Tampa Truck Accident Lawyer
Despite improvements in vehicle safety technology and driver training, the number of truck accidents and fatal truck crashes per year has been increasing steadily since 2009.
If you have been injured in a truck accident, you may be entitled to collect compensation for the damages suffered because of your injury. To find out if you should pursue a claim against the at-fault party, it’s important to consult with an experienced
Causes of Tampa Trucking Accidents
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the main factors in truck accidents are brake problems, prescription and over-the-counter drug use, fatigue, roadway problems, traveling too fast for the conditions, traffic flow interruption, unfamiliarity with the road, and inadequate surveillance.
However, the main causes of truck collisions are:
- Driving when drowsy
Despite federal laws restricting the number of hours a truck driver can drive, drowsy driving is still a leading cause of trucking accidents in the U.S. According the U.S. Department of Transportation, 87% of crashes caused by trucks are due to driver fatigue. Moreover, if a driver is on the road for more than the allotted eight hours, the risk of crashing is doubled when compared to drivers on the road for less than eight hours. - Distracted driving
Distracted driving is a common cause of all motor vehicle accidents; however, it can be deadly when the distracted driver is a truck driver. Federal law prohibits all truck drivers from texting while driving. Nevertheless, many truck drivers continue to use handheld electronic devices while driving. - Maintenance issues
State and federal laws require pre-trip inspections of a large truck prior to operating the truck. In addition, owners/operators must perform routine maintenance on the truck. When an inspection is rushed, or bypassed altogether, a catastrophic accident can occur. Common inspection and maintenance issues that result in collisions include tire/wheel defects, brake defects, and unsecured or overloaded trailers.
Who Is Responsible for Tampa Truck Accidents?
If you have been injured in a truck accident, or a family member was fatally injured in one, you may be entitled to obtain compensation for the injuries. To do so, you will need file a truck accident injury claim and prove that another party’s negligence was partially or wholly responsible for your injuries or loss.
First, however, you will need to identify the at-fault party or parties. Unlike a collision involving two passenger vehicles, identifying the responsible party in a trucking accident can be a complex task because the negligent party (or parties) could be any of the following:
- Driver
- Trucking company
- Owner of the cargo
- Truck manufacturer
- Company responsible for maintenance/repairs
An experienced truck accident attorney will identify all possible defendants and bring each one into the lawsuit to ensure that you are fully and fairly compensated for your injuries or loss.
Recovering Damages with a Florida Truck Accident Lawsuit
If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident, you may be entitled to recover damages to help compensate you for your injuries. With a Florida truck accident lawsuit, you can pursue compensation for the following damages:
- Medical expenses
- Rehabilitation and other care costs
- Income lost because of time off because of accident injuries
- Loss of earning capacity in the future
- Physical and emotional pain and suffering
- Disfigurement and permanent scarring
- Diminished qualify of life
- Other damages recoverable under Florida law
In some cases, the injured victim’s family can also pursue compensation for loss of consortium because their spouse or parent can no longer provide the companionship, care and support they did before the accident. If you lost a family member in a trucking accident, you may also be able to pursue compensation as the claimant in a wrongful death lawsuit.
An Experienced Florida Truck Accident Attorney Can Help You Get Compensated Fully and Fairly
If you or a family member has been injured in a truck accident, please contact the experienced Florida truck accident attorneys at Dennis Hernandez & Associates, PA as soon as possible. We are committed to helping accident victims obtain justice and get compensated fully and fairly for their injuries.
Sources:
Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. (2018). Traffic crash facts.
https://www.flhsmv.gov/pdf/crashreports/crash_facts_2018.pdf
U.S. Department of Transportation. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. (2018). Large truck and bus crash facts 2018.
https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety/data-and-statistics/large-truck-and-bus-crash-facts-2018#A1
U.S. Department of Transportation. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. (2020). Our roads our safety. Tips for truck and bus drivers.
https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/ourroads/tips-truck-and-bus-drivers