Truck Accidents

Accidents Involving Commercial Trucks Can Have Severe Consequences. Contact Us to Speak With a Tallahassee Truck Accident Lawyer About Your Case.

Collisions involving large commercial trucks cause a disproportionate number of severe injuries and deaths, and it is not hard to see why. These trucks are the largest vehicles on the road, and once they get moving they can be extremely difficult to control. Jackknifes, pileups, rollovers and other serious accidents are common throughout the Florida Panhandle and South Georgia. If you have been injured or lost a loved one, it is important that you speak with a Tallahassee truck accident lawyer as soon as possible.

For more than four decades, our firm has been fighting for accident victims and families who have lost loved ones in commercial trucking accidents. With offices in Tallahassee, we handle cases throughout North Florida and South Georgia, including cases involving collisions on I-10 and I-75. Our lawyers are aggressive and compassionate advocates for our clients, and they have a proven record of success in insurance settlement negotiations and at trial. Regardless of what happened, if you and your family are entitled to financial compensation, we can make sure you receive the compensation you deserve.

Most Causes of Commercial Truck Accidents in Florida Fall into Three Categories

When seeking financial compensation after a commercial truck accident, one of the first steps is to determine the cause (or causes) of the collision. Once you know what happened, then you can determine who was at fault, and then you can file a claim to recover your financial and non-financial losses. Most causes of commercial truck accidents will fall into one of three categories:

1. Truck Driver Negligence

As you might expect, a significant percentage of commercial truck accidents are the result of truck driver negligence. While inexperience is often a factor, even highly-experienced career truck drivers can make mistakes – and it only takes a split-second loss of concentration to cause a serious collision. Common forms of truck driver negligence include:

•       Aggressive and reckless driving, including speeding and tailgating
•       Braking too late or too harshly (which can cause the truck to jackknife)
•       Driving under the influence of alcohol, marijuana, sleep medications and other drugs
•       Driving while fatigued and falling asleep behind the wheel
•       Failing to yield, merging without looking, and other driving mistakes
•       Running red lights and stop signs
•       Talking on the phone, texting, communicating with dispatch and other forms of distracted driving

When truck driver negligence is to blame for an accident, the driver’s employer (i.e. the trucking company) can be held “vicariously liable” for all victims’ losses. This means that victims can pursue claims against the trucking company instead of pursuing claims against the individual truck driver. In many cases, trucking companies can also face direct liability for mistakes such as hiring inexperienced drivers and forcing their drivers to spend too many hours behind the wheel.

2. Truck-Related Factors

In some cases, issues with the truck itself will make it difficult (if not impossible) for the truck driver to avoid a dangerous accident. With the sheer size and weight of 18-wheelers, tractor trailers, tankers and other large commercial trucks, all types of issues have the potential to cause serious consequences. Examples of truck-related factors that can cause and contribute to commercial trucking collisions include:

•       Exceeding the truck’s gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR)
•       Failing to perform necessary truck maintenance
•       Failing to pressurize liquid cargo
•       Failing to secure cargo
•       Loading cargo with an unequal weight distribution
•       Negligent truck maintenance or repair work
•       Truck defects (i.e. defective tires, brakes, or cargo straps or ties)

Depending on the specific issue involved, the trucking company, shipping company, truck manufacturer and various other companies could all be liable for victims’ injuries. While many claims involving truck-related factors are based on the law of negligence, in some cases, accident victims and families will be entitled to compensation based on the law of “strict liability.” While proof of negligence is not required in strict liability cases, there are other factors that make these cases particularly challenging. At Searcy Denney, we are well-known for our strict liability practice, and we have won substantial verdicts on behalf of trucking accident victims and other clients across the country.  Speak with a Tallahassee truck accident lawyer at our firm today.

3. Third-Party Liability

While most commercial trucking accidents involve truck driver negligence and other truck-related factors, there is also a strong possibility of other factors coming into play. When we investigate truck accidents in Tallahassee and the surrounding areas, our lawyers thoroughly examine all of the available evidence in order to identify all of the parties that are responsible for our clients’ losses. For example, depending on the circumstances involved, in addition to the types of claims listed above, victims and families may also be entitled to financial compensation for:

•       Construction debris, signs, and other road hazards and visual obstructions
•       Defects and maintenance issues affecting other vehicles involved in the collision
•       Negligence on the part of other drivers involved in the collision
•       Road design, construction and maintenance issues
•       Other forms of negligence and strict liability

We Have a Proven Track Record of Success in Truck Accident Insurance Negotiations and Litigation

Due to the unique and complex issues involved in commercial truck accident cases in North Florida and South Georgia, accident victims and families need to work with attorneys who have specific experience in truck accident insurance negotiations and litigation. The attorneys in our Tallahassee office have been fighting for victims and families for decades, and we believe that our results speak for themselves. In order to protect your legal rights, you need to hire a law firm to conduct an investigation as soon as possible. Our lawyers are available 24/7, and we are prepared to begin working on your case immediately.

Get Started with a Free Initial Consultation. Let a Tallahassee Truck Accident Lawyer Help.

To speak with a Tallahassee truck accident lawyer at Searcy Denney about your case, please call 800-780-8607 or contact us online. Your initial consultation is completely free, and you pay nothing unless we help you and your family recover just compensation.