Truck Accident Lawyer in Ormond Beach, FL
Have you been hurt in an accident caused by a commercial truck in Ormond Beach, Florida? Was a truck driver or someone else to blame? You shouldn’t have to shoulder the financial consequences of another driver’s mistake. Let a truck accident lawyer with Chiumento Law deal with the trucking company and insurance companies and pursue compensation for your medical treatment, vehicle repairs, lost income, and pain and suffering.
Our truck accident lawyers are proud to have advocated for the rights of victims and their family members in Ormond Beach and Volusia County since 1973. We’re ready to put our 50 years of experience with personal injury cases to work for you. Contact Chiumento Law for a free initial case evaluation. Learn how an experienced truck accident lawyer from our law firm can help you demand accountability and fair compensation for your expenses and losses.
How Chiumento Law Can Help After a Truck Accident
Recovering from severe injuries sustained in a truck accident can be a long process. You may need extensive medical treatment and rehabilitation. The medical expenses can add up quickly. You should not be responsible for the medical bills if a truck driver or trucking company is at fault. While you focus on healing, let a truck accident attorney at Chiumento Law fight for justice for you. We can take the following steps:
- Investigate the truck crash and gather evidence of negligence to build your case
- Identify potentially liable parties and applicable insurance coverage
- Document your injuries and calculate your future losses
- Negotiate with the insurer representing the truck company on your behalf
- File a truck accident lawsuit and advocate for you in court if the insurer won’t agree to a fair settlement
What To Do After a Truck Accident in Ormond Beach
There are certain steps you can take after a truck accident to position yourself to pursue a financial recovery.
- Seek medical attention. Follow your doctor’s treatment plan and recovery instructions. Attend all follow-up appointments. Delaying treatment or skipping follow-up appointments might give the insurance company an excuse to dispute your injury claim.
- Request a copy of the police accident report if law enforcement responded to the crash scene. Notify your auto insurance company about the accident to ensure your eligibility for personal injury protection coverage and other applicable coverages in your insurance policy.
- Keep all bills, invoices, and receipts of expenses you incur due to the accident, such as vehicle repairs and medical treatments. Gather copies of your pay stubs or income statements if you miss time from work or earn less in a part-time or light-duty position.
- Contact a commercial truck accident lawyer for a free consultation to review the details of the truck accident and evaluate whether you have a valid truck accident case.
Recovering Damages Following a Truck Accident
If someone else caused the truck accident that injured you, the at-fault party should be financially responsible for the harm you sustained. Let an Ormond Beach truck accident lawyer with Chiumento Law fight for maximum compensation for your:
- Medical treatment and rehabilitation
- Long-term home health care and personal assistance related to your significant injuries
- Ongoing and future losses of income and job benefits if permanent disabilities interfere with your ability to work
- Physical pain and suffering
- Non-economic damages such as emotional distress and loss of enjoyment of life
Who Is Liable for a Truck Accident?
The trucking industry is made up of many different individuals and businesses, any of whom may bear liability if their negligent actions contributed to a truck accident. These include:
- The truck driver
- The trucking company
- The trailer owner
- The shipping company if the trailer was not loaded properly
- Third-party mechanics who service the truck/trailer for the trucking company
- The truck manufacturer
- Third-party manufacturers of parts used on the truck or trailer
Proving Negligence in a Truck Accident Case
To prove negligence in crashes involving semi-trucks or other trucking accidents and who may bear financial responsibility requires collecting evidence. Some of the evidence could be held by the trucking companies, such as the truck’s event data recorder (“black box”), maintenance records, a cargo manifest, and in-cab video footage.
An interstate truck driver with a commercial driver’s license is required by federal law to keep records, including hours-of-service logs, which record the time the driver spent behind the wheel.
Other useful evidence in truck accident cases include:
- Results of any post-crash drug or alcohol tests performed on the truck driver
- The truck driver’s cell phone logs
- Surveillance camera or dashcam footage
- Police accident reports
- Post-accident vehicle inspections
- Eyewitness testimony
- Accident scene photos and videos
- Accident reconstruction expert reports and testimony
Causes of Semi-Truck Accidents
Many truck accidents occur due to truck driver negligence or reckless actions on the part of other passenger vehicles. Accidents involving large trucks may have several at-fault parties who are partially responsible. Some of the common causes of semi-truck accidents include:
- Speeding or traveling too fast for conditions
- Tailgating
- Turning or changing lanes without signaling or checking mirrors
- Improper wide turns
- Improper braking
- Reckless driving
- Speeding
- Swerving in and out of traffic
- Drowsy/fatigued driving
- Distracted driving
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Running red lights
- Disregarding traffic controls
Other violations of traffic laws or federal laws
- Truck driver inexperience
- Unsafe cargo loads, including excessive cargo weight, unbalanced cargo, or unsecured items
- Inadequate truck maintenance
Common Truck Accident Injuries
Due to their size and weight, commercial trucks impart a violent force upon impact with an automobile or other passenger vehicle, causing serious injuries or life-altering injuries. In truck accidents, passenger vehicle drivers typically bear the brunt of the injuries, such as the following:
- Lacerations, abrasions, or degloving injuries
- Broken bones
- Dislocated joints
- Ligament sprains and tears
- Muscle/tendon strains and tears
- Herniated spinal disc injury
- Whiplash
- Nerve damage
- Internal injuries and bleeding
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Head injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Burns
- Amputation of a limb
Contact Our Ormond Beach Truck Accident Lawyers
Have you been hurt in an Ormond Beach truck accident someone else caused? If so, you might have a right to seek substantial compensation for the medical bills, lost wages, vehicle damage, and other financial losses you’ve incurred after a truck crash. To demand full compensation, you’ll need the advocacy of an experienced Ormond Beach truck accident lawyer. Don’t make the mistake of pursuing a truck accident claim without a trusted personal injury law firm to guide you through the legal process.
Call Chiumento Law, PLLC today at (386) 445-8900 or contact us online for a free consultation with an Ormond Beach personal injury lawyer. Our truck accident attorneys are available to discuss your options for seeking a financial recovery and whether you are eligible to pursue a personal injury lawsuit.