Tampa Wrongful Death Truck Accident Lawyer

Tampa Wrongful Death Truck Accident Attorney

Truck accidents are some of the most damaging vehicle accidents anyone can experience, and the risk of fatal injury is much greater when a collision involves any large commercial truck. US-301 consistently ranks as one of the most dangerous roads in the Tampa area and in the state of Florida as a whole, and many of the fatal truck accidents reported in the Tampa area each year happen on this stretch of highway.

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FHSMV) reported more than 200 fatal crashes in Hillsborough County in 2022, and it is vital for the families of these victims to know their rights. If you have recently lost a family member in a fatal truck accident, an experienced Tampa wrongful death lawyer can help determine your most viable options for legal recourse against whoever caused the accident.

Compassionate Legal Counsel for Wrongful Death Claims in Tampa, FL

The Frank Santini Law Firm has a strong record of successful representation in a wide range of civil suits, including personal injury claims and wrongful death suits arising from truck accidents. If your loved one died due to a fatal truck accident someone else caused, you have the right to pursue accountability with a wrongful death suit. Traumatic brain injuries and crushing injuries are just two common examples of the fatal injuries commonly reported from truck crashes.

Our firm can work closely with you to gather the evidence you will need to establish liability for the fatal accident. It is possible for the truck driver and/or their employer to bear fault, or liability may fall to a third party. Once we identify the target of your wrongful death suit, we can assist you in meeting the procedural requirements for filing it and successfully holding the at-fault party or parties accountable.

Legal counsel you can trust can be your most valuable asset as you seek to prove liability and secure compensation for your family’s damages in the aftermath of a fatal truck accident in the Tampa area. Your Tampa wrongful death truck accident lawyer can be invaluable for guiding you through the various steps of your recovery process and holding the at-fault driver appropriately accountable for the harm they have caused.

Building a Wrongful Death Suit After a Fatal Truck Accident

The trucking industry is one of the most heavily regulated industries in the United States, and trucking companies and their employees must adhere to strict rules at all times to minimize the chance of accidents happening. The first challenge you will face in a truck accident claim is proving fault, which may fall to the driver of the truck, their employer, or a third party. It is also possible for a combination of defendants to bear fault for the accident.

Filing an insurance claim is typically required after a car accident in Florida, and drivers are expected to use their own auto insurance after most accidents. These cases often involve complex questions of liability, and the no-fault rule for resolving vehicle accidents may appear as an obstacle to your recovery efforts. However, the no-fault rule does not prevent a victim from seeking legal recourse when their damages exceed the extent of available insurance coverage.

The Frank Santini Law Firm can help our clients file an initial auto insurance claim after a truck accident to help them recover as much as possible from an auto insurance policy. However, the policy is unlikely to cover the full scope of damages the defendant caused. A successful wrongful death claim may yield compensation for the lost financial support provided by the deceased, along with compensation for the family’s pain and suffering.

Our goal for every client is maximum recovery in the shortest possible timeframe. When you choose our firm to represent your case, you are investing in a seasoned and compassionate legal advocate who can help you understand the complex legal issues in play and approach your case with confidence. The sooner you reach out to our firm, the more time we will have to build a compelling wrongful death suit for you.

FAQs About Tampa, FL Wrongful Death Truck Accident Laws

Who Is Qualified to File a Wrongful Death Claim?

Florida law restricts eligibility to file a wrongful death suit to the personal representative of the deceased’s estate. If the deceased did not specifically name a personal representative, their surviving family members can petition the court to name a representative. This individual will act as the plaintiff in the wrongful death claim proceedings and seek compensation on behalf of the victim’s beneficiaries.

How Much Is a Wrongful Death Settlement in Tampa?

The total value of any wrongful death suit in Tampa depends heavily on the extent of damage the defendant caused and multiple other factors. A good Tampa wrongful death truck accident lawyer can recover compensation for damages incurred by the deceased’s estate, compensation for the lost financial support the deceased provided to their family, and compensation for the family’s pain and suffering.

How Do You Prove Fault for a Wrongful Death From a Truck Accident?

Proving fault for your loved one’s death may require a combination of various forms of evidence, such as traffic camera footage, witness testimony, digital evidence like a driver’s cell phone records, and expert witness testimony in some cases. It is also possible for vicarious liability to apply to your case if the truck driver’s employer shares fault for causing the accident.

What Is the Burden of Proof for Wrongful Death?

Successfully proving fault and meeting the burden of proof for a wrongful death requires evidence and testimony that shows the defendant’s negligence or misconduct is the proximate cause of the victim’s death. In other words, it is necessary to prove that the death would not have occurred but for the defendant’s actions.

What Will It Cost to Hire a Tampa Wrongful Death Truck Accident Lawyer?

The Frank Santini Law Firm accepts wrongful death cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning you will pay nothing in legal fees unless we win your case. There are no upfront or ongoing attorneys’ fees, and once we secure a case award for you, we only take a percentage of the claim’s total value. If our team cannot secure a case award, there is no fee for the client at all.

Losing a loved one is never easy, and the aftermath of any fatal truck accident can be very difficult to resolve without legal counsel you can trust on your side. If you are ready to learn what a seasoned Tampa wrongful death truck accident lawyer can do for you and your family, contact The Frank Santini Law Firm today to schedule your free consultation with our team.