Whilst we have the rules of the road and preventative safety measures to protect people whilst driving in Venice, it’s an unfortunate fact that traffic accidents do still take place. To give some context, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FHSMV) shows there were over 400,000 crashes across the state in 2019. Of all the motor vehicle crashes that year, data from The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety shows that large trucks were involved in 11% of all accidents across America.
Truck accidents can frequently take place at intersections. This is where roads cross over one another, and different traffic flows are coordinated by traffic lights as vehicles turn past each other. If you or a loved one have been involved in a truck accident at an intersection and would like assistance right away, a personal injury attorney from The Law Place can help you understand your options and next steps in the legal process. For a free consultation where you can discuss your legal situation and receive some initial free legal advice, call (941) 444-4444 to speak to a member of the legal team today. Phone lines are open 24/7.
What Are Some of the Causes of Truck Accidents at Intersections?
Common auto accident causes at intersections include failure to yield to the traffic flow, not following the right of way, driving over the speed limit, and driving through traffic lights as they change to red. All of these actions run a risk of danger on the roads, which may lead to a car or truck accident. Other examples include:
- Failing to follow traffic signs or signals – If a driver speeds through a stop sign or a red traffic light, this is a serious offense. Not only does this put the driver’s life at risk, but it risks the lives of others as well.
- Negligent driving – This is anything that could be considered dangerous or reckless driving. It includes losing patience and giving in to road rage, changing lanes without following the rules of the road, and cutting off other drivers. There is also driving above the speed limit and driving whilst distracted.
- Driving under the influence – Drivers who are in charge of a vehicle whilst under the influence of alcohol, medication, or other mind-altering substances have slower reaction times. This can make the difference between life and death when the driver needs to make quick decisions on the road.
- How businesses hire truck drivers – Companies have been known to not always follow due diligence when hiring truck drivers, resulting in drivers with a lack of training. Whilst this may seem shocking, injury attorneys from The Law Place are experienced in dealing with corporations and investigating these kinds of faults to seek justice for victims.
- Fatigue – With long hours on the road, truck drivers can experience fatigue, which is known to slow reaction times. This is another factor that injury attorneys can look into to determine if a truck driver’s employer may be liable for an accident after pressuring drivers to work for longer hours without essential rest stops.
- Rushing – Truck drivers have been known to rush in order to hit targets and make their deliveries on time. This is a factor that injury attorneys have seen which causes truck drivers to speed.
- Unsecured cargo in a truck – There can be issues that arise from improper weight distribution when cargo has not been properly secured and loaded into the back of the truck. This can impact how much control a driver may have over a truck.
- Vehicle maintenance failure – This includes checking and looking after safety systems, lights, tires, brakes, and axles, all of which are all important parts of the vehicle to keep it operating safely.
- Not yielding the right of way – Should a driver pull out into traffic or take a sharp left turn which then cuts off another vehicle, a disastrous T-bone crash can take place. Impacts like this are often unexpected, especially at high speeds, bringing considerable shock and damage for all involved.
- Harsh weather – Inclement weather conditions add an extra challenge to the roads, which many drivers seek to avoid. As truck drivers are following their daily work duties, things like rain, fog, snow, and wind cannot be avoided. It is important that drivers adapt by slowing down and driving as mindfully as possible if they need to be on the road in challenging weather conditions.
More accidents could be avoided if drivers followed the rules of the road, as well as their duty of care. Personal injury lawyers at The Law Place work to gather evidence and prove that the other driver was at fault in your crash. The more evidence there is to prove another driver’s negligence, the stronger the case will be, and the higher likelihood of receiving compensation for damages suffered. Call today to schedule a no-obligation conversation to find out more about your options.
Common Impacts of Accidents Involving Trucks
Injuries caused as a result of a truck accident can be much more severe than those typical of a car accident. This is due to the significant increase in size, with trucks generally weighing around 20 – 30 times more than passenger vehicles. As trucks are taller and have a bigger ground clearance than cars, the risk is that a lower vehicle could slide below the trailer of a truck. This can be fatal for drivers of passenger vehicles, who are more at risk in a collision involving a truck. Insights from the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety show that of the 4,119 people who died in truck accidents in 2019, 67% were drivers of passenger vehicles, 16% were truck drivers, and the rest were pedestrians, motorcyclists, or cyclists. Other than fatalities from truck accidents, other common injuries seen in truck accidents in Venice by the team of personal injury attorneys at The Law Place include:
- Broken or crushed bones.
- Traumatic neck and back injury.
- Spinal cord damage.
- Severe burns.
- Herniated discs.
- Organ damage and internal bleeding.
- Traumatic brain injury.
There is also dealing with a level of shock, as it takes time to come to terms with what happened and the consequences. Over the years of working with clients seeking compensation for truck accidents that were not their fault, we have encountered many clients who seek legal support as they feel the pressure of increasing medical bills. This can be an extra worry along with the that of lost wages and uncertainty about when you will able to return to work and generate more income. It can take some adjustment to manage these different elements of recovery after a traumatic auto accident.
Our skilled personal injury lawyers have specialized experience in dealing with truck accidents and are here to fight for your case, putting forward the strongest possible case so that you can receive compensation. If you’d like to find out what kind of compensation you or a family member may be owed after a truck accident in Venice or anywhere else in Florida, you can speak to a personal injury attorney in a free consultation when you call today.
We’re here to serve you. Our phones are open 24 hours a day. What About Dealing With Insurance Companies in Venice?
