When you are injured in an accident involving a semi-tractor-trailer truck or “semi,” you will face some unique challenges in trying to collect damages from the truck driver, trucking company or other defendants. Any injury case involving a large truck can become complicated because semi drivers are required to follow different rules than drivers of passenger cars. If the driver or company fails to follow these rules, there may be a cause of action that would not exist in a typical vehicle accident case.
However, it may also be harder to collect compensation from these types of accidents since the truck driver, owner of the truck, trucking company and others may all hold some of the responsibility for the crash.
The Good News and the Bad News about Semi-Truck Accidents
Generally, you have a better chance of collecting an amount of money commensurate with the degree of your injuries in a large truck accident case than in a case involving a vehicle of a similar size to your own. This is good news for those who are trying to collect payments for medical bills, pain and suffering and other costs related to the crash. However, the bad news is that the case may be extremely complicated and may require more legal intervention than a “simple” crash with the driver of an insured passenger vehicle.
Truck Driver and Trucking Company Responsibilities
Truck drivers and the companies that employ them are required by various federal and state laws to adhere to certain regulations when operating large vehicles. The federal government as well as each state regulates how much weight a truck can haul, how long a driver may work without taking a rest break and how often the truck must be inspected as well as the safety standards that must be met upon inspection of the truck. Large trucks are required to be maintained to high safety standards including measuring tire wear and replacing tires regularly, inspecting and servicing brakes and engine repair and maintenance.
Most large truck accidents that are the fault of the truck driver or trucking company occur because someone did not follow one or more of these regulations. However, the victim must be able to show that the safety standards were violated in order to collect damages from the truck driver, trucking company or other party.
Who Is Responsible in an Accident Involving Semi-Trucks?
In many truck accident cases, there are several defendants, all of whom may be liable to a certain degree for the damages and injuries sustained by the victim. Depending on the circumstances, the driver, the trucking company or truck owner and others may all share equal responsibility for an accident or they may hold different percentages of liability.
One thing that is true for almost any large truck accident, however, is the need for help from a personal injury attorney. Many victims are able to collect compensation more successfully when they have the help of an attorney who is experienced in handling truck accident cases. David & Philpot, P.L. has been helping victims of Trucking accidents in Florida for over 25 years. We understand the complexities of these cases and strategies the insurance companies use to deny or minimize claims. We use this experience to help our clients obtain the maximum compensation that they are entitled to. There is no cost to consult with us about your case. Fill out our free case evaluation form or contact us today at 800.360.7015. We will get right back with you.
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