Fort Lauderdale Truck Accident Lawyers
If you get hurt in a truck accident in Fort Lauderdale, you need someone on your side who will go the extra mile to protect your rights. You need a Fort Lauderdale truck accident lawyer to go up against a negligent truck driver, insurers, trucking companies, and their legal teams.
Because many parties are involved in these deadly trucking collisions, the situation is often more complicated than other, simpler traffic accidents.
That is why the Fort Lauderdale Truck Accident Lawyers at The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers is here to help you fight for the compensation and justice you deserve.
Are you a Florida truck accident victim? We are truck accident attorneys you can count on.
The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers—Who We Are
Since 2005, The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers has advocated for our clients, providing them with high-quality legal representation in a personalized atmosphere.
Our attorneys understand that success depends on gaining our client’s trust, the jury, and the judges we appear before. That is why we make it a point to be known for our utmost preparation and attention to detail.—
Our dedication, drive, and experience have won our clients millions in settlements and jury verdicts.
While these are just past examples and cannot guarantee an outcome in any case, The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers nonetheless brings our passion for obtaining the best outcome possible to every client’s case.
Types of Truck Accidents Cases We Handle
Typically, in Fort Lauderdale, these deadly truck accidents result from the following:
- Truck rollovers: These rollover accidents happen when a truck driver loses control. Consequently, the truck slides and rolls onto its side.
- Jackknife: When a large truck folds itself so that the cab and trailer form a 90-degree angle, it results in jackknifing. This usually occurs when a driver brakes hard and fast. As a result, the weight of the trailer brings it forward against the traction of the cab.
- Wide right turns: In wide turn situations, a driver is approaching an intersection with the intent to make a right turn. This leads to them turning into the first or second lanes, trapping pedestrians and vehicles.
- Blind spots: A truck’s blind spots are significant in trucking accidents. Often referred to as “No Zones,” these spots result when a truck driver cannot see other vehicles while changing lanes.
- Improper loads: When a truck is not loaded correctly or not secured, it can fall out and harm other motorists.
- T-bone: These T-bone accidents can happen when a truck runs a red light and hits another vehicle perpendicularly.
- Head-on: These head-on collisions are some of the most devastating crashes. They occur when a truck gets into an accident with another vehicle head-on.
- Rear-end: A rear-end crash results when a vehicle crashes into another vehicle in front of it. Generally, these accidents lead to property damage and injuries.
Common Causes of Trucking Accidents
Trucking accidents are often due to driver errors, nearly one-third of all fatal truck accidents.
Some of these common driving mistakes include:
- Speeding: When a truck driver decides to speed, it can result in a deadly crash. This is often because a truck’s force of impact is substantially more significant due to its increased speed and weight.
- Distracted driving: Looking down, texting, and even eating may seem harmless. But that quick glance away from the road can lead to a horrific trucking accident.
- Impairment: Drugs, alcohol, and even prescription medications can cause impaired driving.
- Failure to yield: These accidents occur when truck drivers fail to yield, resulting in a crash.
- Fatigue: Tired or fatigued driving is a significant problem in the trucking industry. Often, these truck drivers have to work long hours because of their schedules, and they need more sleep.
- Careless driving: When a truck driver is operating their rig without careful regard for others’ safety, this results in careless driving and can cause dangerous accidents.
Trucks are an essential part of the Fort Lauderdale economy. But all the traffic comes with an inevitable downside: trucking accidents. And, with them, severe and fatal injuries that inflict devastation on Fort Lauderdale residents, workers, and visitors.
The Toll of Truck Accidents in Fort Lauderdale
According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), Broward County has nearly 4,300 commercial motor vehicle crashes yearly.
Hot Spot Locations
The FDOT Report examined hot spots for truck accidents in Broward County and identified four locations with a high density of truck crashes within the Fort Lauderdale city limits:
- In the vicinity of I-95 and West Sunrise Boulevard
- In the vicinity of I-95 and West Broward Boulevard
- In the areas surrounding four intersections: I-95 and I-595, I-95 and Marina Mile, Marina Mile and I-595, and I-95 and David Blvd
- In the vicinity of I-95 and Powerline Road near the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport
Taking a closer look at the first two hotspots, the FDOT Report also concluded that the large truck was the vehicle primarily at fault in about 60 percent of the crashes at the I-95/West Sunrise location, and in about 53 percent of the crashes at the I-95/West Broward location. In the remainder of the accidents, the report attributed primary fault to a vehicle that was not a large truck involved in the crash.
Injuries and Costs
Fort Lauderdale-area truck accidents take the lives of roughly a dozen victims and injure another 1,000 victims every year. Survivors suffer extreme, life-altering injuries, including:
- Spinal cord injuries resulting in paralysis
- Traumatic brain injuries that cause comas or lifelong impairments
- Crushed and/or amputated limbs and appendages
- Burns and toxic exposures resulting from spills of flammable or dangerous truck cargo
- Severe lacerations, abrasions, and other injuries that cause blood loss, infection, and scars
- Internal injuries causing lasting health complications
- Broken bones, orthopedic injuries, and other harms that can result in chronic pain and disability even after they heal
These and other truck accident injuries cause significant physical pain. They also frequently inflict lasting emotional damage that takes a toll not just on truck accident victims, but also on family members, friends, and communities.
