Bradenton Truck Accident Attorneys
Although large trucks are subject to a myriad of state and federal regulations intended to make the roadways safer for all vehicles, the number of truck accidents across the U.S. has steadily increased. Unfortunately, serious, life-threatening or fatal injuries are too often the result of these accidents, since commercial trucks typically weigh 25 times as much as cars and are not as responsive.
If you have been injured in a truck accident, you may be suffering multiple injuries and extensive medical treatment and bills. You may also be traumatized and unable to work and participate fully in family activities. If this sounds familiar, please know you are not alone.
The experienced Bradenton truck accident attorneys at Dennis Hernandez & Associates, PA want to help you understand the compensation you are entitled to and decide if you should pursue a claim against the at-fault party. We have helped numerous Florida accident victims hold negligent parties accountable and get the compensation they deserve, and we want to help you get compensated fairly for your injuries, pain and suffering.
Common Causes of Bradenton Truck Accidents
The events leading up to a truck accident can be difficult to determine, since several factors can contribute to an accident’s occurrence. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the most common of these factors are:
- Fatigued driving – The number of hours a truck driver is allowed to drive is strictly limited by the federal government; however, the need to meet unrealistic delivery schedules often prompts drivers to ignore those limits. The result is that drowsy driving contributes to 87 percent of truck accidents in which the truck is at fault, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
- Distracted driving –Federal law also prohibits all truck drivers from texting while driving; however, that law is also routinely ignored. Cell phones are not the only distraction. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) determined that a truck driver is 8.9 times more likely to cause an accident when they use a dispatch device and seven times more likely to cause an accident when they look at a map.
- Impaired driving – Alcohol and drugs, including over-the-counter and prescription medications can impair a driver’s ability to avoid dangerous situations and collisions.
- Speeding – When truck drivers speed, they endanger everyone on the road. Trucks cannot stop quickly to avoid crashes, and speeding worsens the situation.
- Maintenance failures – Routine maintenance and pre-trip inspections are not just smart; they are required by law for a large truck operator. Unfortunately, however, maintenance is often delayed and inspections rushed, leading to dangerous conditions, such as tire/wheel defects, brake defects, and unsecured or overloaded trailers.
Negligence in a Bradenton Truck Accident
When the negligence of another party (or parties) caused or contributed to a truck accident, an injured victim may be entitled to compensation. Sometimes, however, determining who the negligent party (parties) is can be a complex task because any/all of the following parties could share in the responsibility:
- Driver
- Trucking company
- Owner of the cargo
- Truck manufacturer
- The company responsible for maintenance/repairs
An experienced truck accident attorney will identify all possible defendants and include them in your truck accident claim to ensure that you are fully and fairly compensated for your injuries or loss.
Compensation for a Bradenton Truck Accident Injury
As the injured victim of a Bradenton truck accident, you could be entitled to compensation for the injuries you suffered because of the collision, including compensation for:
- Rehabilitation and other care costs
- Loss of earning capacity in the future
- Income lost because of time off because of accident injuries
- Medical expenses
- Disfigurement and permanent scarring
- Diminished qualify of life
- Physical and emotional pain and suffering
- Other damages recoverable under Florida law
If you lost a family member in a truck accident, you may be entitled to file as a claimant in a wrongful death lawsuit. As a claimant, you could be entitled to compensation for loss of consortium if a spouse or parent can no longer provide the companionship, care, and support they did prior to the accident.
Get the Help You Need after a Bradenton Truck Accident
If you were recently injured in a Bradenton truck accident, a Bradenton truck accident attorney at Dennis Hernandez & Associates, PA can help you navigate the legal process required to seek compensation for your injuries. Likewise, if you are the surviving family member of a fatally injured victim, we can help you pursue a wrongful death lawsuit. Our experienced truck accident attorneys will aggressively pursue all potentially negligent parties to ensure that you are compensated fairly and fully.
Working with the attorneys at Dennis Hernandez & Associates, PA means you will have expert support throughout the entire legal process – from gathering evidence, through filing a lawsuit, to going to trial, if necessary. We will collect all necessary evidence to prove negligence and file all forms in a timely manner, and we will negotiate aggressively with insurance companies on your behalf.
Many injury lawyers try to avoid going to trial by settling early with insurance companies, but we won’t let you down in this way. We will build a powerful case demonstrating your need for compensation for physical, emotional, and financial damages resulting from the truck accident and will put our trial experience and litigation skill to work fighting for the maximum compensation for you.
Call us at 855.529.3366 or fill in the FREE CASE EVALUATION form on our website to get started on your case.
Sources:
Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. (2018). Traffic crash facts.
https://www.flhsmv.gov/pdf/crashreports/crash_facts_2018.pdf
U.S. Department of Transportation. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. (2018). Large truck and bus crash facts 2018.
https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety/data-and-statistics/large-truck-and-bus-crash-facts-2018#A1
U.S. Department of Transportation. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. (2020). Our roads our safety. Tips for truck and bus drivers.
https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/ourroads/tips-truck-and-bus-drivers