Tampa Truck Accident Lawyers
If you were hurt in a truck accident, you might be dealing with painful injuries, expensive medical bills, lost income, and unfair insurance companies. A Tampa truck accident lawyer at Farah & Farah can help you fight for the compensation you need to get your life back on track. Schedule your free consultation with our Tampa attorneys today.
Tampa is a vibrant metropolitan area, and its high population means a lot of trucks drive in and out of the city every day. It’s impossible not to encounter big rigs or 18-wheeler trucks while driving on the I-75, I-4, or I-275. Unfortunately, heavy trucks on busy Tampa streets can increase the risk of crashes.
If you or a loved one has suffered an injury in a car accident or truck accident, the Tampa truck accident lawyers at Farah & Farah can help you pursue justice. We’ll fight for compensation when unfair insurance companies try to pay less than your claim is worth. Let us go to work for you and your family. Call us at (813) 358-0490 to schedule a free case evaluation today.
Why You’ll Want To Call Farah & Farah’s Award-Winning Litigators
You have the power to level the playing field by hiring an experienced Tampa personal injury lawyer to represent you after your truck accident.
Here are some compelling reasons to turn to Farah & Farah for the legal help you need:
- Our family-centered law firm has fought for Florida accident victims and their families since our founding in 1979.
- We’ve established a proven track record of life-changing results in truck accident cases, including a $3.4 million truck accident verdict and a $2 million tractor-trailer accident verdict, among many others.
- Members of our respected legal team have been recognized as Top 100 Trial Lawyers by the National Trial Lawyers.
- Our commitment to Tampa reaches far beyond our legal services—we’re active participants in the local community.
- There’s no cost to hire our Tampa truck accident attorneys unless you recover compensation.
- Here is what our clients have to say about working with our team of injury lawyers.
When you choose Farah & Farah, you’ll work with attorneys who genuinely care about you and your future. You’ll get the service, compassion, and family atmosphere typically associated with small firms while benefiting from the resources needed to match powerful corporations and insurers. Additionally, our focus on teamwork means you have our entire team of attorneys and staff to bolster your case.
How Our Tampa Truck Accident Lawyers Will Help You Maximize Your Recovery
You’ll need to rest and heal from your catastrophic truck accident injuries. Give yourself that much-needed recovery time by trusting our big truck lawyers in Tampa with your case. We will work to maximize your compensation while minimizing your stress and aggravation.
You’ll benefit from comprehensive and caring legal representation as we take the following steps:
- Help you secure and negotiate for the necessary medical treatment.
- Get you a rental car while your vehicle is being repaired or replaced.
- Conduct a thorough investigation into your semi truck accident.
- Review the truck’s Electronic Logging Device to determine if the truck driver exceeded hours of service regulations set by the Federal Motor Service Carrier Safety Administration.
- Analyze medical records, accident reports, results of government investigations, property damage, photographs, dash cam footage, black box data, toxicology reports, and other evidence.
- Anticipate and defend against allegations of shared responsibility for the accident.
- Handle the paperwork and court filings on your behalf.
- Actively work toward securing a top-dollar payout during settlement negotiations.
- Try your case if the trucking company or its insurer refuses to offer a fair settlement.
Our Thorough Truck Accident Investigation Can Protect Your Claim
If law enforcement or the trucking company blames you for the accident, we will use the evidence we gather during our investigation to prove the accident wasn’t your fault. During the accident investigation, we will interview witnesses, download the black box data, and analyze all vehicle components to identify defects. We are so committed to uncovering the truth that we have even purchased wrecked vehicles to allow us to continue ongoing investigations.
The police report cannot be used against you as evidence of fault if your case goes to court. Traffic tickets are also inadmissible as evidence of fault. However, the evidence we uncover is admissible, and we are often successful in overcoming law enforcement’s findings.
“Truck accidents aren’t like car accidents, they're different. These cases are harder to win because trucking companies rush to the scene to protect their interests. You need someone to protect you. Our lawyers specialize in truck accidents. We know the federal trucking regulations and we can gather the evidence needed to hold them accountable like log books and safety inspections. Our knowledge and experience could make all the difference.”
