Florida roads are filled with vehicles. From tourists to residents, our highways and side streets are among the busiest in the nation. All of that traffic means that accidents here are far too common. Luckily, many of these accidents are relatively minor in the grand scheme of things. But some are incredibly serious, and among the most serious are accidents that involve a commercial truck.
The reason is obvious – commercial trucks have much larger masses, and their size means that in a collision with passenger vehicles the injuries can be profound. Physical recovery is very difficult, but making matters worse is the financial burden that serious injuries can put on your shoulders.
However, you do have rights. While Florida law requires every driver to carry Personal Injury Protection insurance policies, you may have the right to go beyond that and get compensation for your injuries through a personal injury lawsuit.
Your Basic Rights
Florida law allows those hurt in an accident to file a lawsuit and receive compensation if they can prove that their injuries were caused as a direct result of the reckless or negligent actions of someone else.
This can mean different things, but when it comes to accidents involving commercial trucks some of the main examples of what constitutes negligence or recklessness includes the following: • Speeding
• Drunk driving
• Driving while on drugs
• Texting while driving or other distracted driving issues
• Driving while fatigued
• Driving beyond the legally allowed number of hours or miles
That last point is well worth paying attention to. US law has strict limitations on how much a commercial driver is allowed to operate their vehicle. They must keep very accurate logs of how much they have driven, and if they drive beyond what is allowed then they could be held liable for an accident.
The Trucking Company
Another big factor in commercial trucking accidents will be the trucking company itself. There are a couple of points here. The first is that there is a strong possibility that a trucking company may be held liable along with the driver.
This is true if it can be shown that the trucking company contributed to the accident. They may have required their driver to operate their vehicle longer than was legal, or failed to maintain their vehicles properly. If this is the case, you may be able to file a lawsuit against the trucking company.
However, the flipside of this is that the trucking company will have deeper pockets and more resources to fight against a claim. As such, the process of getting compensation will often be very difficult for those hurt by a commercial truck.
Finding a good attorney is the only way to ensure that you are able to stand up to the other side and get the restitution that you are owed.
Getting What You Deserve
If you’ve been injured in an accident involving a commercial truck, it’s in your best interests to get the help of a skilled professional attorney. Our lawyers have decades of experience in personal injury law including
trucking accidents, and have helped recover millions for our clients. Getting the right kind of compensation is a must when trying to get back on your feet following a trucking accident, and our team is here to help. Contact us today to learn more about what we can do for you and how our team can help you get back on your feet after an accident.
