Truck Accident Attorney in New Port Richey

Thousands of truck accidents occur every year in Florida. Many accidents leave victims with life-threatening injuries and cause financial hardship. If you were injured in a New Port Richey truck accident through no fault of your own, you may be entitled to seek significant compensation for your losses by filing a truck accident claim. Contact our truck accident attorney in New Port Richey today.

One of the Best Truck Accident Lawyers in New Port Richey

At Zervos & Calta, PLLC, our New Port Richey truck accident lawyers can help you hold negligent truck drivers and trucking companies accountable for your losses. We will demand the compensation you need to rebuild your life. For a free, no-risk initial consultation with an attentive and knowledgeable New Port Richey truck accident injury attorney, contact our law firm today.

Who Can Be Held Responsible for a New Port Richey, FL Truck Accident?

There are multiple parties involved in the operations of a commercial truck. Any of them could be partially or fully responsible for a truck accident.

The potentially liable parties include:

• Truck drivers – A truck driver may be at fault if the driver contributed to the motor vehicle accident as a result of distraction, recklessness, fatigue, or driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Trucking companies – A trucking company may be liable for hiring unqualified drivers, failing to maintain its trucks in safe operating conditions, or incentivizing unsafe driving practices.
• Cargo loading teams – Cargo loading teams or companies may bear liability if they load trucks beyond capacity or fail to properly balance and secure loads.
• Truck repair shops or technicians – Third-party repair shops can be at fault if they fail to properly maintain trucks or repair known defects.
• Truck parts manufacturers – Manufacturers of critical truck components, such as brakes or steering systems, can be liable if they design, manufacture, or sell defective parts.

In addition to those in the trucking industry, the following parties could also be at fault in a New Port Richey truck accident:

• Other drivers – Another driver may be at fault for a truck accident if the other driver makes an unexpected maneuver in front of a truck that causes a chain reaction that results in a collision.
• Government agencies – If poor road maintenance in the form of poor drainage, excessive potholes, or missing signage contributes to a truck accident, the government agency responsible for local road maintenance may be financially liable.

How Is Fault Determined in a New Port Richey, FL Truck Accident Claim?

Although it may seem obvious to you after a truck crash that the truck driver or some other party is at fault, the police will conduct an accident investigation to determine who is at fault. When personal injury attorneys investigate an accident, they often look beyond the crash to identify other potential evidence of fault, such as:

• Truck driver qualification, commercial licensing records, and training history
• Trucking company hiring records, screening practices, training, and driver dispatch records
• Data from electronic logging devices (ELDs), which record driving time, miles driven, and truck movements
• Data from “black box” devices, which record information such as speed, position, brake application, and other factors before, during, and after a crash
• Truck driver cell phone and GPS records, which can show a driver’s location and whether the driver was on the phone at the time the accident occurred
• Daily and annual truck inspection records, maintenance logs, and repair invoices
• Cargo loading manifests, which contain information about the physical attributes of cargo, such as weight, size, and potential hazards
• Bills of lading, which document the legal owners of any cargo being shipped
• Testimony from expert witnesses, such as accident reconstruction specialists, medical professionals, and vocational experts
• Your medical records, bills, pay stubs, and other proof of your accident-related injuries and other losses

What Compensation Can Be Recovered in A Truck Accident Claim?

A New Port Richey truck accident can result in life-altering injuries that limit your ability to work and require costly medical treatment. With a valid truck accident claim, you could recover compensation for the injuries and financial losses you have suffered.

Depending on the circumstances, you could be entitled to compensation for:

• Medical bills from accident-related injuries, including ambulance rides, hospital stays, and follow-up visits to the doctor
• Out-of-pocket costs from incidental expenses such as the costs of transportation services needed to attend medical appointments
• Repair or replacement expenses for your vehicle or other property damage that was sustained in the accident
• Lost wages from any time you miss at work while you recover from your injuries
• Projected future losses, such as losses in your lifetime earning potential or costs of medical care you will need in the future
• The intangible costs of the pain and suffering, and losses in quality of life you endure as a result of the accident and your accident-related injuries

In rare cases, courts may award accident victims a special type of compensation known as “punitive damages” when the injuries resulted from extreme negligence or intentional malice. The courts award punitive damages to punish wrongdoers and discourage similar behavior in the future.

Florida Statute of Limitations on Truck Accident Lawsuits

The state of Florida limits the amount of time you have to file a personal injury lawsuit after a truck accident. This is known as the Statute of Limitations. In most cases, you have two years from the date of the accident to initiate an injury lawsuit and seek compensation. To file a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of a loved one, you have two years from the date of your loved one’s death. If you wait to file until after the two-year deadline has passed, the court will likely dismiss your case, and you will no longer be able to pursue compensation for your losses. This is why it’s best to hire a trusted personal injury attorney immediately following a truck accident. The more time your lawyer has to investigate the accident and negotiate on your behalf, the more likely you are to recover maximum compensation.