Item: Flaxman Law Group
Rating: 5
Author: Clara Barman

Finding the Right Attorney After Your Florida Truck Accident

Published on: October 8, 2010 | By Flaxman Law Group

If you have been in a Florida car accident involving a truck, you will likely need a good Florida personal injury attorney. Most Florida truck accidents result in serious injuries, property damage, and complex legal and liability issues. A good attorney can safeguard your rights and can ensure that as much of your injuries and damages are covered as possible. However, how can you find the right attorney for you?

The first step is to find a Florida personal injury attorney who handles Florida truck accidents. Then, you will want to contact the attorney for an initial meeting. Many good attorneys offer an initial no-cost and no-obligation consultation. This initial meeting is your chance to ask questions and to decide whether a specific attorney is right for you. Among the things you will want to find out are:

1) Experience. Look for an attorney who has years of experience in Florida truck accident cases as well as trial experience. An attorney with extensive experience with insurance companies can also be very useful in helping you to negotiate with insurance providers. Look for someone who has handled many cases and has also won many cases.

2) Specialty. Ask a potential attorney about the types of cases they have worked on and the similarities between those cases and yours. Be aware that your case may overlap several practice areas. For example, if you have sustained a Florida spinal cord injury and head injury in a truck accident, look for an attorney who has handled spinal cord injury cases, brain injury cases and truck accident cases.

3) Professional standing. Look for a Florida personal injury attorney who has good standing with the bar association, a good education from a recognized law school, and a good reputation. Also, ask for – and check – references. A good attorney will be able to let you speak to references who can attest to the attorney’s professionalism and helpfulness. Be wary of attorneys who promise results as well – good attorneys know that there is no such thing as a guaranteed win or claim.

4) Price. Many Florida personal injury attorneys work on a contingency basis, meaning that they will not be paid until and unless you recover for your claim. However, you will want to ask whether your attorney works on a contingency basis and you will want to ask about fees to ensure that the fees seem reasonable to you.

Continue reading →

What Can You Recover After a Florida Truck Accident?

Published on: October 6, 2010 | By Flaxman Law Group

If you have been in a Florida car accident involving a truck, you may have lost income and you may face medical bills. An insurance provider may offer you a claim, but how can you be sure whether that amount will cover all the costs of your injury? In most cases, it is difficult to be sure – unless you speak with a qualified Florida personal injury attorney. A good attorney will take several things into consideration when evaluating your claim:

1) Medical costs. In most Florida truck accidents, medical bills will be a major expense that you will need to recover. You will need to consider the costs of hospital treatment, doctor’s visits, emergency room bills, chiropractic treatment costs, physical therapy expenses, medication costs resulting from your injury, and the cost of any medical devices (such as crutches or accessibility ramps) that you need as a result of your injury. If you have sustained a Florida burn injury in the accident, for example, you may also need reconstructive surgery as well as other treatments. All of these must be considered to get an accurate assessment of your total medical costs.

2) Future and ongoing medical expenses. If you will likely need future medical expenses and treatments due to your injury, you will need to consider these in your claim. Usually, a medical specialist or doctor can advise you of future costs. For example, Florida spinal cord injury patients may need nursing care, wheelchairs, and replacement medical devices for the rest of their lives. Insurance companies are often unwilling to consider these expenses in an initial claim and this is something that a good Florida personal injury attorney will pursue and negotiate.

3) Lost wages. If you have been in a Florida truck accident, you will likely have to lose at least some work and therefore some wages. You may lose work while you are in the hospital and while you recover. You may also lose work due to return doctor’s visits and ongoing care. If you have sustained a long-term or permanent injury, you can also recover money for the loss of earning capacity.

4) Pain and suffering. In a personal injury claim, juries will consider long-term and severe pain and may award damages based on the amount of pain a plaintiff suffers. If a plaintiff has suffered depression or mental anguish as a result of the injury, he or she may also be awarded an amount based on mental anguish.

5) Property damage. A Florida truck accident usually results in plenty of property damage as well as physical damage. If your car or other personal property was destroyed in the accident, an attorney will usually make a claim to recover these costs as well. If there were valuables in the car – such as laptops or digital cameras – you may be able to recover these values as well.

