St. Petersburg Truck Accident

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Experienced Truck Accident Lawyers Serving St. Petersburg, Florida

“I loved working with Misty and the team. They made our accident recovery an effortless experience. Thank you!”

-Tiara Patrick, client review

Florida Truck Accident Attorneys Serving Injured Victims in St. Petersburg

Truck accidents happen much more often than they should around the St. Petersburg area. Given the proximity of St. Petersburg to major highways like I-375 and I-275, the area often has large trucks like 18-wheelers and semis transporting goods and traveling at high speeds. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), most serious and fatal large truck accidents involve occupants of smaller passenger vehicles. Since large trucks usually weigh anywhere from 20 to 30 times as much as a passenger vehicle, collisions with large trucks are often devastating. Trucks need significantly more time than passenger vehicles to brake, and many crashes result from truck driver fatigue if that driver has not gotten enough rest as required by law.

In 2018 alone, more than 4,100 people died in large truck crashes according to the IIHS, and about 67 percent of those fatalities were occupants of smaller passenger vehicles. An additional 15 percent of large truck fatalities involve pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists. In addition to the thousands of people killed in collisions involving tractor-trailers, many more suffer debilitating injuries. If you or someone you love got hurt in a trucking crash, you should get in touch with a St. Petersburg truck accident lawyer as soon as possible to learn more about your eligibility for seeking compensation. Our dedicated personal injury attorneys can help with your case.

Statute of Limitations in a St. Petersburg Truck Accident Lawsuit

Under Florida law, most truck accident lawsuits filed by the injured party will have a four-year statute of limitations. This means your lawsuit will need to be filed within four years from the date of the truck accident. However, if a family member was killed in a truck accident and you are looking into filing a lawsuit, then the statute of limitations will be different. For a wrongful death case, a claim must be filed within two years from the date of the death.

Liability for a St. Petersburg Trucking Collision

Who is liable for a truck accident that happens in or around St. Petersburg? In truck crash cases, many different parties may be liable. Depending upon the specific facts of your case, one or more of the following parties could bear some responsibility for the crash:

• Truck driver who was negligent behind the wheel as a result of drowsy driving, distracted driving, aggressive driving, intoxicated driving, or another careless action;
• Trucking company that hired and employs the truck driver;
• Owner of the truck who failed to have the truck properly serviced or maintained;
• Mechanic who negligently serviced the truck;
• Company that improperly loaded the truck;
• Designer of a defective truck part; or
• Manufacturer of a defective truck part.

Contact a Truck Accident Attorney in St. Petersburg for Assistance

If you or a loved one sustained injuries in a trucking crash, it is important to seek advice as soon as possible from an experienced truck accident lawyer in St. Petersburg. The sooner you get in touch with a lawyer, the quicker you may be able to obtain a settlement or damages award to compensate you for your losses.

Call us at 1-877-941-4878 or submit a contact form for a free consultation.

Directions to Our Nearest Office

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Why Should I Hire Kemp, Ruge & Green?

It is very easy to describe what Kemp, Ruge & Green Law Group does. Our mission statement says it all. We strive to “relentlessly pursue protecting our clients and improving our community through respect, communication and service.” Put more simply, we help people.

Everything we do is with that singular purpose in mind. If a client has been injured by someone else, we will do everything we can to make sure they get the best possible medical care at little or no expense to them. If a client is going through a divorce, we will vigorously work to help them get everything they need to put the pieces of their life back together and to make sure their rights are protected.

Our firm is unique; we are committed to our community and our clients with a level of legal expertise that is among the highest in the area. In fact, we were featured in Positively Tampa for our efforts.

Our attorneys are members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, a national group that provides a network for information exchange, local assistance and case referrals to top trial lawyers in America who have won large, complex cases. Fewer than 1% of attorneys nationwide earn this high distinction. We always provide legal representation in your best interests, maintaining open communication lines, and keeping you updated about your case every step of the way.

Regardless of where you live in the Tampa Bay region, including Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, and Hernando Counties, we look forward to helping you make the best of your situation. Many of our attorneys have been acclaimed as among the 1% of all attorneys in the country, and they’re right here in our area, ready to help you.

Common Questions About Truck Accidents in St. Petersburg, FL

• Do All Personal Injury Cases Have to Be Litigated?
• Not every case goes into litigation. In fact a large number of cases can be settled without ever having to have a complaint filed. If you think about it it’s just another step along the journey in your lawsuit. If we can resolve it without going to the court system, that’s when the complaint actually gets filed. There’s no exact time frame or way to calculate how long it’s going to take for your case to finish. As a rule of thumb, we try to get all cases tried within 18 t0 24 months. That’s a hard goal to reach because there are outside factors that can come in. If anybody gets sick, if you have an additional surgery or sometimes we even have people who have passed away throughout the course of it. So the rule of thumb is we try to get your case to a jury between 18 and 24 months, but sometimes it can take longer.

• Can You Still Settle A Case if It Moves to Litigation?
• It’s always a client’s decision when they would like to have a case settled. Just because the lawsuit gets filed that does mean you have to go to trial. Throughout the process there are informal discussions that occur. There is what is called mediation and there are what are called proposals for settlement. You shouldn’t have the mindset that just because the complaint gets filed with the court that the settlement discussions stop.

• What Is The Worth Of My Personal Injury Case?
• There is no definite way to determine this without actually filing a claim. It varies based on several factors such as cost of medical treatment, cost of lost wages, and others. It also depends on the level of severity with the higher severity cases having higher worth.

Living in St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg is known for its sunny skies and a combination of big-city amenities and small-town charm. With 361 days of sunshine per year, it’s a place that always feels like you’re on vacation and it’s a very popular city for tourism.

Florida’s fifth-largest city is also home to numerous Fortune 500 companies. Although you might not always notice them tucked among the palm trees, there are multi-million dollar businesses and homes scattered throughout St. Pete.

However, the area also has plenty of middle-class multifamily housing, including apartments and condominiums. The median home value is about $182,000, which is slightly lower than the national average. St. Petersburg schools get high rankings and there are plenty of places to work in St. Pete, along with nearby Largo, Clearwater, and Tampa.

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St. Petersburg Local Services & Emergency Contact Information

In an emergency, always call 911.

After a motor vehicle crash:

• Florida Highway Patrol – (305) 234-2240
• Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Dial 911; Non Emergency (727) 582-6200
• St. Petersburg Car Accident Lawyer – (877) 941-4878

Fire Department

• St. Petersburg Fire Rescue – Dial 911

Police/Sheriff Departments

• Florida Highway Patrol – (305) 234-2240
• Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office
• Emergency Dial 911
• Non Emergency (727) 582-6200

Hospitals

• St. Petersburg General Hospital – (727) 384-1414
• Bayfront Health St. Petersburg – (727) 823-1234
• St. Anthony’s Hospital – (727) 825-1100
• Northside Hospital – (727) 521-4411
• Kindred Hospital Bay Area – St. Petersburg – (727) 894-8719