When a truck accident occurs, the injuries that result can be so catastrophic that a victim will require constant care. As you can easily imagine, this will lead to an incredible accumulation of medical bills. No injury victim should have to shoulder the financial burden caused by an accident caused by someone else’s negligence. An experienced truck accident attorney could help make those responsible for the accident face accountability.
The attorneys with Keller, Melchiorre & Walsh not only have a great deal of experience, we also obtain positive results on behalf of our clients on a regular basis. When you choose our firm, we guarantee we’ll work extremely hard to make sure justice is served, and that you obtain every bit of compensation you deserve.
Contact us online or call (561) 295-5825 for a free evaluation of your case.
Florida vs. United States: Truck Accident Statistics
No matter where you are in the country, truck accidents occur far too often. But Florida is especially prone to them. In fact, it’s one of the three worst states for accidents involving large vehicles such as commercial trucks. In 2019 alone, 182 of these accidents proved fatal, tragically leading to 202 deaths.
The U.S. as a whole continues to see an incredibly large number of trucking accidents. There were 5,237 fatal crashes in 2019 that involved large trucks.
Types of Truck Accident Cases KMW Handles
Our truck accident attorneys have helped clients who were severely hurt in a wide variety of collisions. These are just a few that we handle the most often.
- Lost load accidents. Trucks can weigh as much as 40 tons when fully loaded – with a major percentage of that weight associated with the cargo they carry. Loaders have to take a great deal of care when doing their jobs, because if cargo comes loose, that can result in a sudden weight shift. When this happens, it will almost be a certainty that the truck will become impossible to control.
- Underride and override accidents. Both of these accidents can have particularly horrible consequences. When a truck comes to a sudden stop, and it doesn’t have an underride guard (which, incredibly, many don’t – even though they’re required to), any passenger car behind the truck can slam into the bottom of the truck. The top of that care will typically be sheared off in the process. Override accidents occur in the opposite direction. The car may stop suddenly, and the truck rolls over the top – crushing it as a result. In both accidents, anyone in the passenger vehicle will likely not be able to survive.
- Tire blowouts. Not only will a truck driver lose control if a tire blows out, the remnants of the tire can pose major hazards for other motorists on the road.
Where Do Truck Accidents Occur?
Whenever a huge truck and a passenger car are on the same road, an accident can occur. It really doesn’t matter whether the setting is a major highway, a busy intersection, or anywhere else.
Most people don’t realize that many of these accidents occur in rural settings. When vehicles are in highly populated areas, drivers tend to be more alert. There are a lot of exceptions, of course, but, for the most part, motorists are more aware of their surroundings. In rural areas, however, truckers will oftentimes be more tempted to drive too fast, since there aren’t nearly as many other vehicles around them.
Injuries Commonly Caused by Truck Accidents
Trucks are obviously a lot bigger than the average passenger vehicle. That’s the main reason why truck accidents result in more severe injuries. The drivers and other occupants of the smaller cars are subjected to much stronger forces, and these forces lead to catastrophic, life-altering injuries. These include the following:
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Internal injuries
- And many others
Determining Liability in a Miami Truck Accident Case
If someone is seriously hurt in a truck accident, it will be imperative that their attorney determine who is to blame. Truck accidents aren’t like the typical car wreck, but there will commonly be more than one party responsible.
The truck driver, of course, will take a great deal of the blame. But there can be other parties that contributed to the wreck. For example, the tire may have blown because it was defective, opening the door for a lawsuit against the manufacturer. The company that loaded the truck could be liable as well if the cargo came loose and caused the driver to lose control.
Types of Evidence We May Use to Build Your Injury Claim
But in order to determine all the potentially liable parties, your attorney is going to have to conduct a detailed investigation of not only who is to blame, but also why the accident occurred.
This investigation must begin as quickly as possible, because it will involve going to the accident scene to look for evidence. This could include skid marks, guardrail damage, and other clues. But road conditions can change very quickly for a lot of reasons. These include weather, construction, and more.
That’s just one of the reasons why you’ll need to get legal help as soon as you can. Otherwise, that critical evidence could be lost forever – and with it, your chances of obtaining maximum compensation.
Types of Damages You Can Recover From a Miami Truck Accident
There are two main types of damages – economic and non-economic. You may be able obtain compensation for not only your medical expenses, lost wages and property damage, but also more subjective damages. These include pain and suffering, emotional and mental trauma and others.
Why Hire a Miami Truck Accident Attorney?
Because you won’t have a chance of getting what you deserve without one. Trucking companies and their insurers fight very hard – and sometimes very dirty – in order to avoid having to pay injury victims. These policies can easily be worth $1 million or even $2 million, since injuries resulting from truck accidents are typically so devastating. A skilled attorney will be able to defeat even the most formidable opposition.
Contact KMW After Your Miami Truck Accident
Get in touch with Keller, Melchiorre & Walsh right away so we can put our knowledge, skill and resources to work for you. Schedule a free consultation by calling (561) 295-5825 or contacting us online.