Fort Lauderdale, a bustling hub for both maritime and air freight, sees a constant flow of semi-truck traffic. With Port Everglades ranking as a top container port and the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport handling substantial air cargo, tractor-trailers are a common sight on highways like I-95 and I-595. This heavy truck traffic, while vital for commerce, increases the risk of accidents, making the expertise of a Fort Lauderdale truck accident lawyer invaluable for those involved in such collisions.
All of this non-stop truck traffic day and night creates special dangers for passenger vehicles on the road. In 2019, Broward County saw 4,312 commercial motor vehicle accidents, yielding 1,083 injuries and 12 deaths. Broward ranks as the number two county in the state when it comes to truck accidents. Far and away, injuries and deaths in truck accidents fall to the occupants of the smaller and lighter passenger cars as opposed to the drivers of the big rigs.
Unfortunately, collisions with an 18-wheeler are highly likely to end in catastrophic injury or require a Fort Lauderdale wrongful death attorney. After a truck accident, it’s imperative to get help from an experienced and successful truck accident lawyer who knows what to do to make sure you get the appropriate level of care and compensation. Fort Lauderdale truck accident lawyer Eric Rosen is a Florida Board-Certified Specialist with a record of success taking on large corporations and winning significant verdicts. Let Rosen Injury Law, P.A. help you if you’ve been the victim of an 18-wheeler truck accident in Fort Lauderdale.
Types of Truck Accidents a Fort Lauderdale Truck Accident Lawyer Can Help You With
Fort Lauderdale’s bustling highways and intersections witness a range of truck accidents, each posing unique challenges for victims. Some of the most common types include:
- Jackknife Accidents: These happen when a truck’s trailer folds at an angle, usually from hard braking or slick roads. Jackknifes can block multiple lanes and cause devastating multi-vehicle collisions.
- Rollover Accidents: Trucks are prone to rollovers due to their high center of gravity. These accidents are often caused by sharp turns, overloading, or uneven cargo distribution. Rollovers can result in severe injuries to truck drivers and occupants of other vehicles.
- Rear-End Collisions: Due to their size and weight, trucks need a longer stopping distance. Rear-end collisions with trucks can be particularly dangerous for passenger vehicles, often leading to catastrophic injuries.
- Underride Accidents: These happen when a smaller vehicle goes under a truck’s trailer during a crash, often causing serious harm or death. Side underride accidents are especially concerning as many trucks lack side guards.
- Head-On Collisions: While less frequent, head-on collisions with trucks are often devastating due to the immense force involved. These accidents can be caused by driver fatigue, distraction, or impairment.
Every truck accident has unique legal challenges. That’s why our Fort Lauderdale car accident lawyers always strive to be the best they can to help you navigate your specific situation and build a compelling case for compensation.
Causes of Fort Lauderdale Truck Accidents
Overworked truck drivers are a leading cause of commercial truck accidents in Fort Lauderdale. Drowsy driving and fatigue can affect any driver, but commercial truckers are more at risk due to the long, punishing hours they put behind the wheel of their rig day in and day out. Under current federal regulations, truck drivers can legally work for 14 hours at a stretch, including 11 hours of driving time, before being required to take as little as 10 hours off. These limits can even be extended legally in certain circumstances.
Truckers can also work as much as 60 hours in a seven-day period or 70 hours over eight days before having to take off just 34 hours to restart. Truckers can go eight hours at a stretch before being forced to take a 30-minute break.
Despite these generous rules for truck driver hours of service, truckers routinely break the law and drive even longer than is legal or safe. Drowsy driving can lead to inattention, distraction, delayed reactions, poor judgment, and even falling asleep at the wheel. A negligent truck driver can significantly increase the risk of accidents, making it crucial to identify and address negligence to hold the driver and trucking company accountable.
Poor truck maintenance is another serious issue leading to Florida truck accidents. The nation’s truck fleet is in such poor condition that annual roadside inspections result in one of every five trucks inspected being immediately pulled from service due to dangerously defective tires or brakes or serious safety issues with coupling devices, signal lights, mirrors and other vital safety equipment.
Improperly loaded trucks are yet another danger on the road. A truck that is unbalanced or overloaded can cause the driver to lose control, sending the tractor-trailer into a jackknife or rollover accident with frightening results.
Drivers of smaller vehicles are also at risk of serious injury or death in an underride accident. An underride occurs when a car and truck collide, and the car is sent underneath the trailer in the crash. Most trucks are equipped with rear underride guards, but the older guards are no match for later generations of heavier cars. Federal regulations have yet to require guards on the sides of trailers, and few trucking companies bother to install them.
