Truck Accident

Semi trucks are an integral part of our shipping and commerce methods, throughout the U.S. and certainly throughout Florida.

The tough job many of our truck drivers have to perform is appreciated, as they deliver goods we depend: water, food, fuel, building supplies, etc.

Unfortunately, and tragically, from time to time, there is a serious truck accident. And when it comes to tractor trailer accidents, the results are hardly ever minor.

Recently, for example, there was a string of fatal truck crashes in Southwest Florida over a period of weeks. Truck drivers died in collisions with other semi trucks. More often, a highway accident involving a big rig results in a traffic fatality for the driver and occupants of the other, smaller, vehicle.

As the years have passed and more consumers buy products over the internet, shipping those goods has meant a boom in the trucking business, as well as more 18 wheeler congestion on our roads.

Trucking firms and drivers are as pressed as ever to meet deadlines and quotas. At the heart of this complex network are the need for speed (which trucking companies call "efficiency"), increased highway traffic, and the results of when trucks and cars don't mix: trucking accidents.

Causes of Trucking Accidents

Sometimes the truck crash is the result of equipment failure, and others it is the fault of the truck driver.

Large big rigs - tractor trailers, 18 wheelers, dump trucks -- can weigh tens of tens of thousands of pounds. To be able to quickly stop that amount of weight in the face of an imminent highway crash can be near impossible without causing some damage. Here are some example where in which a truck driver can lose control, even though he or she is paying attention to the road:

Tire Blow Up

Some of these semi trucks have as much as 18 wheels, but that doesn't imply they're completely safe from tire failure. Even a temporary off-balancing impact can have critical consequences, resulting in unexpected load shifting or trailer rolling.

Load Shift

If a truck load is not tied down correctly, whether on a flatbed truck or inside a trailer, or if the truck load is unbalanced, then the shifting from the weight during transport can bring about the driver to lose control.

Maintenance and Inspection Failure 

Rigs have complicated engines and parts that must be able to handle big loads. If maintenance and inspections are lax, then the door becomes open for semi truck failure.

Brake Trouble 

The braking system of a semi truck is critical to the truck's performance and safety. Transporting heavy freight and bringing it to a complete stop calls for an enhanced braking system, as well as the truck driver's judgment for time and distance. If the tractor trailer truck's brakes aren't performing optimally, then stopping procedure is usually compromised. This often leads to a tragic traffic crash.

Any one who travels our Southwest Florida roads on a routine basis understands how unsafe driving can be. They also know how precarious maneuvering near and around big rig trucks can really feel. If car drivers are not at their best, then a tragic truck accident can occur. 

Unfortunately, truck drivers can often be distracted the same, if not more, than motor vehicle drivers. Some examples of truck driver negligence include the following: 

Driver Fatigue

The pressures to deliver on time, or even early for a bonus, weigh heavily on truck owners. They may be generally tempted to forego the mandatory breaks (As stated by law) and drive significantly longer than they may be comfortable with. Fatigue is sneaky and can set in previous to the driver realizes he and the other drivers around the road are in peril.

Violations of Trucking Regulations

Federal and Florida laws and regulations govern many aspects of semi truck driving, from hours of driving, to record keeping, to truck maintenance, to truck driver regulations. When trucking companies and their truck drives fail to comply with these safety regulations, then there is increased risk for a serious semi truck crash.

Aggressive Driving 

For factors just like delivery time and personal anxiety, semi truck drivers that give in to aggressive driving set other motorists at critical danger of a fatal truck accident.

Driver Error and Driver Distraction 

Often motorists merely make an error in judgment, cut a corner too thin, or otherwise screw up, and the result may be a fender bender with little property damage and no personal injury. Unfortunately, truck driver inattention or distraction can be disastrous. Texting while driving, fiddling with the truck's navigation system or GPS, driving while talking on a cell phone, are all dangerous actions which increase the risk of a serious trucking accident or highway crash.

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Seriously Injured in a Truck Crash? Contact a Serious Law Firm

Victims of a semi truck crash or tractor trailer accident have a choice when choosing an experienced personal injury law firm. At the Harris Law Firm, an experienced accident attorney will handle your claim from intake through conclusion, whether that means settlement or trial.

Check our qualifications, and then contact us to assess the serious Florida truck accident injury claim.  Your trucking accident claim case will be personally handled by a lawyer injury victims can trust to be experienced, ethical, and dedicated to you and your family.

We proudly serve clients throughout Florida.

Because we live here in Southwest Florida, a personal injury lawyer proudly serves injured persons in Arcadia, Alva, Bonita Springs, Bradenton, Cape Coral, Clewiston, Collier, DeSoto County, Englewood, Estero, Felda, Fort Myers, Ft Myers, Glades County, Golden Gate, Hardee County, Hendry County, Highlands County, Immokalee, La Belle, Labelle, Lake Placid, Lee County, Lehigh, Lehigh Acres, Manatee County, Moore Haven, Naples, Nokomis, North Port, Osprey, Palmdale, Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda, Sarasota, Sebring, Venice.

We provide aggressive, prompt, and ethical advocacy on behalf of individuals and families who have suffered serious injury because of a semi accident, 18 wheeler accident, tractor trailer accident, or other serious car truck accident.

Most importantly, we care. Because at the Harris Law Firm, helping injured persons is what we do.

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