West Palm Beach Truck Accident Lawyers Fight for Fair Compensation for Big Rig Injury Victims

Truck accidents can easily be cited as some of the deadliest road-related incidents. Smaller passenger vehicles are no match for large trucks, due to their massive size and weight. Being involved in a truck accident can mean weeks, months, or even years of recovery time for accident victims. Even if an individual only sustains minor injuries, the frightening experience could leave them with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other anxiety-related issues.

RTRLAW is dedicated to assisting truck accident victims recover the most compensation possible for their injuries, lost time at work, and pain and suffering. Our truck accident lawyers realize that no amount of compensation can restore you to the time before the accident. However, you shouldn’t have to suffer financially after what you experienced. The only way to hold the liable parties responsible for their actions is to pursue financial compensation from the truck’s insurance company or through the courts.

Contact RTRLAW in West Palm Beach at (561) 331-6920 or call our toll-free number, 1-833-HIRE-RTR (833-447-3787), for a FREE, no-obligation case review and to find out how we can pursue justice for you and recover compensation for your injuries.

Why Do Truck Accidents Occur?

Truck accidents can occur for any number of reasons. However, the most common cause of truck wrecks comes down to driver error. A truck driver is responsible for using extreme caution when operating a big rig or other commercial vehicle. However, truck drivers often do not obey all federal safety regulations, and as a result, accidents occur.

One of the most preventable causes of truck accidents is driver fatigue. It’s not uncommon for drivers to operate their vehicles past the allowable time granted to them in their Hours of Service (HOS), typically set at 12 hours for a 24-hour period. However, many trucking companies push their drivers to deliver on time or before time, so they can go on to the load. Driving while fatigued is one of the most dangerous threats to other drivers on the road and can lead to fatal accidents.

Some other commonly cited reasons for truck accidents include:

• Distracted driving
• Improper loading of cargo
• Adverse weather conditions
• Improper maintenance
• Manufacturing defects
• Worn out tires
• Speeding/reckless driving
• Failure to obey traffic laws
• Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Vehicles traveling in the truck’s blind spot

If you’ve been injured in a truck wreck, contact the truck accident attorneys of RTRLAW for a free case review to find out how we may be able to help you.

What Are the Most Common Types of Injuries Sustained in a Commercial Vehicle Accident?

Some of the most severe injuries that motorists can sustain result from truck accidents. Due to the weight of a fully loaded 18-wheeler, it takes approximately the length of a football field for the vehicle to stop completely when driving at speed. Due to the high speed limits on interstate highways, this distance could be even greater depending on the circumstances involved.

Some of the most frequently reported injuries experienced by truck accident victims include

• Head and brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Back and neck injuries
• Amputations
• Burns
• Facial cuts and lacerations
• Broken bones
• Wrongful death
• Whiplash

All these injuries can lead to significant medical expenses that can quickly create financial hardship for drivers and their families. RTRLAW is passionately committed to seeking justice for our clients and holding the negligent parties responsible for their actions.

Can I Recover Financial Compensation to Pay For Medical Bills?

One of the first questions many new clients ask is if they can recover financial compensation to help them pay their medical bills. Even with health insurance coverage, many accident victims and their families quickly find themselves in debt, trying to pay the stack of bills that are quickly piling up.

If you’ve been injured in a truck accident in Florida, you may be able to recover economic and non-economic damages, often referred to as compensatory damages, through a personal injury claim.

What Are Economic Damages?

Economic damages are awarded in accident lawsuits to reimburse accident victims for the money they have had to pay out as a result of being injured. If you’ve been in an accident, it’s essential that you keep track of your expenses so you can be appropriately compensated should you win your personal injury claim.

Some of the most commonly awarded economic damages include:

• Past and future medical bills
• Lost wages
• Loss of earning capacity

Sadly, many truck accident victims suffer catastrophic or permanent injuries, such as spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Catastrophic injuries typically require specialized medical care such as ongoing physical therapy or rehabilitation, which may be necessary for the rest of the victims’ lives. The West Palm Beach personal injury attorneys of RTRLAW have the capability to evaluate your case and calculate the amount needed to adequately provide for your current and future needs.

What Are Non-Economic Damages?

Non-economic damages are granted to injury victims to compensate them for intangible losses they have suffered due to their accident. Accident victims should understand that non-economic damages are based on the unique facts and circumstances surrounding their cases and amounts may vary widely.

Some of the most frequently awarded non-economic damages include:

• Pain and suffering
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Emotional distress

Florida personal injury law dictates that injury victims may only collect pain and suffering damages if the “injury threshold” is met, which means the accident victim is only eligible if one or more of the following conditions exists:

• Fundamental loss of ability to perform a necessary bodily function.
• Permanent injury or intensification of a pre-existing condition.
• Permanent disfigurement and scarring.

What Are Punitive Damages?

Punitive damages are unlike compensatory damages, as they are not meant to restore the victim to the state they were in prior to the crash. Instead, they’re intended to punish the liable party for wrongdoing and warn others not to repeat the same type of negligent behavior.

It’s rare for an accident victim to recover punitive damages in Florida. However, in truck accident cases, if it can be proven the truck driver is guilty of gross negligence, meaning they knowingly acted in a reckless or wanton manner with no regard for the safety of others, the court may award punitive damages.

Some examples of gross negligence include:

• A truck driver with a prior history of DUI convictions who causes an accident while impaired by drugs or alcohol while operating their commercial vehicle;
• A driver who falsifies their HOS in their logbook and causes an accident due to driving while fatigued.

If RTRLAW takes your case, our legal team will thoroughly investigate and evaluate your claim and determine the amount and types of damages that are appropriate for your case.

What Makes RTRLAW the Best Choice to Handle My Truck Accident Case?

Many truck drivers are employed by large national trucking companies with teams of lawyers whose only job is finding ways to undervalue or deny your claim. The main reason behind this type of behavior is that trucking companies repeatedly face a slew of lawsuits annually from accidents in which their drivers have been involved. The more accidents and claims a company experiences, the higher the company’s insurance rates, which affect its bottom line. So, the trucking company’s attorneys often do everything they can to reduce their degree of liability to avoid paying out large claims.

RTRLAW’s truck accident attorneys in West Palm Beach are familiar with this type of legal maneuvering and are committed to fighting for your rights and getting you the most compensation possible for your injuries. For this reason, we will stand by your side throughout the entire legal process and help you get the peace of mind you rightly deserve.

If you have any further questions, please contact RTRLAW’s well-qualified truck accident lawyers at (561)331-6920 or toll free at 1-833-HIRE-RTR, (833-447-3787) for a free, no-obligation case review.