strong PIP claim and an injury liability claim against the person who caused the crash. Take advantage of your free consultation with the highly experienced Philip DeBerard, Injury Attorney.

Florida Truck Accident Claims Are More Complex – Here’s Why

A truck personal injury is often more challenging than an “regular” car accident case, not just because of the catastrophic injuries often involved, but because of certain laws and standards in commercial trucking. Consider these factors that can impact your truck injury case.

Commercial vehicles follow special rules that require legal knowledge

Besides ordinary rules of the road, there are laws from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) that freight companies and truck drivers should obey. For instance, the agency requires truckers to take specific amounts of rest per shift to prevent driving fatigue, and trucking companies are required to routinely inspect and maintain their fleet. These trucking-specific rules often factor into the investigation of a truck wreck.

Trucking businesses already have much of the evidence

When a commercial truck is involved in a collision, you can expect the trucking company to quickly start assembling their defense against potential liability claims. They are ahead in this area because they already possess records that could be vital in the case. To name some, they have driver drug test results, hours-of-service logs, truck inspection and maintenance records, accident history records, and the truck itself.

If you want an effective truck collision claim, get the help of an experienced lawyer who knows what evidence to look for and where. This is why real-life experience is a crucial quality to look for in a truck accident attorney.

Commercial transport 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 might have hired unqualified drivers, failed to maintain their truck, or violated hours-of-service rules. In such a case, the injured claimant may seek compensation from the negligent company, as well as from other involved parties whose negligence caused the crash.

Unfortunately, well-resourced companies are able to defend themselves from liability, such as by insisting that the at-fault trucker was not an employee of the company but an independent contractor. Big companies like FedEx and Amazon have attempted to use this defense. Accident victims who need to recover financially should reach out to a fearless attorney who can advocate for you and fight for maximum compensation.

The comparative negligence rule in Florida can reduce compensation

When it comes to personal injury in Florida, the comparative negligence law looks at all parties who were negligent in the accident. If the claimant is found to have been negligent as well, they will’ve been held partially responsible for their own injuries so the compensation they’re entitled to will’ve been reduced depending on their percentage of fault. For example, if the claimant was 10 percent at fault, it means a 10 percent reduction of their award.

Defense lawyers and insurance companies can take advantage of this rule to decrease the settlement in a personal injury claim. They may try to find a way to blame the claimant, for example, by saying that the claimant was following the truck too close or refused to yield the right of way. In your third-party injury claim against a negligent truck driver or company, take steps to protect your claim with the guidance an experienced truck accident attorney.

Call Philip DeBerard, Injury Attorney in Indian River County Today

With over three decades of experience, the Philip DeBerard law firm has become a known ally of injured Floridians, especially in the Treasure Coast. Our team has obtained favorable settlements and jury awards for our clients, including a recent $2 million settlement from a semi-trailer insurance company and a $1.25 million settlement from a trucking company.

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