Do I Need To File a Police Report After a Jacksonville Truck Accident?
Most Jacksonville truck accidents will meet one or more of the requirements for filing a police report. Florida law requires a police report to be filed if:
- Someone sustains an injury
- The crash resulted in a traffic fatality
- The accident involved a commercial motor vehicle
- The collision caused $500 or more in property damage
- The accident involves a drunk driver or a hit-and-run driver
- The crash resulted in a vehicle needing to be towed away
Large trucks are commercial motor vehicles. Also, crashes involving 18-wheelers, semi-trucks, and big rigs can result in catastrophic injuries, wrongful deaths, and substantial property damage.
Drivers should report the truck accident to the police by the quickest means possible. Generally, that means calling 911 from the accident scene.
If a traffic accident did not involve any of the above elements and the police did not investigate, the drivers can self-report the accident. They can use the Driver Report of Traffic Crash form on the FLHSMV website to report the accident.
How Can I Get a Copy of a Police Report for a Jacksonville Truck Accident?
Crash reports are kept confidential for the first 60 days following a truck accident. Only certain parties can obtain a copy of the crash report during this time, including:
- The driver involved in the accident
- Passengers and other people involved in the crash
- The lawyers for any parties involved in the truck accident
- Insurance companies that provide policies for vehicles involved in the crash
- Police agencies and prosecutors
- Radio and television stations
- Free newspapers that print legal notices
- Victims services programs
You can obtain a copy of the police report for a truck accident online through the FLHSMV website. If you hire a Jacksonville truck accident lawyer, your attorney will obtain a copy of the truck accident report during their investigation.
What Should I Do While My Lawyer Completes a Truck Accident Investigation?
Your attorney conducts an independent investigation to gather evidence proving why the truck accident happened and who was responsible for causing it. Your lawyer also monitors investigations being conducted by state and federal law enforcement agencies. Your attorney might also consult with trucking experts, accident reconstructionists, and other expert witnesses.
You need to continue receiving medical care for your injuries to complete your doctor’s treatment plan. Truck accidents often result in traumatic injuries that could result in months of treatment and recovery.
Common truck accident injuries include:
- Amputations and loss of limbs
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Severe burns and disfigurement
- Paralysis
- Internal organ damage
- Broken bones and fractures
- Crushing injuries
Truck accident injuries can result in permanent impairments and disabilities. In addition to documenting your injuries with medical records, keeping a pain and suffering journal with details about your recovery and photographs of your injuries is also wise. Details could include the tasks and activities you cannot perform, your emotional state, physical pain levels, and other ways the injuries impact your daily life.
What Damages Could I Receive for a Truck Accident Case?
Florida personal injury laws allow for economic and non-economic damages for accident victims. If you sustain severe injuries in a truck accident, you could receive compensation for your:
- Past and future medical expenses and bills
- Mental anguish and emotional distress
- Rehabilitative therapies
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Disfigurement and scarring
- Loss of earnings, including lost wages and decreases in earning potential
- Physical pain and suffering
- Diminished quality of life
- Impairments and disabilities
In specific situations, juries may award punitive damages. However, you must prove that the at-fault party acted with gross negligence or intentional wrongdoing. Punitive damages are only awarded in a small number of personal injury lawsuits.
Do I Need a Personal Injury Lawyer for a Jacksonville Truck Accident Case?
Generally, it benefits accident victims to hire a truck accident lawyer. Trucking companies and insurance providers have endless resources to fight claims. They have teams of professionals to help them avoid liability for your damages.
Hiring a truck lawyer levels the playing field. Law firms have the resources, expertise, and personnel to compete against these companies. Furthermore, truck accident lawyers understand trucking regulations and other issues unique to truck accident cases.
Your attorney will also value your damages correctly so you know how much your case is worth. The insurance company and trucking company will always try to undervalue your damages to avoid paying the full value of your claim.
Personal injury lawyers offer free consultations. Therefore, you can learn about your legal options and get legal advice about a truck accident case at no cost. Sound legal advice is the best way to protect yourself and your rights.
Contact the Jacksonville Truck Accident Law Firm of Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers Today For Help
For more information, please contact the Jacksonville and Ponte Vedra truck accident law firm of Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers at the nearest location to schedule a free consultation today.
We serve Duval County, St. Johns County, and its surrounding areas:
Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers – Jacksonville
9471 Baymeadows Rd #105,
Jacksonville, FL 32256
(904) 396-1100
Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers – Downtown Jacksonville
121 W. Forsyth St. #170,
Jacksonville, FL 32202
(904) 822-4225
Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers – Ponte Vedra
480 Town Plaza Ave #130,
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32081
(904) 675-1167