Palm Beach Truck and Tractor-Trailer Accident Attorneys
Help for Victims of Florida Truck Accidents
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the number of truck accidents and fatal truck crashes in the U.S. has been increasing. In fact, from 2016 to 2017, the number of trucks involved in fatal crashes increased 10 percent. During that same time period, Florida reported 43,923 commercial vehicle crashes, an annual increase of 6.4%.
Truck accidents do not occur as frequently as car accidents; however, when they do occur, they are usually much more serious. A commercial truck typically weighs at least 25 times as much as an automobile and is not as responsive. Consequently, truck collisions often cause serious, life-threatening or fatal injuries.
If you or a family member has suffered from a truck accident injury caused by someone else’s negligence, the experienced truck accident attorneys of the Boyers Law Group want to help you. We have helped many victims of truck accidents throughout Florida obtain substantial monetary awards for their injuries and want to help you obtain the compensation you deserve.
Causes of Florida Truck Accidents
Driver negligence is a main cause of truck and tractor-trailer accidents. When truck drivers are overtired, distracted, or not adequately trained, they can easily become negligent on the road. Trucking companies that reward speed and long hours of driving can actually contribute to the problems caused when drivers are not well trained or well rested.
When drivers are pressured to meet unrealistic travel goals or if they use drugs or alcohol while on the job, safety violations can readily occur. Federal regulations govern the number of hours they are allowed to drive per day and per week and set requirements for rest breaks and regular drug testing. If drivers disregard any of these regulations, they put themselves at risk of driving unsafely and possibly causing an accident.
While driver negligence is a major cause of truck accidents, defective parts can also cause crashes. If a truck isn’t maintained properly, it could, for example, have defective brakes or tires, which could lead to a serious accident. Similarly, if windshield wipers and lights are not replaced or if truck loads are not adequately secured, serious accidents can occur.
Other drivers can also cause truck crashes. Automobile drivers who change lanes or merge into traffic too close to an oncoming truck, drive erratically between large trucks, or do not adequately control their speed when a truck is changing lanes, are especially dangerous.
Florida Truck Accident Claims
Following a truck accident, the trucking company and its insurer usually get involved immediately in investigating the crash and attempting to minimize the amount paid to the injured parties. Insurance company representatives typically work diligently to deflect liability away from the driver and the trucking company.
Therefore, if you have been seriously injured in a truck accident, it is crucial to consult with an experienced truck accident attorney before talking with any investigators or insurers who may contact you on behalf of the trucking company. Keep in mind that they will try to undermine your claim and either minimize the compensation you are paid or avoid compensating you altogether.
The attorneys of the Boyers Law Group have a long track record of success in litigating truck and tractor-trailer crash cases in order to achieve the substantial compensation accident victims are entitled to. We can help determine liability for your truck accident, gather the critical evidence needed to bolster your claim, and help you obtain substantial compensation from the responsible party or parties.
Florida Truck Accident Lawsuits
The grounds for truck accident lawsuits can vary, depending on what caused the accident and the extent of the injuries sustained. Most suits claim negligence on the part of the driver or his trucking company. Driver inattention or distraction, alcohol or drug use, excessive speed, failure to follow traffic laws, or fatigue can all cause driver negligence. Additionally, the trucking company’s failure to monitor the driver’s hours spent on the road, properly train the driver, ensure safe truck loads, or maintain the vehicle properly could also be causes of negligence.
Some truck crashes occur because the trucks involved are defective and dangerous or because of a combination of a defective truck with negligence on the part of the truck owner or operator. In these cases, our experienced defective product attorneys will work to prove that the truck or one of its parts was defective and unreasonably dangerous and caused or contributed to the crash. In a case where a defective product leads to an injury accident, the product manufacturer and its distributors can be found strictly or absolutely liable for the harm that their product caused to you or your loved ones.
In cases where trucking negligence or a defective product causes fatal injuries, family members may be able to obtain compensation for their mental pain and suffering, lost support, and other damages that are recoverable under Florida law. If you’ve lost a family member in a tragic truck accident, it’s important to hire an experienced wrongful death attorney to help you receive the substantial compensation you may be entitled to.
Compensation in Florida Truck and Tractor Trailer Accident Cases
In Florida truck and tractor trailer cases, compensation for injuries and damages can be economic, non-economic, and, in certain cases, punitive. Economic damages are given to compensate you and your family for your monetary losses, such as current and future medical expenses, lost wages, and the loss of earning capacity in the future.
Non-economic damages are given to compensate you for non-financial losses, such as physical and emotional pain from the truck accident injuries. In addition, your family might be awarded compensation for the loss of your assistance, services, society, and companionship.
When an accident occurs because of intentional misconduct or gross negligence, punitive damages may be given. These damages are intended as punishment for the owner or operator of the truck that caused the serious truck accident injuries.
Boyers Law Group Palm Beach Attorneys Have Many Years of Experience Representing Clients for Serious Injuries from Tragic Truck Accidents
If you or a family member has been injured in a truck accident in Florida, contact the experienced personal injury attorneys at the Boyers Law Group. We’ll provide a free consultation and the personal attention, experience, and skill you need to hold the responsible parties accountable for their negligence and help you obtain the substantial compensation you deserve.
Let us put our experience, skills, resources, and track-record of success in truck accident cases to work helping you.
Helpful Resources:
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. (2018, Nov. 28). Traffic crash facts: Annual report 2017. flhsmv.gov
U.S. Department of Transportation. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Analysis Division. (2019, March). Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts 2017.