6 Things To Consider When Hiring A Truck Accident Attorney In Florida
Truck accidents are quite common in the United States of America. According to the IIHS, truck accidents can kill over 4,000 people in a single year, most of whom are occupants of cars and other passenger vehicles. The main reason for this is the vulnerability of people traveling in smaller vehicles. Trucks weigh much more than passenger vehicles and have greater ground clearance. When a truck and a small car collide, not only does the weight of the truck pose a huge threat to the people in the smaller vehicle, but there is also a risk of the smaller vehicle under-riding the truck.
If a truck accident does not result in death, there is a high chance it will result in serious injuries. After someone dies or suffers injuries in a truck accident, the damages or losses that follow are usually significant. Fortunately, in Florida, if you or a loved one is injured or a loved one is killed in a truck accident, you may have the right to file a truck accident claim and recover compensation. However, although you may be entitled to compensation for medical damages, lost wages, property repair costs, pain and suffering, mental anguish, and many others, obtaining a settlement is not as easy as it may seem. Truck accident cases are complex and aggressively defended.
It is crucial that you hire an attorney to help you file your truck accident claim. Florida has a good number of truck accident attorneys. However, they are not all the same. You must carefully assess your options before settling on who to work with. Below is a look at some of the crucial things to consider when hiring a truck accident attorney in Florida;
Legal Knowledge and Experience
Truck accident cases are not like other cases. There are unique laws involved in truck accident cases. For example, truck accident cases involve Hours of Service (HOS) regulations that truck drivers are required to follow. “Hours of service” is the maximum time a truck driver is allowed to be on duty. HOS specifies the number and length of rest periods necessary to keep truckers awake and alert. Therefore, it is essential to hire an Orlando truck accident lawyer with experience handling these specific types of cases. Not only does such an attorney possess the knowledge you need, but they also have local insights and know how to handle tricky insurance companies in the Orlando area.
Success Rate
Ensure you find out about an attorney’s past truck accident cases to see how many cases like yours they have won. When assessing a lawyer’s success rate, check if the amount of money they chase for clients aligns with the severity of the incident. Indeed working with an attorney who has won previous cases does not automatically mean your case will succeed. However, it increases your chances of success.
Negotiation Skills
Truck accident cases involve negotiating with insurance companies that have teams of lawyers whose role is to disprove your claim. You will need to fight insurance companies and their attorneys if you want to get what you are rightfully owed. A skilled truck accident lawyer with negotiating skills can help you by ensuring your interests are protected, and the other side doesn’t take advantage of you. Additionally, they can help you by advising you on what to say and what to avoid saying.
Resources
Investigating a truck accident case involves, among other things, gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses, and consulting experts. The investigation process is a labor-intensive and time-consuming process. Not all law firms are equipped to handle this. Without the proper resources, a law firm won’t be able to do justice to your case.
Before hiring an attorney, find out if they have handled cases like yours in the past. Find out how they plan to conduct investigations. Only hire an attorney that you feel has the proper resources to do justice to your case.
Comfort Level
Experience, negotiation skills, success rate, and resources are all crucial but do not ignore the comfort factor when deciding whether or not to hire a truck accident lawyer. During your initial consultation with an attorney, get a good sense of whether you will be comfortable working with that attorney. Instincts are important. You should not forget that.
Reputation
Lastly, it is vital to take into consideration an attorney’s reputation. Working with a lawyer with a good reputation, you can be confident you are headed in the right direction. If your friends or family members have worked with a lawyer before, you can ask them to share their honest opinion. You can also learn whether an attorney has a good reputation by checking online reviews on a neutral review platform.
Contact a Naples Truck Accident Attorney
Are you looking for a skilled truck accident attorney to help you seek the compensation you deserve? Contact our Naples truck accident attorneys at The Law Offices of Marc L. Shapiro.
Sources:
fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/hours-of-service
iihs.org/topics/fatality-statistics/detail/large-trucks
