When it comes to dangerous accidents on Florida roadways, a collision with a commercial truck ranks high. Commercial trucks weigh 20 times as much as the average passenger vehicle, so the impact can be devastating even at low speeds. Simply put, the most common causes of truck accidents can seriously affect your life.
Unfortunately, things become even worse when a commercial truck is carrying fuel, chemicals, and other hazardous materials. Regardless of the circumstances of your collision, though, Long & Jean, P.A., has the experience and resources to ensure you receive full and fair compensation from the responsible parties.
If you’re worried about paying for an attorney, our legal team works on a contingency basis. This means you don’t have to pay out of pocket for our representation. We receive compensation once the case settles or we win through litigation. Contact our Pompano Beach personal injury law firm today for a free consultation.
We handle all cases related to the common causes of truck accidents and more.
Florida and US Truck Crash Statistics You Should Know
According to the Institute for Safer Trucking, more than half a million truck crashes occurred in 2022, the most recent year data is available. Unfortunately, nearly 161,000 individuals were injured in these collisions. This is an increase of several thousand from 2021, just one year earlier. Worse, deaths have risen 20% since 2020.
While car vs. truck collisions are less frequent than car vs. car collisions, the injury rate is much higher. Data from 2023 shows that 341 people died in collisions with commercial vehicles.
While these large trucks make up less than 2% of registered vehicles in America, they were involved in 7% of all fatal crashes in Florida. Sadly, truck crash fatalities in the state have increased 88% since 2009.
These Florida truck crash statistics show the severity of these collisions. Fortunately, you don’t have to face what comes next alone. At Long & Jean, P.A., our dedicated team of Pompano Beach truck accident lawyers is here to help. Contact us today for a free consultation.
The Causes We See Most Often
Almost anything that can cause an accident in a car can also cause a truck accident. However, many of the common causes of truck accidents are more prevalent than what you’d expect in collisions involving only passenger vehicles. These include the following:
Speeding or Driving Too Fast for Conditions
Florida is America’s third deadliest state for large truck crashes. Sadly, statistics show that about one-third of collisions involve speeding. Going above the speed limit or driving too fast for conditions limits a truck driver’s ability to react when conditions change.
High speeds combined with the massive size difference between big rigs and passenger vehicles frequently prove deadly. Truck drivers and even the companies meant to train them could face liability if such actions cause serious injuries or damages.
Fatigue and Hours of Service Violations
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulates the amount of time that commercial truck drivers can operate their rigs. For instance, a property-carrying driver (i.e., no passengers) can only operate their vehicle for 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off.
Unfortunately, many drivers get behind the wheel with only a few hours of sleep. Others find ways to cheat on their logbooks to make it appear that they’ve been off for longer than they have.
This is just an example of the many different regulations that govern mandatory breaks for drivers. Among the most common causes of truck accidents, distracted driving is the leading culprit. If you’ve been injured in such a collision, you need an advocate on your side.
Driver Distraction and the Federal Handheld Phone Ban
Like all drivers, truckers have more than their fair share of in-cab distractions. In addition to the sound system and vehicle dials, many modern vehicles have built-in computer screens to assist drivers with communications and routes.
Radios to communicate with dispatch and other fleet members are also common. And, of course, almost everyone has a smartphone. When you operate a large commercial vehicle, you can’t take your eyes off the road for even an instant, but this happens all the time — sometimes leading to serious accidents.
Improper Loading and Securement
Cargo must be packed tightly or strapped down. If the trucker is transporting a liquid, the motion of the contents can change the feel of the truck from one moment to the next. Improper loading can cause a tractor-trailer to jackknife on turns.
The contents may also slam against the doors and fall into the roadway or come off the bed of an open truck. Imagine the danger of a 50 lb. box breaking free from a truck and hitting a car traveling at 65 mph.
Poor Inspection and Maintenance Practices
Trucks should receive maintenance every 15,000 miles traveled and receive a thorough inspection every 30,000 miles. Trucks exhibiting any safety issues should be taken out of service for repairs.
However, not all drivers or trucking companies are willing to lose the use of their rigs for repairs. Common maintenance issues that can cause accidents include:
- Faulty brakes
- Safety lights and signals not functioning
- Worn tire tread and tire blowouts
- Worn windshield wipers
- Broken trailer coupling devices
- Damaged mirrors
- Transmission failure
Our legal team can subpoena the maintenance records for the commercial truck that caused your accident. If the truck was improperly maintained, it could positively impact your settlement.