Continue reading →

What A Florida Personal Injury Attorney Does for You After a Florida Trucking Accident

Published on: October 4, 2010 | By Flaxman Law Group

If you have been in a Florida car accident involving a truck, you may wish to consider working with a Florida personal injury attorney, especially if your loss of income or injury costs will be larger than your insurance deducible. Your Florida personal injury attorney can help you in many ways after your accident:

1) An attorney can help you examine your situation. A qualified attorney can assess the extent of your damages and injuries as well as the costs involved. Even a non-permanent injury can cost you thousands of out-of-pocket expenses over a period of months, as you visit the doctor for follow-up visits. A good attorney can help you understand the true costs of the accident and can help you examine the legal issues surrounding your case. A good attorney often knows what the insurance company won’t tell you and can advise you.

2) An attorney can secure additional evidence after your Florida trucking accident. A good attorney works with private investigators and also knows what to look for in medical records or police reports in order to bolster your case. He or she can help you understand what has happened in your accident and can help find whether anyone is liable in your accident.

3) A good attorney can negotiate on your behalf. Insurance providers often hire highly trained attorneys and negotiators to offer you low claim amounts. An attorney works on your behalf and ensures that your interests are protected.

4) A good attorney can offer legal coaching in your case. Even if you decide to negotiate or represent yourself in your case, an attorney can still offer you coaching by proving you with information about your legal case and can help you with every aspect of your case.

5) A qualified attorney can represent you in court if you decide to file a lawsuit. A good attorney with trial experience knows how to address a jury or judge in order to present your case in the strongest manner possible.

Continue reading →

Thank Safe Truckers This Week for Working to Prevent Florida Trucking Accidents

Published on: September 24, 2010 | By Flaxman Law Group

This week is National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, organized in part by the American Trucking Association (ATA). This is a good week to appreciate the safe truckers on our roads – the truck drivers who work to help prevent Florida car accidents and truck accidents by driving safely and responsibly. Events have been held by trucking associations in every state to mark the week.

In celebration of National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, the ATA has released some fascinating facts and statistics about our nation’s truckers:

1) In America, there are over 3.4 million professional truckers at work, driving more than 431 billion miles on our streets.

2) In 2008, truck drivers delivered 68.8% of the total US freight, which is about 10.2 billion tons of freight.

3) The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that trucking accidents have decreased by 20% between 2008 and 2009 and fatal truck accidents are at an all-time low after declining four years in a row. While Florida trucking accident rates do tend to be higher than the national average in some years, the overall downward trend is certainly good news.

4) Fatality rates for truck occupants decreased 26% in 2009. New laws may be helping, according to some industry experts. Since 2004, when Hours of Service regulations were introduced, the overall fatalities in truck-related accidents has decreased 33%.

5) Truck drivers drive long distances. Regional truck drivers drive 48, 000 miles per year and long haul drivers drive an average of 100, 000 to 110, 000 miles per year.

Continue reading →

Florida Trucking Accident Facts

Published on: September 20, 2010 | By Flaxman Law Group

Public consumer groups dedicated to making our streets safer often speak out against Florida car accidents involving trucks. Advocacy groups, often organized by families of people who have lost their lives to Florida truck accidents, point out that large trucks are harder to control, more dangerous when they share the road with much smaller passenger vehicles, and are more difficult to stop suddenly in traffic. According to Road Safe America, an 80,000 pound tractor trailer traveling at 70 miles per hour has a similar impact in a collision as a passenger vehicle traveling at 360 miles an hour.

Across America, over 400, 000 commercial trucks and large trucks are involved in trucking accidents annually. These truck accidents resulted in more than 90, 000 injuries and 4, 200 deaths in 2008 alone. Florida trucking accidents also have a high fatality rate and often result in severe, permanent injuries, such as Florida brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, amputations, and serious burn injuries.

Many people feel very safe beside big trucks on the road because they do not realize the devastation that trucks can cause. Many of the statistics released about truck accidents in Florida and in the US also seem innocuous. For example, only 12% of traffic fatalities are attributed to truck accidents, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. As well, the media has reported in recent years that the number of fatal; truck accidents has dropped somewhat. While this is a positive step forward, other statistics suggest that there is no room for complacency:

Continue reading →

Preventing Back to School Truck Accidents

Published on: September 15, 2010 | By Flaxman Law Group

While many people associate Florida truck accidents with high-speed highway accidents, some tragic Florida pedestrian accidents involve trucks in urban areas – and these accidents often include small children. Pickup trucks, delivery trucks, and other types of trucks which are common in urban areas and residential areas pose a high risk of fatalities and injury to children and minors. These trucks make unexpected stops and often fascinate youngsters.

