Boca Raton Truck Accident Lawyers
Knowledgeable & Experienced Legal Professionals Fighting for Your Best Interests
Commercial trucks are central to the well-functioning economy. Nevertheless, these vehicles are terrifying given their size and weight. In a collision with a commercial truck, any pedestrian or occupant of a passenger sedan will suffer the brunt of the damage.
At Smith, Ball, Báez & Prather , we understand how complicated these cases are. Truck accidents are nothing like car accidents, and you need a lawyer who understands all the unique wrinkles. Contact our Boca Raton truck accident lawyers today at 561-500-HELP to schedule a free consultation.
Types of Truck Accidents
Collisions are frightening. Some of the more common involving semi-trucks include:
- The truck rides up into the trunk and the back seat when it hits a vehicle in front of it.
- A car can slide under the back or side of the truck.
- In this accident, the trailer swings out at a 90-degree angle in relation to the cab. The trailer can swipe at vehicles in adjoining lanes.
- Unbalanced cargo can make a big rig unsteady, leading to collisions.
Why Truck Accidents Occur
In some cases, the driver of a passenger vehicle is to blame for an accident. For example, a driver might cut off a big rig, leaving it no room to brake before a crash. But in many cases, the truck driver or another entity is to blame.
We have seen the following as key causes of truck accidents:
- Driver distraction
- Impairment by drugs, alcohol, or over-the-counter medications
- Driver fatigue
- Driver confusion
- Unbalanced cargo
- Speeding or driving too fast for conditions
- Malfunctioning brakes or other part
The federal government closely regulates the trucking industry and has adopted rules regulating the maximum amount of time a trucker can drive and whether he can use a cell phone. Nevertheless, this is a competitive industry, and many truckers feel pressure to bend the rules, leading to wrecks.
How Truck Accidents Differ from Car Accidents
As seasoned truck accident lawyers in Boca Raton, we understand that these cases are markedly different from regular car accidents.
For example, the trucking company usually has an investigator at the scene of the wreck in an hour or two. This person is busily gathering evidence to use on behalf of the trucking company. Injured motorists need someone in their corner to collect evidence.
The trucking company also aggressively defends these cases, often because the injuries are more serious than what you see in a car accident. More money is in play, so defendants have an incentive to fight off claims. Our clients have suffered life-changing injuries in many crashes, and some suffer permanent disabilities.
Another key difference: in truck accidents, there are often more defendants to sue. In addition to the truck driver, we have often sued the trucking company, the company that loaded cargo, and sometimes mechanics who worked on the truck. In the typical car accident case, by contrast, we typically only sue the other driver.
Speak with Boca Raton Truck Accident Attorneys Smith, Ball, Báez & Prather Today
The days following a truck accident are critical. We will gladly meet with injured victims and their families to review what happened in the moments leading up to the collision.
Please contact Smith, Ball, Báez & Prather to schedule a free consultation.
