Do You Need a Florida Truck Accident Lawyer?

If you or someone you love has been involved in a truck accident in Florida, please don’t hesitate to contact Attorney Michael T. Gibson at (407)-422-4529 to schedule a free consultation.

Have you been injured in a trucking accident in Florida?

When you or your loved one is driving on the road, the last thing you ever imagine happening is being involved in a truck accident.

However, trucking accidents happen more often than people think and the results can be catastrophic.

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Florida is among the top states in the country for trucking accidents and injuries. In 2021, the FMCSA recorded 5,734 trucking and large vehicle crashes in Florida. Florida is rated #3 in the nation for number of trucking accidents behind Texas and California.

If you or a loved one is a victim of a truck accident, you should strongly consider contacting a Florida truck accident lawyer.

Truck drivers are often employees of a larger company, which means you’ll be up against big insurance companies, trucking companies and their corporate lawyers, all of which have gone through hundreds of accident claims before. It’s extremely unlikely that you’ve been in a truck accident before.

Trucking companies may have up to thousands of drivers in their fleet, and the insurance companies they work with will do everything in their power to pay as little as possible for the damages they’ve caused. It is essential you hire a lawyer who understands how the trucking industry works and the tactics they use.

If you’re struggling with injuries due to a truck accident, call the attorneys at Michael T. Gibson, Auto Justice Attorney at 407-422-4529 to schedule your free consultation. When you’re up against an experienced defense lawyer, you want the best representation to be fighting for your rights. Our Florida truck accident lawyers have experience with truck accident claims involving 18-wheelers, semi-trucks, tractor trailers and other large commercial trucks and have won!

Common Causes for Truck Accidents

Truck accidents can be caused by a number of reasons. Some of the most common causes for trucking accidents include:

Driver Error – Driver fatigue is one of the most common causes for crashes on highways and interstates, as drivers may have been overworked or lack sufficient rest before they get behind the wheel.

Driving under the influence – For truck drivers, drinking and driving can be an especially dangerous combination. Trucks often weigh more than 10 tons, create a larger impact than smaller vehicles and cause death or serious injury to occupants of other vehicles that may cross their paths.

Speeding – For many trucking companies, time is money. This means they might order their drivers to speed in order to complete deliveries on time.

Vehicle failure – Damages sustained to the truck can lead to an accident if it causes the driver to lose control of the vehicle. Some common damages include tire blowouts, brake failures or defective equipment that could cause the driver to lose control of their commercial motor vehicle.

Mechanical defects – A commercial motor vehicle can be outfitted with defective parts before it even leaves the factory. If you are unlucky enough to be involved in an accident with a commercial truck that has defective equipment, call our Florida truck accident attorney for help!

Common Injuries Sustained in Truck Accidents

Truck accidents can have a serious impact on any victim, but the larger size and weight of commercial motor vehicles means that occupants in smaller vehicles are at a greater risk for sustaining injuries or death.

Injuries you could sustain from a trucking accident when you’re in another vehicle include:

Whiplash – As trucks weigh much more than cars, they often cause more damage to the occupants of other vehicles when accidents occur. Whiplash is one type of injury that can be sustained if your head hits the headrest or windshield during an accident.

Broken bones – Truck drivers are responsible for ensuring their vehicle is safe to drive prior to getting behind the wheel. If a truck has a defect or defective equipment, a driver can become a victim of a preventable accident.

Road rash – If your body comes in contact with the pavement during an accident, road rash can occur. Road rash is another type of injury you could sustain from a trucking accident.

Serious Injury – In many cases, accidents involving commercial vehicles end with serious injuries or even death to those involved.

Fatal Injury – In the worst cases, trucking accidents can result in a fatality. When an accident results in death, you want to retain experienced legal representation on your side to help with damages like funeral costs and lost wages.

Proving Your Truck Accident Case in Florida

We understand that recovering damages for injuries sustained in a truck accident can be difficult. Trucking companies are often represented by large insurance companies who know how to work the system. The last thing you want is to get stuck with medical bills due to an injury you didn’t cause, so let us fight for your rights while you focus on healing! A person injured in a truck accident must prove:

• • The truck driver owed you a duty of care to drive in a safe and reasonable manner.

• • The trucker failed to maintain that level of care.

• • Your injuries or the harm done to you or a loved one as a result of this breach of care.

• • You or a loved one was injured and incurred losses as a result of the accident.

Damages in a personal injury lawsuit can fall under either economic or noneconomic categories. Economic damages include all of the financial losses you have incurred as a result of an accident or personal injury, while non-economic damages are awarded for pain and suffering and emotional distress.

Trucking Company Negligence

Truck accidents can occur in a number of different ways. Trucking companies can be held liable if they were negligent in any way when it comes to the operation, maintenance and/or inspection of their vehicles. For example, trucking companies may have a responsibility to properly maintain their trucks and ensure that parts are kept up-to-date. In cases where drivers are fatigued, not properly trained or under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol, trucking companies may be held liable because they must ensure that their employees are following safe driving practices.

Act Quickly if You’ve Been in a Truck Accident

If you have been injured in a truck accident, it is essential to act quickly. Trucking companies often have law firms and experts on stand by for such incidents. These experts are quickly dispatched to the scene of the accident. This means that the trucking company and their lawyers inevitably have a big head start on the collection of post crash evidence, and that they start planning their defense of a claim immediately.

Thus, if you are a truck accident victim or family of the same, you need to hire an experienced Florida or Orlando truck accident lawyer as soon as possible.

Experienced truck accident lawyers know the evidence the trucking company obtained and looked for on the day of the crash, and know how the trucking companies will try to hide or not provide the same. Crucial evidence to proving a trucking negligence case can be lost forever in as little as thirty days if action isn’t taken quickly.

Insurance companies from the trucking company may attempt to deny liability or offer an unfair settlement when they learn that a personal injury attorney has been contacted.

It’s in your best interest to discuss your case with a Florida truck accident lawyer immediately. The experienced attorneys at Michael T. Gibson, Auto Justice Attorney will fight to ensure you receive the money you need and deserve for your injuries. You can call our office at 407-422-4529 to schedule your free consultation or contact us online.