Tampa Truck Accident Lawyer

If you were hurt in a truck accident, your life may be irreparably altered. While some victims recover fully, many are left with permanent damage or disability. The financial consequences of an accident like this shouldn’t be yours alone. You can hold the negligent party responsible for their actions through a personal injury claim or lawsuit.

Chalik & Chalik Injury Lawyers can help you navigate the legal waters. A Tampa truck accident lawyer at our firm is ready and equipped to fight for the compensation you deserve. Our legal team wants to get to know you and your story through a free consultation.

Start Your Tampa Truck Accident Case Without Paying Legal Fees

Working with our law firm serving Tampa, Florida means you won’t pay any legal fees upfront. We take personal injury cases on a contingency-fee basis. That means you only pay us if we obtain a financial settlement or court award on your behalf. There will be no billable hours creeping up and you won’t have to come up with the funds to pay for a retainer. With this pricing arrangement your truck accident lawyer can begin putting in the time and utilizing the resources to start your case right without delay.

What Kinds of Damages Can a Tampa Truck Accident Attorney Help You Claim?

Severe bodily harm can result from commercial truck accidents. These accidents have a snowball effect, leading to more and more losses. You are able to recover damages for these losses in Florida. A Tampa truck accident attorney can assist you in seeking compensation for the following types of damages, including:

Medical Care

Severe injuries from a semi-truck accident in Tampa may require extensive medical care, including at the scene of the crash. You can recover the costs of this treatment from ambulance rides, to hospital stays, to emergency surgical procedures, or maintenance visits to the doctor. Damages may be sought to cover both present and future medical expenses.

Rehabilitative Care

If you require physical therapy to get back on your feet or occupational therapy to help you get back to performing normal activities, you may recover compensation for them as well.

Wage Loss

Time off from work to recuperate means not earning an income to support yourself and your family. This wage loss along with any other reduced earning capacity caused by disability is compensable in a personal injury claim. If you work for yourself or own a business, lost income or profits can also be recovered. Some benefits may be covered as well.

Car Damage

Whether your vehicle is damaged or destroyed in a truck accident, the costs of this loss is recoverable. You are entitled to compensation for repairs, diminished value after repairs, or replacement costs.

Pain and Suffering

Pain and suffering encompasses a wide range of losses that include physical pain, emotional distress, and psychological trauma. It also includes diminished quality of life and loss of enjoyment of activities as your injuries may have left you unable to perform or participate in the everyday tasks and activities that you used to.

A Tampa Truck Accident Attorney at Our Firm Can Sort Out Liability in Your Case

Certain aspects of truck accident cases make them more challenging to undertake than passenger car accidents. Liability can be difficult to determine because many trucking companies utilize an employment hierarchy that includes subcontractors and independent contractors in addition to, or instead of, employees.

Further, these companies may have multiple partnerships with other companies that are responsible for handling different logistical aspects of the trucking operation. For example, one company may handle the loading of the cargo while another company may handle the hitching of the trailer.

It’s important to know who to go after for compensation and to ensure all liable parties are held accountable. Your truck accident lawyer will take care of this for you.

Investigating to Find Negligence and Determine Liability in Your Tampa Truck Accident

Liability in commercial truck accidents is linked to who caused the crash. A Tampa accident attorney at our firm will investigate to discover any acts of negligence that led to your accident and determine who was responsible. As a part of our investigation, your truck accident lawyer serving Tampa will perform duties like the following:

• Obtain the crash report from police
• Retrieve dash cam footage, traffic camera footage, surveillance footage, or cell phone footage.
• Investigate legal violations and indiscretions in trucking company standard operating procedures
• Look into the truck driver’s record and review logs for hours of service.
• Analyze truck maintenance logs and black box data
• Interviewing the involved parties like the at-fault driver and witnesses

Who May be Liable in a Trucking Accident in Tampa

A Tampa trucking accident lawyer can pursue damages in a claim against liable parties that can include:

• The driver of the truck
• The motor carrier (trucking company)
• The company that loaded the truck
• The company responsible for fastening the tractor-trailer
• The truck leasing company, if there is one
• The truck manufacturer
• Equipment or parts manufacturers

The Importance of Meeting the Statute of Limitations in Florida Injury Cases

It’s important to act swiftly in seeking legal help with your truck accident in Tampa, FL. The statute of limitations for a lawsuit is two years from the date of the accident per Florida Statutes § 95.11(3)(a). On its face that may seem like a long period of time, but the insurance claims process is not always a smooth one.

Investigations and negotiations may drag out, causing things to move slower than desired. You’ll want to make sure you have enough time to build a strong case that is ready for court before the legal deadline if a lawsuit becomes necessary. If the statute of limitations expires, you lose your right to sue the at-fault party in court.

Additionally, you should keep in mind that evidence is not everlasting. Time can erode the evidence or the access to evidence you need to support your case. The sooner you get started, the better.

A Tampa Truck Accident Lawyer at Chalik & Chalik Injury Lawyers Will Protect Your Right to Compensation

Our founding partners Attorneys Debi and Jason Chalik work on each case personally. You will always know who your attorney is. Personal attention and professional service are the cornerstones of our law firm. As your Tampa truck accident lawyers, Chalik & Chalik is dedicated to protecting your right to compensation. Call us now for a free consultation.

Tampa Truck Accidents FAQ:

Florida Among States With the Most Truck Accidents

Florida is among the top three states with the most serious truck accidents, according to the National Safety Council (NSC). According to its report, 373 truck accident victims lost their lives in Florida in 2021, and only Texas and California saw more fatal truck accidents that year. If you or a loved one was in...