Florida Rear-End Truck Accident Lawyer
A rear-end truck accident can instantly change the course of your life. Commercial trucks can weigh 20 to 30 times more than passenger vehicles, making the risk of severe injuries a serious threat on Florida roads. Accident victims often require extensive medical treatment and rehabilitation to heal — and sadly, some have no guarantees for a full recovery.
Did you suffer serious injuries in a rear-end truck collision? You could be entitled to financial compensation if the truck driver or another party caused the accident. A Florida truck accident attorney at Paul Knopf Bigger can review your case and help you seek compensation for everything you’ve endured. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Understanding Rear-End Truck Accidents
Rear-end truck crashes happen for various reasons but have three basic configurations:
- A semi-truck collides with the rear of a motor vehicle in front of it.
- A car slams into the back of a commercial truck.
- A driver rear-ends a vehicle ahead of them, sending that car into the back of a truck in a chain-reaction accident.
No matter how the rear-end collision happens, all are capable of causing severe harm. When a truck rear-ends another vehicle, it could force it off the road or into another lane. A passenger car that strikes a large truck from behind could slide underneath the trailer in a horrific underride accident, with potentially catastrophic consequences.
Causes of Rear-End Truck Accidents
Rear-end truck wrecks have many potential causes. They include:
- Sudden braking
- Tailgating
- Distracted driving
- Brake failure or similar mechanical failure
- Intoxication
- Speeding
- Fatigue
- Aggressive driving
- Failure to use headlights
- Overweight truck loads
- Ignoring traffic signs or signals
- Traveling in the wrong lane
External factors may also contribute to trucking accidents. For example, inclement weather conditions can increase the possibility of a truck wreck. Truck drivers and motorists should adjust their driving accordingly.
Road conditions may also contribute to commercial motor vehicle accidents. Government agencies have a responsibility to help guard against crashes by monitoring for hazardous conditions and addressing any problems promptly.
Types of Injuries After a Truck Rear-End Accident
Tragically, some rear-end truck accidents result in death. But even when a truck crash isn’t fatal, accident victims can suffer serious and catastrophic injuries. Examples of common rear-end truck wreck injuries include:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Spinal cord injuries
- Cuts and lacerations
- Neck fractures, whiplash, and nerve damage
- Herniated discs
- Internal bleeding
- Vital organ damage
- Broken bones
- Amputation
- Burns
- Loss of vision or hearing
The long-term consequences of these injuries can vary depending on their severity. For example, a spinal cord injury resulting from a rear-end collision can leave a victim permanently paralyzed and unable to work or live independently. They would likely need ongoing care throughout life and specialized medical equipment to support their daily needs. Paying for this care may be difficult even if their financial means are substantial.
Medical bills and lost wages aren’t the only hardships a victim might struggle with following a rear-end truck accident. They may also experience pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and other emotional effects.
Their loved ones might struggle as well. A permanent disability may prevent a victim from earning income to provide for their family in the same way they did before the crash.
These burdens are examples of the havoc a severe tractor-trailer crash can wreak on a victim’s life. They also demonstrate the types of losses victims can pursue when seeking compensation after a rear-end truck accident in Florida.
Seeking Compensation for Truck Accident Injuries
Florida follows a no-fault insurance model, meaning a driver’s personal injury protection (PIP) insurance serves as their first source of coverage, even if someone else causes a wreck. However, PIP insurance may be insufficient in the wake of a severe accident, in which case truck accident victims can pursue further claims against an at-fault truck driver’s liability insurance policy. But to do so, their injuries must exceed Florida’s threshold for a serious injury.
A lawyer can help you seek maximum compensation after a truck accident by:
- Investigating the crash to determine who is liable, such as the truck driver, trucking company, or other party
- Gathering evidence to document your losses, including medical bills, pay stubs, accident scene photos, witness statements, expert testimony, and more
- Completing and filing truck accident claim paperwork
- Negotiating with the insurance company for total and fair compensation
- Filing a personal injury lawsuit and going to trial if the insurance company won’t pay
Truck accidents may also involve exceptions to the no-fault law due to the regulations governing commercial trucks. An experienced truck accident lawyer can help you understand your rights and the role insurance and federal trucking regulations may play in your situation.
Preventing Rear-End Truck Accidents in Florida
Truck drivers and trucking companies should make all efforts to guard against rear-end truck crashes, including:
- Performing regular truck maintenance and scheduling necessary repairs immediately
- Hiring qualified truckers
- Adhering to all state and federal trucking regulations
- Installing guards on their trucks to prevent override and underride accidents
Steps that truckers and all other motorists can take to prevent rear-end accidents include:
- Maintaining a safe distance between vehicles
- Paying attention to their surroundings at all times
- Obeying the speed limit
- Adjusting their driving in inclement weather
- Consistently ensuring brakes are in good working order
- Avoiding parking on the shoulder or side of the road, except when necessary
- Not driving while under the influence of any intoxicating substances
- Not driving while drowsy
- Avoiding distracted driving
Depending on where you’re heading and how much time you have, you may even plan routes to avoid a high concentration of large trucks.
Contact Our Florida Rear-End Truck Accident Attorneys Today
Determining liability for a truck accident is complex, and numerous parties could be at fault. Maximize your chances of recovering full compensation by working with a skilled Florida truck accident lawyer.
The Tampa truck accident lawyers at Paul Knopf Bigger are experienced advocates with a track record of success in helping injured people throughout Florida. Call or contact us today for a free consultation with our trusted legal team.