Clearwater Truck Accident Lawyer
If you have been harmed in a truck accident in Clearwater, Florida, you might be able to obtain compensation for your injuries. Contact a Clearwater truck accident attorney at Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers for legal help. Give us a call at (727) 493-4418 to schedule a free initial consultation.
Our truck accident lawyers in Clearwater have a total of 119 years of experience between them practicing law. Since our personal injury law firm was established, we’ve collected tens of millions of dollars on behalf of deserving personal injury victims who have suffered car accidents, Clearwater taxi accidents, commercial vehicle accidents, pedestrian accidents in Clearwater, bicycle accidents, and many more.
Whether it’s an individual truck driver, trucking company, or insurance company on the other side of the case, our lawyers will fully represent your interests and won’t back down. We can help you recover damages for your pain and suffering, lost wages, medical bills, out-of-pocket expenses, repair costs, and more.
If you’re ready to get started, contact or call our law offices to speak with a personal injury lawyer in Clearwater, FL. We employ a team of highly-experienced, aggressive attorneys who are ready to go to work for you!
How a Clearwater Truck Accident Lawyer at Winters and Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers, Can Help After a Truck Accident in Clearwater, FL
Accidents involving commercial trucks tend to be especially severe and complicated. For one, the sheer size and force of these vehicles mean that when they’re involved in a collision, the other vehicle is likely to suffer the most damage.
Trucks are prone to be involved in multi-lane, multi-vehicle crashes as well. In addition, truck accident cases can involve multiple parties, including the trucking company itself and one or more insurance companies.
When the stakes are this high, you need a strong, reputable advocate in your corner who knows what to do. Look no further than the Clearwater personal injury lawyers with Winters and Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers When you hire our legal team to represent you, we’ll be able to help in the following ways:
- Launching a thorough internal investigation into the losses you’ve suffered and who is responsible for them
- Negotiating with the other side to reach a settlement agreement on your behalf
- Filing a lawsuit and bringing your case before a Pinellas County jury if necessary
- Ensuring you’re kept up-to-date on your legal options throughout your case
- Protecting you against allegations that you’re mostly to blame for the accident
These are just a few ways we can help with your truck accident case in Clearwater. Contact us today for legal advice and assistance.
How Common Are Truck Accidents in Pinellas County?
Car accidents and motorcycle accidents occur regularly, but truck accidents unfold a significant proportion of the accidents in Clearwater, Pinellas County, and the rest of the State of Florida, as indicated by statistics provided by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV).
In 2020, the most recent year from which data are available, the statistics regarding truck accidents (represented as crashes involving a truck weighing more than 10,000 LBs) in Florida are as follows:
- 29 fatal accidents
- 111 incapacitating accidents
- 389 non-incapacitating accidents
- 789 possible injury accidents
- 27,044 non-injury accidents
As these numbers demonstrate, there is at least one truck accident resulting in an injury every day in Florida, on average. And when you factor in crashes without an injury, that number jumps to roughly 75 truck accidents per day.
What Is the Value of My Clearwater Truck Accident Case?
Each Clearwater truck accident case has a unique value because each is founded upon a different set of facts. That said, certain factors tend to influence the value of a majority of truck accident cases.
These factors include, but are not limited to:
- The type of injuries you have suffered, and their severity
- Whether you are expected to make a full medical recovery
- The extent to which you have and will continue to be out of work
- How much evidence is available to prove your claim
- The terms of any relevant insurance policies
Our Clearwater truck accident attorneys will conduct a complete investigation into your case. One aim of that investigation is to identify the full extent of your damages to maximize your claim.
What Types of Compensation Are Available to Truck Accident Victims in Florida?
Truck accident victims in Clearwater, Florida, can seek economic, non-economic, and in rare instances, punitive damages.
Economic damages compensate you for your financial losses. Some examples include:
- Lost wages
- Property damage
- Medical bills
- Out-of-pocket expenses
Non-economic damages compensate you for the other losses you’ve incurred due to the truck accident. A few examples are:
- Pain and suffering
- Disfigurement
- PTSD
- Emotional distress
Punitive damages aren’t usually awarded in truck accident cases, but they might be available when the defendant acted with recklessness or malice. These damages are intended to “punish” the defendant for what they’ve done.
Who Could Be Held Liable for My Clearwater Truck Accident?
A number of different parties could be held liable for your truck accident in Clearwater, depending on the circumstances. Examples of possible liable parties include:
- The other driver involved in the accident
- The trucking company itself (in rare cases)
- The manufacturer, wholesaler, or retailer of a defective part
- A governmental entity
We’ll be sure to explore every possible avenue of compensation for you when you hire our Clearwater truck accident attorneys to represent you.
Can I Still Collect Compensation if I’m Being Blamed for a Truck Crash in Clearwater, FL?