How These Causes Are Proven
The common causes of semi-truck accidents are well-known. Unfortunately, this doesn’t mean they’re always easy to prove. After all, how might someone show that a truck driver was texting while driving if no camera identified him engaging in this act? Luckily, an experienced Pompano Beach truck accident lawyer can often access evidence you may be unable to.
Proving the causes of large truck accidents requires a detailed investigation. This will include examining physical evidence, regulatory records, and electronic data. Your attorney will start by sending a spoliation letter to ensure critical evidence is not “lost” or destroyed. The following are just a few of the other types of evidence your lawyer may access:
- Electronic Control Module (i.e., black box)
- Dashcam footage
- Cell phone records
- GPS data
- Electronic logging devices (ELDs)
- Maintenance and inspection logs
- Cargo reports
Additional evidence can be gathered through evidence reconstruction and other investigatory approaches. Put simply, there are often droves of evidence in big rig collisions – even if such evidence isn’t immediately obvious. At Long & Jean, P.A., our dedicated team of legal professionals knows that you’re dealing with a lot.
Let us handle the investigation on your behalf so you have less to worry about. Contact us today for a free case evaluation.
What to Do After a Truck Crash
What you do in the first minutes and hours after a crash can impact your physical and financial recovery. We recognize that you may be reading some of these tips long after you’ve left the scene of the accident. The most important step you can take if you’ve already experienced a collision and received medical treatment is to call our office.
Get to a Place of Safety
If your car is drivable, move it off the roadway. If you believe hazardous materials are involved, put a mile or more between you and the accident to ensure your physical safety. Nothing is more important than your physical well-being, so put distance between you and any immediate danger. If you exit your vehicle, watch for traffic and other road hazards.
Call 911
The dispatcher will simultaneously be sending units as they take your information. The dispatcher will need a description of the vehicles involved, the types of injuries, your exact location, and whether you can read the placards on the commercial vehicle. Follow their instructions.
Take Photos or Video
From a safe location, take pictures or video of the crash scene. You’ll want to include vehicle damage, debris in the roadway, visible injuries, markings on the truck, placards, etc. It’s important to keep in mind that conditions may not allow you to complete this step. Under no circumstances should you put yourself in harm’s way to obtain evidence.
Talk to Witnesses
If anyone stops to render assistance, ask them to remain on the scene to talk to the police. If they insist on leaving, ask them for their contact information. Our office can contact them later.
Immediately Seek Medical Attention
Whether you feel injured in the moment or not, allow the EMTs to examine you on the scene. Allow them to transport you if they recommend it. If not, follow up with your doctor. Establishing a baseline for your injuries can help your legal team establish that they were the result of the trucking accident.
Avoid Making Statements
Insurance companies offering coverage to truckers and trucking companies have professional legal teams that help them avoid liability. Their lawyers and adjusters tend to be extremely proactive. Consequently, it’s not unusual to hear from an adjuster at the scene of the accident or within 24 hours of it occurring.
The first thing that they will do is to try to get you to go on record about the accident. It’s within your rights to defer speaking about it and tell them you’re seeking legal counsel. They will then try to talk to you about finding a lawyer. They may offer you immediate payment to cover your medical bills, lost wages, and a little extra for your inconvenience.
However, you are not going to know the full cost of your accident immediately. Additionally, you may be eligible for pain and suffering damages that the adjuster will not include. Insurance companies don’t want you to speak to a truck accident lawyer in Pompano Beach because they know that the average settlements are much higher among accident victims with legal counsel.
Why Long & Jean, P.A.?
Long & Jean, P.A. has helped hundreds of South Florida accident victims receive full and fair settlements. We have the experience and resources to take on the big companies that insure truckers, but we also take a personal approach to our client relations. When our clients face injuries due to the common causes of truck accidents, we advocate for them relentlessly.
Among the services we provide on a contingency basis are:
- Gather police reports, medical reports, and other documentary evidence
- Retain the services of accident reconstruction experts and medical experts who can provide expert testimony relevant to your case
- Subpoena and depose all witnesses, including the truck driver and first responders, who were on the crash scene
- Issue letters of protection to medical providers so that they can be assured of payment once the case concludes
- Tabulate all economic and non-economic damages to prepare a demand letter
- Negotiate with the responsible parties to reach a full settlement
- Litigate the case through the civil court of jurisdiction
Have you been injured in a commercial truck accident in South Florida? Long & Jean, P.A. has the experience and resources to ensure you receive full and fair compensation from the responsible parties. And as a local law firm, we’re familiar with nearby routes and corridors.