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Most Common Types of Trucking Accidents in Tampa
At Farah & Farah, we’ve fiercely advocated for truck accident victims and their families in Tampa and throughout Florida for over 40 years. We represent clients who have sustained injuries or lost family members to different types of truck accidents, including:
Rollover & Jackknife Accidents
Rollover and jackknife truck accidents often happen when the truck’s trailer becomes out of alignment with the cab. As the trailer slides or sways to the side, the truck jackknifes and can roll over or collide with other vehicles on the road.
Given the sheer weight and size of big trucks, head-on and rear-end collisions with them can cause serious damage and severe injuries, leaving victims who survive with permanent impairments.
Underride accidents
Underride accidents happen when the truck’s guard bar fails and a car or smaller vehicle slides underneath the trailer. Such accidents can cause the car’s hood to crumple into the car where the driver and passengers sit.
Tampa Truck Accident Laws and Statistics
According to the latest data from Florida’s Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Florida reported more than 38,000 accidents involving heavy trucks over 10,000 pounds in 2021.
Unfortunately, some of these accidents resulted in incapacitating injuries and fatalities. There were 28 crashes in which the truck drivers died and two accidents that killed truck passengers that year. There were also more than 1,500 truck accidents that caused mild to severe injuries to victims.
Note that these numbers only look at the impacts on the truck drivers and passengers, not the effects on other motorists involved in these accidents. However, the National Safety Council reported there were 373 fatalities from large truck crashes in 2021.
Under Florida law, commercial vehicles operating in the state must carry insurance. The minimum levels of liability insurance that Florida requires include the following:
- $50,000 per accident for any commercial vehicle weighing between 26,000 and 35,000 pounds
- $100,000 per accident for commercial motor vehicles weighing between 35,000 and 44,000 pounds
- $300,000 per accident for commercial vehicles weighing more than 44,000 pounds
If you were hurt by a commercial truck in Florida, a big truck attorney knows the tactics the insurance companies use to minimize damages or unfairly deny claims. Experience matters when it comes to complex truck crash claims in Tampa. Put our decades of experience to work for you.
"Truck companies may think they can get away with a small settlement after an accident, but at Farah & Farah, our team isn’t afraid to go toe-to-toe with them. Put our big truck experience to work for you."
Who Is Liable for My Tampa Truck Accident?
Most truck accident cases result from negligence. Negligence refers to a party’s failure to exercise reasonable care, which causes an avoidable injury or death. Under Florida law, anyone whose negligence contributed to the crash may be liable for your truck accident.
Depending on the specific facts of your Tampa truck accident case, potentially liable parties could include the following:
- Truck driver
- Another motorist, such as a passenger vehicle driver or motorcyclist
- Trucking company
- Transit company
- Freight loader
- Freight broker
- Truck mechanic
- Truck manufacturer
- Owner of the hauled freight
- Government agency
Our truck accident attorneys in Florida will carefully evaluate the details of your crash to determine why it happened and who’s at fault. Once liability is clear, we’ll seek maximum compensation from anyone who caused you to get hurt.
Damages Available in Truck Accident Cases in Tampa
Victims can typically recover compensatory damages after a truck accident in Tampa, Florida. Compensatory damages include both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages offset the financial burdens and losses associated with your truck accident, while non-economic damages compensate for the traumatic and unexpected life changes you experience as a truck accident victim.
Your recovery can potentially include compensation for the following:
- Property damage
- Lost wages
- Rehabilitation
- Physical therapy
- Disability
- Amounts paid for medical care
- Costs related to reasonably necessary medical treatment in the future
- Disfigurement
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Inconvenience
- Reduced quality of life
- Loss of consortium or loss of the benefits of a family relationship
- Funeral expenses
Punitive damages can also be awarded if your truck accident lawsuit goes to trial and a judge or jury finds clear and convincing evidence of intentional misconduct or gross negligence.
The Florida Tort Reform Act and Medical Damages
The Florida Tort Reform Act, also known as House Bill 837, recently created a new standard regarding proof for medical damages, including treatments for injuries and the cost of future medical care. Under this law, the actual costs of medical care are admissible as evidence. Previously, the defendant could not present evidence of the amount actually paid by insurance. This change could affect how much you can claim in medical damages after a truck accident.
The trucking company will work hard to downplay your injuries and limit your financial payout. Our attorneys won’t let them. Our team has specific experience dealing with trucking and insurance companies and the know-how to fight back.
We will take our time and evaluate every detail related to your case. Our goal is to fully reveal the scope and impact of your truck accident. How does it affect you today? How will it affect you in the future? We’ll get those answers and use them as leverage to pursue a fair settlement.