What Causes a Commercial Truck Accident?
An experienced Fort Lauderdale truck accident lawyer can help you no matter how your truck crash occurs. Whether you’re hit at a red light by a UPS truck or involved in a semi-truck accident on I-95, our lawyers are here to help.
Aggressive or Careless Maneuvers
The FDOT Report identified aggressive or careless driving maneuvers as the dominant driver error in most large truck accidents.
Aggressive and careless maneuvers can include:
- Driving too fast for road conditions
- Following too closely behind another vehicle
- Failing to check blind spots before turning or changing lanes
- Accelerating or braking erratically
- Failing to move over or leave space for other vehicles
Improper Maneuvers
The FDOT report also found improper maneuvers accounted for many truck driver errors that resulted in accidents in Fort Lauderdale and around the state.
Improper maneuvers include:
- Backing up in the wrong place or at the wrong time
- Making turns at dangerous locations in the road
- Dangerous passing maneuvers
- Failing to stay in the proper lane
- Running off the roadway
- Over-correcting or over-steering
- Swerving or other evasive actions due to road conditions (wind, slippery surfaces) or obstructions in the roadway
Illegal Maneuvers
Truck drivers engaging in illegal maneuvers also account for a significant number of truck crashes in Fort Lauderdale. They play an especially notable role in collisions between trucks and pedestrians, cyclists, and animals, contributing to the causes of nearly one-quarter (22 percent) accidents in Florida. Illegal maneuvers also constituted a primary cause in 11 percent of truck accidents involving collisions with other moving vehicles. The only category of
The sorts of illegal driving maneuvers that commonly cause Fort Lauderdale truck accidents include:
- Failure to yield the right-of-way at an intersection, merge, or other traffic conflict point
- Running a red light or a stop sign
- Exceeding the posted speed limit
- Driving on the wrong side of the road, or in the wrong direction on a one-way street
- Disregarding other traffic signs, control signals, or road markings
Vehicle Defects
Functional defects caused more Florida truck accidents overall than non-functional defects. Non-functional defects played the dominant role in two categories of crashes: truck collisions with pedestrians, cyclists, or animals and truck collisions with parked vehicles.
Driver Distraction/Vision Obstruction
The FDOT report found that driver distraction also played an essential role in causing truck accidents, particularly (as mentioned above) collisions with pedestrians, cyclists, and animals.
Forms of driver distraction include:
- Cell phone use (texting and driving)
- Eating or drinking behind the wheel while the vehicle is in motion
- Conversing with passengers
- Paying attention to a GPS
- External sights or events that distract drivers from the road ahead
Forms of visual obstruction include:
- Roadside vegetation
- Other vehicles or vehicle loads
- Traffic signs and billboards.
- Environmental factors
Despite the widespread use of smartphones and GPS devices, driver distractions external to the truck cab and visual obstructions played a larger role in causing truck crashes in Florida than distractions inside the cab.
Fatigued/Drowsy Driving
Research has identified fatigued or drowsy driving as a chronic and deadly problem among truck drivers, and has led to a host of regulations aimed at curbing the amount of time truck drivers spend behind the wheel.
Given the gravity of the problem of trucker fatigue, and the lower degree of regulation of intrastate truckers compared to interstate truckers in Florida, one might expect trucker fatigue to play a significant role in causing Fort Lauderdale truck crashes.
Common Fort Lauderdale Truck Accident Injuries
Common truck accident injuries include:
Head and Brain Injuries
If an individual suffers any head trauma, it can lead to injury to the brain. A head injury results when there is any harm to a victim’s skull, scalp, and brain. These head injuries include skull fractures, scalp wounds, and concussions.
Back and Neck Injuries
These injuries can range from slight neck pain to more severe harm, such as a dislocated spine disk. The neck and back are so critical to an individual’s everyday functions that these injuries can affect a person’s ability to work and perform daily activities.
Internal Bleeding and Injuries
Internal injuries and bleeding can result from blunt trauma or a penetrating injury.
Fractured Bones
A fractured bone is a broken bone. These fractured bones can be wholly or partially broken in numerous ways, including lengthwise, crosswise, and in multiple pieces.
Deep Lacerations
Lacerations or cuts are skin wounds. Lacerations often result from blunt trauma, while cuts typically occur from sharp objects. Unlike an abrasion, none of the skin goes missing following a laceration. However, these deep lacerations can leave massive scars and intense pain that lasts for a long time.
Torso and Rib Injuries
The rib cage is designed to protect the body’s vital organs. As a result, if you injure your torso and ribs in a trucking accident, it can result in not only excruciating pain but severe complications as well.