As a no-fault state, all drivers in Florida are required to have personal injury protection (PIP) in addition to their auto insurance. This is in line with Florida Statute 627.7407, the impact of which is that even if you were involved in an accident that you were not at fault for, there is still a requirement to contact your insurance company to file a claim for damages. If you’d like to hire the services of a lawyer from The Law Place, they will be able to take care of this for you. If not, the advice is to notify your insurance company as soon as possible and stick to the facts.
Your insurance company will most likely cover minor injuries up to the limits of your policy. Typical damages covered by this include:
- Medical bills, up to 80%.
- Loss of wages and any potential income due to being unable to work, up to 60%.
If you or your passengers suffered from serious or life-threatening injuries as a result of the truck accident, the no-fault laws in Florida enable suing the other party. Some considerations around this include the need to prove that the other party was at fault. With truck accidents, this usually means using the trucking company or other companies involved in the truck and its cargo rather than an individual.
We’re Florida’s top litigation team with over 75 years of combined experience Legal Support for Venice Truck Accident Victims
With over 75 years combined experience, the injury lawyer team at The Law Place is well established in providing legal representation to people involved in truck and other types of traffic accidents in Venice and across the State of Florida. With truck accidents, there can be a number of parties that could potentially be liable, and our personal injury lawyers are experienced in handling corporate law teams and working for the best possible client outcomes.
If you would like to find out more about how attorneys from The Law Place work with clients to get the justice they deserve, you can find out more in a free consultation. Just call and speak to a personal injury attorney in Venice who will be able to outline your options today.
From the initial call to updates on your case status, we are here to get you answers. Where Might the Fault for my Personal Injury Lie?
Attorneys at The Law Place often find truck accident cases to be more complex than those between cars. As well as the force of the truck potentially causing life-threatening injuries, it can be difficult to determine liability as there are more parties involved that have a duty of care, and so multiple parties could be held liable. These include:
- The driver of the truck.
- The owner of the truck.
- The truck manufacturer.
- The leasing company of the truck and/ or trailer.
- The company which has cargo on board the truck.
- And there are potentially more, depending on the conditions of the accident.
With costs from truck accidents regularly coming in high, attorneys at The Law Place have seen parties looking for ways to reduce or even deny their liability/fault in a crash. Handling corporate legal teams for both truck companies and other suppliers can take a lot of effort and attention to detail.
Let us fight for the compensation you may be rightfully owed against big businesses, insurance companies, and opposing law firms who are looking to minimize their costs and reduce their liability. Attorneys at The Law Place believe that those who have been involved in a truck or any other form of auto accident that wasn’t their fault should have time to rest and focus on recovery after a truck accident. This is why the team of personal injury lawyers is here to support and help with representing your interests.
Lawyers from The Law Place have years of experience in the specialized legal work needed to get justice for victims. If you’d like to find out how our legal team may be able to help with your case, call today for a free consultation where you can ask questions specific to your car accident and find out your options for moving forward with getting compensation.
What Are the Timings for Filing a Personal Injury Claim?
Across America, there are different legal requirements to be aware of when it comes to the amount of time available to start the legal process. Therefore, it is important to understand the statute of limitations of the state where your truck accident took place if you wish to file a claim for a personal injury. In Florida, a person has 4 years to make a personal injury lawsuit. This is from the date of the accident, as per Florida Statue 95.11. Following this, it is not possible to file a claim, although there can sometimes be flexibility if injuries made making a claim in that time impossible.
The main thing is to not delay in starting the claim process. In waiting, you make it more difficult for an accident lawyer to build a case and gather evidence. When a claim is started sooner, the better chances are of receiving a higher payout for a case. If you’d like to take the next steps towards making a claim for a truck accident that wasn’t your fault, you can call today for a free case evaluation.
What Could a Venice Truck Accident Lawyer Do for Me?
If you or a loved one has been in an accident involving a commercial truck at a Venice intersection, the trucking company will most likely send their own investigator. In general, they tend to be searching for ways to avoid fault and reduce the chances of liability for the trucking company.
Clients from The Law Place have found relief in being able to work with a specialist truck accident lawyer who has experience in managing all processes and parties involved in a vehicle accident. A Florida personal injury lawyer from The Law Place can start an independent investigation into the details of the accident, gathering evidence, and taking all steps necessary to get justice and ensure the liable party pays for the damages they are responsible for.
Accident injury lawyers take the following steps to move forward with a car accident case:
- Fast response – The top priority is to conduct an investigation as soon as possible. Upon arriving at the scene, we will take photographs, gather measurements, and collect any other valuable information.
- Vehicle inspection – It may be possible to make the most of the opportunity to investigate the vehicle ahead of any repairs being made and take pictures for evidence. Accident injury lawyers can also take data from the black box in the truck to get as much accident information as possible.
- Reconstruction – Reports from those involved in an accident may vary, making establishing the truth a challenging task. The team at The Law Place work with accident reconstruction professionals to determine the series of events that led to the crash. This kind of exercise can also rule out what may be impossible – which is helpful if some parties are trying to avoid liability.
Speak to a Car Accident Lawyer From The Law Place Today
The above points outline just some of the steps that attorneys from The Law Place take when dealing with truck accident personal injury cases. There are many more opportunities to gather and check information, depending on the specific details of your accident. If you’d like to find out more about how an accident injury lawyer may be able to help with your claim, you can call (941) 444-4444 to get some initial free legal advice, ask any questions, and understand your options for the next steps. Phone lines are open 24/7.