What Factors Can Affect My Truck Accident Settlement?
When it’s time to calculate what your truck accident case is worth, many factors come into play. We’ll need to answer the following questions:
- What types of injuries have you sustained?
- Are your injuries permanent?
- Will you be permanently disabled?
- How has your ability to work changed since the truck accident?
- What are your out-of-pocket costs?
- Did your own negligence contribute to the semi-truck accident?
- How old were you at the time of the accident?
- How has the truck accident changed your life?
You can increase the odds of a meaningful recovery by hiring our top-rated big truck attorneys to represent you. Our Tampa lawyers have helped thousands of clients injured in accidents, and now, we’re ready to fight for you.
How Long Will I Have To File a Tampa Truck Accident Lawsuit?
After the passage of the Florida Tort Reform Act in March 2023, the statute of limitations for most truck accident lawsuits in Florida is two years from the date of the accident or the date you discovered your injuries. If you don’t file a legal claim for damages by that deadline, you risk losing valuable compensation.
Protect yourself by contacting our Tampa truck accident lawyers as soon as possible after your crash.
Can I Recover Compensation If I’m Partly to Blame?
Under Florida’s modified comparative negligence rule, you can recover compensation from a third party if you don’t bear the majority of the fault for a truck accident. You’re entitled to a reduced financial award if you’re not more than 50 percent to blame. Damages are reduced proportionately based on your share of the fault.
For example, let’s say you’re 30 percent at fault for a big rig crash in Tampa. Your personal injury case is valued at $100,000. You’ll be entitled to a maximum settlement or jury award of $70,000 because of the percentage of fault you carry.
At Farah & Farah, we’ll be ready for allegations of shared fault. Our attorneys are committed to proving you were not more than 50 percent to blame for the accident, and we will work hard to minimize all claims of fault to protect your recovery.
What Causes Most Tampa Truck Accidents?
Because Tampa is a larger city with multiple highways running through the area, there is a high number of large trucks passing through, which increases the risk of truck accidents.
While several factors can contribute to a truck accident, the most common causes of truck crashes include:
- Negligent hiring
- Violations of hours of service regulations
- Violations of other state and federally-mandated safety rules
- Failing to regularly inspect large trucks
- Failing to pull defective or malfunctioning trucks from service
- Speeding
- Distracted driving
- Drug and alcohol use
- Illegal turns
- Unsafe passing
- Braking errors
- Driving in a truck’s blind spots
- Vehicle defects
- Road defects
- Bad weather
- Limited visibility
When you turn to Farah & Farah for help, you can trust that we’ll dig deep and get to the bottom of how and why your truck accident happened.
How Long Does It Take To Get a Truck Accident Settlement?
There’s no set timeframe for truck accident settlements. It depends on numerous factors, such as:
- Is the trucking company willing to accept responsibility?
- Is the insurer willing to negotiate?
- Is liability clear-cut or contested?
- How long will it take for you to reach maximum medical improvement?
You’ll probably need a settlement check as soon as possible to help cover the mounting costs of your accident. However, it’s important to understand that once you agree to settle, you waive the right to future compensation. So, if you accept a deal for less than your case is worth, you’ll be responsible for any future costs that arise.
Hiring an experienced big truck attorney to represent you can help to accelerate the claims process. If the insurance company knows you’re willing to go to trial, they may be more inclined to take your case seriously and offer a fair settlement.
Call Our Trusted Tampa Truck Accident Lawyers for Help
At Farah & Farah, our Tampa semi truck accident lawyers are committed to helping those injured in truck crashes. With compassion and expertise, we are ready to fight for the results that you deserve.
Call (813) 358-0490 today or contact us online for your free, no-obligation case review.
Why You’ll Want To Call Farah & Farah’s Award-Winning Litigators
How Our Tampa Truck Accident Lawyers Will Help You Maximize Your Recovery
Most Common Types of Trucking Accidents in Tampa
Tampa Truck Accident Laws and Statistics
Who Is Liable for My Tampa Truck Accident?
Damages Available in Truck Accident Cases in Tampa
How Long Will I Have To File a Tampa Truck Accident Lawsuit?
Can I Recover Compensation If I’m Partly to Blame?
What Causes Most Tampa Truck Accidents?
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