Spinal Cord Injuries and Paralysis
Spinal cord injuries are serious. When there is trauma to the spinal cord, it can result in a temporary, partial, or complete paralysis of the torso and lower body.
Severe Burns
Burns are tissue damage that occurs because of heat, overexposure to radiation, chemicals, electrical contact, and the sun. These burns can be minor issues or even lead to life-threatening injuries.
Disfigurement and Amputation
An amputation is the removal of a limb by illness, trauma, or surgery. Those who have to endure disfigurement or amputation are likely to need ongoing medical treatments and require adaptive devices such as prosthetics to help them function daily.
Wrongful Death
If you lose a family member or another loved one, you may want to consider a wrongful death lawsuit. Even though no amount of money can ever replace those you lost, a wrongful death claim can help compensate survivors who lost someone due to another individual’s negligence.
Fort Lauderdale Truck Accident FAQ
1. If I have was in a Fort Lauderdale truck accident, can I sue?
Yes, but Florida is a no-fault state, meaning that a driver’s own insurance covers their injuries following a motor vehicle accident.
You will first file a claim with your own insurance to get compensation when you are injured. However, this no-fault law also means you cannot pursue the at-fault party in court unless you meet certain conditions.
2. How much time do I have to file a truck accident lawsuit in Fort Lauderdale?
You have four years from the date of a truck accident to file a Fort Lauderdale truck accident claim. If you miss this filing deadline, you can be barred from pursuing compensation for your damages.
5. Will a trucking accident affect my insurance rates in Fort Lauderdale?
According to Florida laws, an insurance company is not allowed to raise your insurance rate following a Fort Lauderdale trucking accident if you file a claim because the other driver was uninsured or underinsured or if the other party was at fault.
6. If I am hurt in a Fort Lauderdale truck accident, who will cover my medical expenses?
Generally, according to Florida’s no-fault laws, your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) will cover up to 80 percent of your medical bills and 60 percent of your lost wages up to $10,000. Any remaining balance can be covered by other avenues, such as any additional insurance coverage you have, medical insurance, and the at-fault driver’s insurance coverage.
7. If you have been injured in a Fort Lauderdale truck accident, can you sue the trucking company?
Typically, if the truck driver is an employee of a trucking company, the company might be held responsible for their actions on the job. Yet, if the truck driver is an independent contractor, to pursue the trucking company, first figure out the relationship between the company and the truck driver.
8. My loved one has died in a Fort Lauderdale truck accident. Can I sue?
If your loved one has died in a trucking accident, depending on the circumstances, you can bring a wrongful death claim to recover damages.
9. If my spouse has died as a result of a truck accident, what damages can I collect?
If your spouse is killed in a Fort Lauderdale trucking accident, you can recover both economic and non-economic damages.
10. If the insurance company offers me a settlement offer following my truck accident, should I accept it?
When insurance companies offer you a settlement, it may not cover your current expenses.
12. How long will settling my Fort Lauderdale truck accident case take?
There is no way to determine how long it will take to resolve a truck accident case. Sometimes, it can take months, while other lawsuits can take years.
Figuring out Who Is at Fault Following Your Trucking Accident
As federal and state trucking regulations govern truck companies and their drivers, many parties can contribute to an accident or hold some legal responsibility for the damages, including:
- The drivers of the truck: According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, there are stringent regulations for those operating trucking vehicles.
- Trucking companies: Trucking companies are responsible for their employees accidents.
- Manufacturers and mechanics: Things can still go wrong even when a truck is checked regularly. Defective truck parts can lead to deadly accidents.
- Loading companies: Improper loading is one of the significant causes of trucking accidents. It can result in brake issues, safety problems, and burst tires.
- Government agencies: Florida’s government can be liable for harm due to a trucking accident—for example, if a municipal agency such as a sanitation department owns or operates a truck.
When a case has numerous defendants, it allows the victim to collect a larger settlement and verdict potentially. However, it can also result in numerous challenges.
Why You Need The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers Helping You in a Fort Lauderdale Truck Accident Lawsuit
If you were in a trucking accident, you need an experienced Fort Lauderdale legal team. At The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers, our attorneys will:
- Investigate: Our legal team can thoroughly investigate the trucking accident. We can analyze the black box data and check if the driver was involved in any erratic driving behavior, such as wild steering, swerving, or even failing to brake.
- Communication: Following a trucking accident, the trucking company and its insurance company will jump into action, sending their own investigators and insurance representatives to start building the best defense on their behalf. Their tactics will even include trying to get you to admit fault for the incident.
- Experts: We bring in experts, including accident recreationists, economists, doctors, and engineers, who show what happened in the trucking accident and how the defendant(s) were liable.
If you or a family member were in a Fort Lauderdale truck accident, speak with a legal team you can rely on. Contact the experienced personal injury lawyers at The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers today at .
The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers | Fort Lauderdale Office
1608 E Commercial Blvd
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33334
Toll Free: 877.825.8542