Injuries Commonly Seen in Fort Lauderdale Truck Accidents
The sheer size and weight of commercial trucks make accidents involving them particularly dangerous, often resulting in serious injuries. Victims often suffer severe and life-altering injuries, such as:
- Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI): TBIs can result in cognitive impairments, memory loss, and personality changes. Contact a brain injury attorney in Fort Lauderdale today.
- Spinal Cord Injuries: These injuries can lead to paralysis, loss of sensation, and chronic pain. Don’t hesitate to reach out to a Fort Lauderdale spinal cord injury lawyer to review your case.
- Broken Bones and Fractures: Truck accidents can cause multiple fractures, requiring extensive medical treatment and rehabilitation.
- Internal Injuries: Internal bleeding and organ damage can be life-threatening and require immediate medical attention.
- Burns and Lacerations: Accidents involving fires or explosions can cause severe burns, while flying debris can lead to deep lacerations. Our Fort Lauderdale burn injury lawyers are here for you every step of the way.
These injuries often require extensive medical treatment, rehabilitation, and ongoing care. A Fort Lauderdale truck accident attorney can help you pursue compensation for all your medical expenses, both current and future.
What Happens After a Trucking Accident In Fort Lauderdale?
When Rosen Injury Law, P.A. is informed of a trucking accident in Fort Lauderdale, our team of Fort Lauderdale personal injury attorneys goes to work right away investigating the accident and securing evidence that shows what happened. As a truck accident victim, it is crucial to gather evidence and build a strong case to advocate for your needs and rights. Trucking company insurance carriers are often quick on the scene with a check to make the matter go away, but their offers to unrepresented injury victims are far too low.
We use our knowledge and experience to identify all liable parties to a complex truck accident and build cases that prove each responsible party’s liability to the injury victim. When the time is right, we settle for an appropriate amount or take the case to court to secure a significant jury verdict that fully compensates our clients for the harm done to them.
What to Do After a Truck Accident in Fort Lauderdale
The aftermath of a truck accident can be overwhelming. However, taking the right steps can protect your rights and help you secure the compensation you deserve. Here’s what to do:
- Prioritize Your Health: Seeking medical attention should be your first step, even if you feel okay. Some injuries may not show symptoms right away, so a medical professional’s evaluation is crucial.
- Document the Scene: If you’re able, take pictures of the accident, your injuries, and any damage to your car. Get contact details from people who saw what happened.
- Contact a Fort Lauderdale Truck Accident Lawyer: An experienced attorney can guide you through the legal process, investigate the accident, and negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf. Proper legal representation is crucial for a successful truck accident claim.
- Avoid Talking to the Trucking Company’s Insurance Adjuster: They may try to get you to settle for less than you deserve. Let your lawyer handle all communication with the insurance company.
- Focus on Your Recovery: Your physical and emotional well-being is essential. Let your lawyer handle the legal complexities while you focus on healing.
How a Fort Lauderdale Truck Accident Lawyer Can Help
A Fort Lauderdale truck accident lawyer with the best intentions can provide invaluable assistance in the aftermath of a collision. Truck accident attorneys can:
- Investigate the Accident: Thoroughly investigate the accident to determine liability and gather evidence to support your claim.
- Identify Liable Parties: Truck accidents often involve multiple parties, such as the truck driver, trucking company, cargo loaders, and maintenance providers. A lawyer can identify all responsible parties and hold them accountable.
- Negotiate with Insurance Companies: Insurance companies often try to minimize payouts. A capable attorney will fight tirelessly to get you the best possible settlement.
- Fight for You in Court: If a fair agreement can’t be made, your lawyer is ready to take your case to trial and advocate for your rights.
- Provide Support and Guidance: Truck accident lawyers can offer emotional support and guidance throughout the legal process, answering your questions and addressing your concerns.
Why Choose Rosen Injury for Your Fort Lauderdale Mack Truck Accident Case?
We offer our clients several advantages, including:
- Complimentary Consultations: We offer free initial consultations to discuss your case and explore your legal options without any obligation.
- No Fees Unless We Win: Our services operate on a contingency fee basis, meaning you only pay us if we successfully secure compensation for you.
- Personal attention: We take the time to get to know each of our clients and their individual needs. We provide our clients with the best personal attention and support throughout the legal process.
- Aggressive advocacy: We are aggressive advocates for our clients. We will fight hard to get you the maximum compensation possible for your injuries and losses.
Get Help With Truck Accidents in Fort Lauderdale
If you or a loved one has been hurt in a Fort Lauderdale truck accident, call Rosen Injury Law, P.A. at 954-787-1500 for a free consultation, and find out how we can help you get the care and compensation you need after being injured in a truck accident through no fault of your own.