Miami Commercial Truck Accident Lawyer
The typical commercial truck can weigh around 80,000 pounds when carrying a full load of cargo. At that size and weight, these tractor-trailers are life-threatening weapons when placed in the hands of negligent or impaired operators. Just one moment of inattention can produce a catastrophic accident that injures–or kills–dozens of people.
There are a number of strict federal and state regulations in place designed to minimize the risk of commercial trucking accidents. But these rules are often flouted and ignored–and innocent people end up paying the price. If you find yourself in that situation, the Miami commercial truck accident lawyers at Pike & Lustig, LLP, can assist you in seeking fair compensation from the negligent truck drivers, trucking companies, and other parties who are legally at-fault for your injuries.
Florida Commercial Truck Accidents and Serious Injuries
As a “no-fault” insurance state, most Florida motor vehicle accident victims are limited to seeking personal injury protection (PIP) benefits following a crash. PIP coverage provides limited medical and lost-income replacement benefits regardless of who was actually responsible for the underlying accident. But these no-fault benefits were never designed to fully compensate an accident victim who suffers fatal, catastrophic, or serious injuries.
This is important because commercial truck accidents are far more likely to cause such injuries than your average fender bender involving only smaller passenger vehicles. Indeed, Florida law allows commercial truck accident victims to step outside of the no-fault system and file a personal injury lawsuit if they meet or exceed a “serious injury” threshold, which can include any of the following:
- death;
- a significant and permanent loss of an important bodily function;
- significant and permanent scarring or disfigurement; or
- any other permanent injury, as determined by a qualified professional to a reasonable degree of medical probability.
Meeting Florida’s serious injury threshold enables commercial truck accident victims to seek the full amount of their economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages includes compensation for the victim’s past and future medical expenses, lost wages and other income, loss of earning capacity, and any other out-of-pocket expenses incurred as a result of the accident. Non-economic damages–which cannot be recovered under no-fault insurance–encompass an accident victim’s pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and overall diminished quality of life following a commercial truck accident.
Who Can Be Held Responsible for a Commercial Truck Accident in Miami?
Personal injury claims in commercial truck accident cases often involve multiple defendants. Those who are potentially liable to the victims may include the truck driver, the trucking company, the company responsible for shipping or loading the vehicle, and even the manufacturer of the truck itself or a defective part. Allocating legal liability ultimately requires a careful investigation of all of the facts and circumstances surrounding a truck accident.
This is why it pays to work with an experienced Miami commercial truck accident lawyer who knows how to conduct such investigations and produce results for clients. So if you, or someone in your family, has been the victim of a recent commercial trucking accident, contact Pike & Lustig, LLP, today at 561-291-8298 to schedule a consultation.