Yes. Florida operates under a modified comparative negligence doctrine. Under this framework, you can still receive damages even if you’re partially at fault. However, your financial award could be reduced based on your assigned percentage of fault. And you cannot recover compensation if you are more than 51% at fault.
If you’re assigned 25% of the blame for the truck accident and you’re awarded $800,000, that number could be brought down to $600,000. This represents the full amount minus your percentage of fault.
Comparative negligence is often a key issue when it comes to a truck accident case. Our attorneys can help ensure you aren’t assigned more of the blame than is fair. Call today for a free case evaluation.
We Can Pursue Compensation for Each of Your Truck Accident Injuries
Truck accidents in Clearwater can result in significant harm. Some of the common types of injuries that can result include the following:
- Neck injuries
- Concussions
- Internal bleeding
- Burn injuries
- Chest injuries
- Leg injuries
- Back injuries
- Amputations
- Paralysis
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Wrongful death
Our experienced personal injury lawyers can help you obtain the compensation you deserve after suffering an injury in a truck accident.
What Should I Do After a Truck Accident?
There are some key pieces of information to keep in mind regarding the aftermath of a truck accident. These include:
- Remain at or near the scene of the accident. Fleeing will most likely hurt your compensation claim.
- Do not apologize or accept blame. This could reduce your compensation award as well.
- Collect evidence if it is safe to do so. This means taking pictures and videos as well as taking down information from witnesses.
- Get medical attention, even if you haven’t suffered an obvious injury. Not all injuries present themselves immediately, and medical evidence will be helpful in proving your claim.
You may also contact a Clearwater truck accident attorney immediately after a crash, as a lawyer can provide you with guidance on how to proceed.
How Do I Prove Negligence After a Truck Accident in Florida?
In most truck accident cases, you will have to prove that the other party was negligent in order to receive the compensation you’re entitled to. Negligence entails proving four legal elements, which are:
- Duty of Care. Did the other party owe you a duty of care, given the situation?
- Breach of Duty. Were the other party’s actions a breach (violation) of that duty?
- Causation. Did the other party cause the accident, both factually and proximately?
- Damages. Have you suffered harm due to the other party’s acts or omissions?
In some cases, each of these elements will be an issue; in others, just one or two will be. With 119 years of combined experience, our attorneys have the confidence and expertise necessary to prove a negligence case. Reach out to us today to learn more.
How Long Do I Have To File a Truck Accident Lawsuit in Florida?
Florida has, as does every state, a statute of limitations that sets deadlines for when lawsuits must be filed. A court of law will refuse your case if you file your lawsuit too late.
In most truck accident cases, you will have two years from the date of the incident to file a lawsuit. There are exceptions to that deadline, however. For instance, if you got into a truck accident before 3/24/2023, you’ll have four years to file your claim rather than two.
You should feel free to contact our law offices if you have any questions about the statute of limitations in your case. We can let you know whether you still have the ability to sue during your free consultation.
Contact a Clearwater Truck Accident Lawyer for a Free Case Evaluation
Understandably, you might not be sure where to turn after a commercial truck accident in Clearwater. You might have suffered a serious injury that has kept you out of work. This, in turn, can put you in a difficult financial position.
You shouldn’t have to worry about how you will be compensated for this harm. When you hire Winters and Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers, you’ll be able to take the time you need to recover from your injuries. In the meantime, we’ll do everything in our power to help you collect the compensation you deserve from the at-fault party.
In addition, our Clearwater personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis. That means instead of paying us upfront, we will take our payment as a percentage of the financial award we obtain for you at the conclusion of your case.
Reach out to us today by phone at (727) 493-4418 or online to learn more and schedule a free consultation with an experienced attorney.
Clearwater Truck Accident Resources:
- Requesting Public Crash Records & Data in Florida – Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV)
- Driver Report of Traffic Crash (Self Report) – Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
- FHP Station Locations – Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
- Florida’s Statute of Limitations for Motor-Vehicle
Clearwater Truck Accident Client Review
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Local Emergency Rooms
- HCA Florida Clearwater Emergency – 2339 Gulf to Bay Blvd, Clearwater, FL 33765
- Morton Plant Hospital– Cantonis Emergency Center – 300 Pinellas St, Clearwater, FL 33756
- Mease Dunedin Hospital- Harris Emergency Room – 601 Main St, Dunedin, FL 34698
- HCA Florida Largo Hospital Emergency Room – 201 14th St SW, Largo, FL 33770
- Mease Countryside Hospital- Jacobsen Emergency Center – 3231 McMullen Booth Rd, Safety Harbor, FL 34695
*Disclaimer – we do not endorse these companies or profit from having them listed on our website. These were some of the highest-rated auto repair shops on Yelp.
Clearwater Truck Accident Infographic:
