Farrow & Pulice P.A.

Would You Be Held Accountable in a Trucking Accident?

On the highways, accidents involving semi-trucks are very common, causing thousands of injuries every year. These collisions can be caused by a number of parties, including:

• Truck driver. The truck driver himself can be responsible for the accident, for one of several reasons. He may have made an error or failed to notice a change in traffic. Too often, though, truck drivers cause accidents because they are tired or under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Drivers often push themselves to drive longer than they should or take drugs to stay awake. This makes them dangerous on the road.
• Trucking company. If the driver’s employer encouraged unsafe or illegal practices that contributed to the accident, they may be at fault. For example, if a company convinces drivers to drive longer than they should or carry larger loads than they should, they are responsible for accidents that result.
• Maintenance company. Semi-trucks are large and complex machines that require regular maintenance. Failure to perform correct maintenance can lead to accidents from causes like brake failure.
• Manufacturer of the truck. In some cases, good maintenance isn’t enough; if there is a defect in the truck itself, like faulty parts or poor-quality materials, it will break down under even the best circumstances.
• Other drivers. Other motorists often do not know how to drive safely around semi-trucks. These large trucks have huge blind spots and cannot always spot other cars. Additionally, car drivers don’t always realize how long it takes a semi-truck to come to a complete stop and may drive too close. In these cases, though a semi-truck may do the bulk of the damage in an accident, the other driver is ultimately responsible.

Semi-truck accidents can lead to serious injury and sometimes even death. If you or someone you love have been affected by one of these dangerous collisions, call (941) 924-0993 to reach the personal injury attorneys at Farrow & Pulice P.A. to discuss filing a lawsuit to recover compensation for your injuries.

Different Types of Damages that Can Be Claimed in Personal Injury Lawsuits

Personal injury lawsuits strive to obtain financial compensation, also called damages, for the plaintiff in order to make up for the injuries and other effects he suffered from his accident. Three types of damages are available: economic, non-economic, and punitive.

Economic
Economic damages compensate for costs that can be objectively expressed in financial terms. This can include medical bills, lost wages after the accident, or the cost of hiring someone to help around the house. In addition to what you have already paid, you can also receive compensation for future costs. If you will require continuing medical treatment, you can receive damages to pay for it. If you will be unable to work, or unable to work as much as you could before your injury, you can also receive damages to compensate for this. Plaintiffs will usually receive full compensation for these losses, even if that requires very large awards.

Non-Economic
Non-economic damages compensate for subjective losses that cannot be verified in monetary terms, like pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, disfigurement, loss of companionship, and other factors that affect quality of life. In some states, awards for non-economic losses are capped, usually at less than one million dollars, in an effort to prevent plaintiffs from becoming wealthy from these awards. This idea of tort reform is controversial, and not all states have adopted it.

Punitive
As opposed to economic and non-economic losses, which are meant to compensate a plaintiff for his losses, punitive damages are intended to punish the defendant for particularly egregious negligence. These damages are not awarded in every case, but they are common in claims against corporations or institutions, where they are intended to act as a deterrent against companies acting similarly in the future.

If you’ve been injured or been in an accident, you deserve compensation for all the ways your life has been altered. To discuss the damages you may be eligible to receive, call (941) 924-0993 to speak to a personal injury attorney at Farrow & Pulice P.A. today.

To Learn More About Florida Auto Accident Injury Laws, Follow These Links

Deciding what to do after an auto accident can be confusing and difficult. At Farrow & Pulice P.A., we offer free legal consultations with top-notch personal injury lawyers at any of our six Sarasota-area locations. Call us today at (941) 924-0993 to set up an appointment.

• Learn more about the legal theory behind establishing liability, including negligence, in an auto accident from Harvard’s law website.
• For a complete document on Florida’s no-fault law published for the Florida Senate by the Committee on Banking and Insurance, visit this webpage.
• Visit Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles’ helpful questions and answers page to understand more about the no-fault motor vehicle law.
• Take a look at this Bankrate article for help understanding no-fault insurance.

What's Involved in a Personal Injury Trial?

If you are entering a personal injury lawsuit, you may not know what to expect during the process. Your accident attorney will give you all the information, tips, and advice you need for success in being fairly compensated.

This short video from LawInfo.com offers an overview of what to expect from the moment you decide to file a lawsuit. While your personal injury attorney will help every step of the way, it’s important to understand the process of filing a lawsuit and reaching a settlement.

At Farrow & Pulice P.A., our attorneys offer free consultations and expert guidance through every step of an auto accident injury case. Call us at (941) 924-0993 to set up an appointment at one of our six Sarasota-area locations.