Waste management trucks, for example, are a common risk to children, because they are prevalent in residential areas and often back up or stop unexpectedly. There are more than 700 such trucks servicing the South Florida area alone and now that the children are in school, these trucks are often in residential areas during the morning rush, when children are preparing for and heading out to school. Waste management truck drivers get training to ensure that they are safe drivers. However, there are many things that parents can do to help prevent this tragic type of Florida trucking accident:

1) Set some rules. Talk to your children about trucks and other vehicles. Especially, make sure that your children know how dangerous it is to approach a waste management truck or climb on it. Emphasize that the truck is dangerous, even when it is parked or stopped. Teach your children to recognize the back-up alarm and lights, which indicate that a truck is backing up.

Continue reading →

Could Our Love Affair With Trucks Be Causing More Florida Truck Accidents?

Published on: September 13, 2010 | By Flaxman Law Group

According to a research study published in Accident Analysis & Prevention journal, our love affair with light trucks may be causing more Florida car accidents and pedestrian accidents – and more traffic accidents nationwide. The research was completed by researchers at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Rowan University.

Researchers at Rowan University used the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), the Pedestrian Crash Data Study (PCDS), and the General Estimates System (GES) to gather information about crash statistics. Researchers compared injuries and accidents involving SUVs (sport utility vehicles), light trucks, pickup trucks, vans, and passenger vehicles.

The researchers concluded that passenger vehicles are shifting. More customers are purchasing vans and lights trucks, rather than the smaller cars which have traditionally made up the bulk of passenger cars. However, vans and light trucks are designed differently. They are more blunt, stiffer, and heavier. Their load is distributed differently. Researchers concluded that these differences make these vehicles more likely to cause serious Florida pedestrian accidents and Florida vehicle rollovers – as well as pedestrian accidents and rollovers across the country.

Continue reading →

Avoiding Florida Truck Accidents When You Own a Small Business

Published on: August 30, 2010 | By Flaxman Law Group

Many small businesses rely on light company trucks or even large trucking companies for business. If you own a small business, you may rely on trucks in order to get your product to customers or in order to have materials delivered to your offices. While trucks can make things convenient for your business, they can also create liability issues. If a truck your company owns causes a Florida pedestrian accident or a Florida trucking accident, the legal ramifications could affect your business. Such an accident can even push your business towards bankruptcy. Even if you work with a trucking company, if a company truck is in an accident while delivering your goods, you could face legal problems as well. That is why it is important to:

1) Carefully consider before getting trucks for your own business. If you want to have a truck for your business, consider who will drive the truck. How will you screen drivers? Can the drivers be trusted to remain safe?

2) If you do decide to get trucks for your business, use a little extra caution. Draw up a list of regulations for your truck drivers and delivery personnel. Insist on a driver’s log and check to make sure that your driver is qualified.

Continue reading →

Dealing with Loss After a Fatal Florida Trucking Accident

Published on: August 27, 2010 | By Flaxman Law Group

A fatal Florida trucking accident is one of the most devastating traffic accidents possible. The injuries and damages in such an accident are often catastrophic and the outcome can affect the rest of your life. If you have lost a loved one in a fatal Florida car accident involving a truck, there are several things you will want to do in order to deal with your loss:

1) Get the best medical care possible. If you are a survivor of the accident or if another family member has survived the accident, you will want to secure the best medical care possible. This may mean negotiating with your insurance carrier to ensure that all medical costs and long-term care costs are covered.

2) Get answers. Often, after a fatal Florida trucking accident, you will have many answers about how exactly the accident occurred. A good Florida personal injury attorney can help you investigate the accident so that you understand what happened. This can help bring some peace of mind and some closure to the accident.

Continue reading →

New Program Could Make Florida Truck Stops Safer

Published on: August 18, 2010 | By Flaxman Law Group

A new program partly funded by an EPA State Grant Program will give Florida truck stops a new look – and will possibly help to prevent Florida car accidents and truck accidents. The program is being administered by the Florida Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and will provide different services at some of the truck stops on the Florida Turnpike.

Specifically, the program will allow truckers to enjoy in-cab electricity in order to fuel air conditioning, heating, and gadgets in the cab when truckers stop for a rest. Currently, many truck stops require truckers to idle their engines in order to run electricity to fuel many amenities in their sleeper cabs. The current system wastes fuel and produces more exhaust. Advocates of the new program say that the program will help in many ways:

1) It will reduce fuel use of big trucks. Not only is this environmentally friendly, but it will save the trucking industry money, which could mean less pressure on truck companies to push drivers to drive longer than is safe.

Continue reading →