Motor vehicle accident cases — whether they involve cars, SUVs, trucks, motorcycles or ATVs — share many similarities. However, lawsuits seeking damages for injuries caused by 18-wheelers and other large commercial trucks tend to be more challenging due to the complexity of the issues that can arise.
One reason truck accident lawsuits are distinct is that truck drivers and the trucking industry are subject to extensive federal and state regulations. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulation Act (FMCSRA) limits how many hours per day a trucker can drive and requires driver background checks, regular driver evaluations and other actions. Evidence that a trucker or trucking company violated the FMCSRA can be relevant in an injured person’s lawsuit.
Accident severity is another differentiator in truck accidents. An 18-wheeler can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, which is about 20 times heavier than the average passenger vehicle. The extra weight makes trucks harder to steer and to stop and can translate into extra force upon impact in a collision. This means drivers of normal vehicles are likely to suffer serious injuries or even death in truck wrecks. Various statistics highlight the danger: 74 percent of all fatal passenger vehicles cases involve a large truck and 68 percent of all truck accident fatalities are occupants of passenger vehicles.
Determining liability in a truck accident case tends to be more complicated because liability can be shared by several parties, including the driver, the trucking company that employed the driver and a company that manufactured or installed a defective part leading to a loss of control. To be able to effectively identify the parties that may bear responsibility, your attorney should be highly skilled in accident investigations.
Finally, insurance issues are almost always more complicated in truck accident cases. Each potentially liable party likely has their own insurance policy. These may include the truck’s owner, the trucking company, the shipper of the truck’s cargo and the truck’s service provider or repairer. That means you, as the injured person, could be up against several powerful defense teams at once. This reality calls for the attention of an experienced attorney.
At Largey Law Firm you will find lawyers with deep experience representing truck accident victims in Central Florida. You can rely on us to unravel the complex issues and build the strongest case we can on your behalf. To speak with an attorney, contact us online. We offer free initial consultations at our offices in Clermont, Tavares and Inverness.
