Tractor-Trailer Accidents
If you have ever driven on a major roadway in or around Jacksonville, or anywhere else in the United States, for that matter, then you have almost certainly shared the road with a tractor-trailer. Especially for new drivers, but true for everyone to some extent, driving next to these massive vehicles can be extremely intimidating, and for good reason! Tractor-trailers haul large quantities and volumes of goods across our country, and the size difference between a passenger vehicle and commercial truck is very apparent when you are traveling down a highway side by side. Fortunately, commercial drivers are held to high licensing standards and are required to carry a range of certifications depending on the type of cargo they haul, the type of vehicle that they use, and more.
No matter how licensed and certified a commercial driver may be, though, they are not immune from causing an accident. Being involved in an accident with a tractor-trailer can be a terrifying and extremely dangerous situation, and if you have been in an accident that the commercial truck driver caused then it is important that you partner with a law firm with a history of successful commercial truck accident cases like Fasig | Brooks.
Contact Fasig | Brooks For a Free Consultation Today
Request a free consultation right from our website, or call us now to schedule a call so that we can speak about your accident in detail as soon as possible. While it is true that you have a four-year window in the statute of limitations to file a lawsuit about your accident, it is imperative that you initiate the process as soon as possible. In fact, hiring a personal injury attorney before filing your initial insurance claim is one of the best things that you can do in order to build a comprehensive and aggressive case for the compensation that you deserve.
Read more below about some of the specifics surrounding tractor-trailer accidents, and contact Fasig | Brooks today to connect with a legal partner who can fight for the money that you rightfully deserve.
Filing a Claim After a Tractor-Trailer Accident
Since commercial trucks haul large volumes of valuable cargo using such complicated and potentially-dangerous vehicles, it makes sense that they have much higher insurance limits on their commercial policies than a standard passenger vehicle driver. However, even if a coverage limit is in excess of $1 million does not mean that it will be any easier to get the money that you deserve. Insurance companies exist to make money – like any other business – and they make their money by paying out as little as possible for any given claim, and yours will be no different.
Many people wrongfully believe that it is too soon to hire an attorney before filing their claim, but the reality is that it is never too soon to hand off your legal issues to an experienced and proven truck accident lawyer in Jacksonville who can take on this process while you are able to focus on your recovery and personal needs.
Calculating Damages After a Tractor-Trailer Accident in Jacksonville
One of the central questions of your claim is that of damages: how much are you entitled to as the victim in this accident? The insurance adjuster will spend time investigating your situation before returning to you with an offer, but this offer will be far less than what you deserve AND you will need to waive your right to any future actions in order to accept the payment. Instead, hire an attorney to perform their own investigation at the same time, so that as soon as the offer letter arrives in the mail your attorney will be able to initiate a counter-offer and start a series of aggressive negotiations intended to get you to a figure that makes sense.
Economic Damages
The most obvious damages of an accident are economic damages because they seek compensation for impacts that have measurable dollar values associated with them. This includes things like your medical bills and all associated costs, as well as any impacts to your earnings – including missed days at work, decreased earning ability, or long-term disability. There are many other economic damages that your attorney will work to identify as well, many of which the insurance company will gladly overlook if you do not push for them during negotiations.
Non-Economic Damages
In addition to the obvious economic damages, your attorney will also seek compensation for your non-economic damages, the impacts of your accident that do not have measurable dollar values. These damages include things like the emotional trauma that you experienced in your tractor-trailer accident, as well as the pain and suffering that you endured from the injuries that you sustained. As you can imagine, the steps to assigning a reasonable dollar value to these damages are far more complicated than simply adding up receipts and invoices.
