Orlando Truck Accident Lawyer

It’s hard enough to be in a motor vehicle accident of any kind, but truck accidents can be particularly dangerous—for many good reasons:

• Trucks are heavy and large. In fact, trucks can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds and can be as much as 20 to 30 times heavier than cars. A smaller vehicle can be easily crushed by a truck during an accident.
• Truck accidents often occur on the highway, where vehicles tend to travel at higher rates of speed.
• People traveling in smaller vehicles are more vulnerable. As the truck and a smaller vehicle such as a car collide, the car will absorb most of the impact of the crash.
• The injuries that result are typically more severe. Damages such as traumatic brain injuries, paralysis, or spinal cord injuries—and in some cases, even wrongful death—are not uncommon during truck accidents.

Litigation may be complicated by the number of parties involved. In some cases, multiple parties can be at fault. For example, a driver may be negligent by overloading their cargo, while the trucking company may also be negligent for its failure to maintain the truck properly. In those situations, you can sue all responsible parties in joint and several liabilities, a complex process that allows a victim to recover from multiple wrongdoers.

Generally, the causes of truck accidents can be boiled down to three things: driver error, failure by the manufacturer to take proper safety measures, and defects by the manufacturer of the truck. Let’s take a look at some specific causes in greater detail:

• Failure by the driver to observe the rules of the road. Often, a truck accident involves a truck driver who is speeding, failing to yield, running a red light, changing lanes without a proper signal, or otherwise not abiding by safety rules. Additionally, some truck drivers cause accidents by engaging in reckless behaviors, such as tailgating, following a vehicle too closely, or driving aggressively.
• Distracted driving. Whether it’s due to cell phones, eating in the car, or something else, a distracted truck driver makes for a dangerous truck driver.
• Impaired or drowsy driving. Truck drivers are often on the road for long periods, which can make for drowsy driving, sometimes resulting in an accident. Impaired driving due to alcohol or substance use can also contribute to serious accidents on the road.
• Improperly loaded or secured cargo. Trucks often carry heavy cargo, whether that be pallets, boxes, logs, livestock, or any other type. Improperly loaded trucks can cause rollovers, cargo-shifting, spillage of the cargo onto the road, an inability to stop the truck properly, or other issues that can result in a serious accident.
• Improper truck maintenance. Trucking companies have a responsibility to maintain their fleet properly, ensuring that their vehicles are safe to drive on the road. Unfortunately, this doesn’t always happen. Whether due to a lack of proper attention by employees or an effort to cut costs by the company, sometimes, truck companies do not keep up with essential repairs and maintenance. This can result in a truck part malfunction, which can contribute to the cause of an accident.
• Lack of driver training and supervision. In addition to a duty to maintain their fleet, trucking companies also have to properly train and supervise their drivers. When this does not happen, and an accident occurs as a result, the trucking company may be held liable for its negligent practices.
• A faulty design or manufacturing defect. In some cases, a truck accident may be caused by a faulty design or defect in an integral part of the truck itself, such as the brake chamber. The manufacturer of the truck may be liable for all or part of the injuries caused in the accident.

If you’re the victim of a truck accident in Florida, it can be beneficial to get in touch with a lawyer right away. First, though, you’ll have to attend to your injuries, which might be extensive.

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