Articles Posted in Truck Accident

Truck accidents involving gas tankers present an enormous risk on the road. These vehicles transport hazardous materials that can lead to catastrophic outcomes when involved in a collision. The severity of such incidents goes beyond the immediate crash, often resulting in fires, toxic spills, and extensive road closures. The complexity and potential danger of these accidents highlight why legal representation is beneficial and essential. Without a knowledgeable Florida semi-truck accident attorney, you could face significant challenges in protecting your rights and securing fair compensation.

Gas Tanker Crash Causes Major Disruption on I-595 in Broward County

In early August, a serious crash involving a gasoline tanker shut down the eastbound lanes of Interstate 595 in Broward County, Florida. This accident occurred just west of University Drive, leading to a traffic nightmare for several hours.

The Florida Highway Patrol reported that the gasoline tanker collided with the rear of another semi-truck, resulting in a serious mess that required immediate attention. Emergency crews quickly responded, shutting down all eastbound lanes to manage the cleanup. This incident created long traffic backups, as shown in video footage, and forced drivers to endure extended delays. Although express lanes remained open, the impact on the main lanes was severe.

Fortunately, despite the gravity of the situation, no significant injuries were reported. However, this accident’s disruption and potential dangers are a powerful reminder of the risks posed by gas tanker crashes.

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Tractor-trailer accidents can result in devastating consequences, particularly for those involved in smaller vehicles like passenger cars or pickup trucks. The sheer size and weight of tractor-trailers make these accidents especially dangerous, often leading to severe injuries or fatalities. If you or a loved one has been involved in a Florida tractor-trailer crash, it’s essential to understand the potential legal avenues available to seek justice and compensation.

Fatal Tractor-Trailer Accident in Hialeah Gardens

In late July, a tragic accident in Hialeah Gardens resulted in the death of one man after his pickup truck collided with a tractor-trailer. The incident occurred in the early morning hours on US 27, just south of NW 138th Street, around 2:45 a.m., according to Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) reports.

The blue Chevy pickup truck driver was traveling north on US 27 when he crashed into a stopped tractor-trailer. The impact of the collision was so severe that the driver of the pickup truck died at the scene. Authorities have not yet released the identity of the victim. Following the crash, two lanes of US 27 were closed for approximately four hours as emergency crews worked to clear the scene and investigate the circumstances surrounding the accident.

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It is vital to take basic steps to protect yourself when you are driving or riding in a car or on a bike. One simple thing you can do every time you drive is to ensure that you are wearing your seatbelt, especially when you’re in the front of the car. Seatbelts significantly decrease the risk of fetal injuries in the event of a crash, while forgoing a seatbelt while in a car can increase your risk of death in a car accident by as high as 45%. Thousands of drivers in Florida experience severe or fatal accidents annually due to their failure to wear seatbelts.

Automobile accidents involving large vehicles, such as buses, are extremely dangerous. According to a report by the U.S. Department of Transportation, more than 4,100 people were killed in large vehicle crashes last year. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has found that there were more than 500,000 crashes nationwide involving large vehicles, with approximately 107,000 resulting in injuries. Buses are much larger than standard passenger vehicles, averaging 20 to 30 times bigger, creating massive crashes when they impact other vehicles. The difference in the size of the vehicles can prevent bus drivers from seeing smaller cars and bikes, while also resulting in more severe impact when crashes do occur. Most deaths in large vehicle crashes are from occupants of passenger vehicles. Of those killed in such accidents, roughly 82% are people in smaller vehicles.

Florida is no exception to the large vehicle crash trend, with the most common causes of large vehicle accidents being fatigue, distraction, substance-impaired driving, speeding, and aggressive overtaking. In certain Florida accident cases, punitive damage awards can increase the victim’s compensation significantly. Punitive damages require special permission from the court in addition to evidence that the defendant was grossly negligent or acted with intention or wanton disregard for the safety of others. In Florida, punitive damages are capped at triple the amount of the compensatory damages, resulting in extremely large awards when they are allowed. A recent local news article discussed a fatal Florida bus and bike accident.

Automobile accidents involving trucks and trailers are extremely dangerous. According to a report by the U.S. Department of Transportation, more than 4,100 people were killed in large truck crashes last year. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has found that there were more than 500,000 crashes nationwide involving large trucks, with approximately 107,000 resulting in injuries. Big trucks and trailers are much larger than standard passenger vehicles, averaging 20 to 30 times bigger, creating massive crashes when they impact other vehicles. The difference in the size of the vehicles can prevent truck drivers from seeing smaller cars, while also resulting in more severe impact when crashes do occur. Most deaths in large truck crashes are from occupants of passenger vehicles. Of those killed in such accidents, roughly 82% are people in non-truck vehicles.

Florida is no exception to the truck crash trend, with the most common causes of large truck accidents being fatigue, distraction, substance-impaired driving, speeding, and aggressive overtaking. In certain Florida accident cases, punitive damage awards can increase the victim’s compensation significantly. Punitive damages require special permission from the court in addition to evidence that the defendant was grossly negligent or acted with intention or wanton disregard for the safety of others. In Florida, punitive damages are capped at triple the amount of the compensatory damages, resulting in extremely large awards when they are allowed. A recent local news article discussed a fatal Florida double-truck accident between two semi-trucks.

According to the local news article, the Florida Highway Patrol confirmed that there was a crash between two semi-trucks on I-10 at the 138-mile marker. The Florida Highway Patrol stated that a 60-year-old Niceville man stopped his semi-truck rig in the eastbound lane with the emergency flashers on due to a traffic buildup. At that point, a double-trailer UPS semi-truck smashed into the back of the stopped semi-truck in the eastbound lane. The Niceville driver died at the scene, while the UPS driver was taken to the hospital for minor injuries. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the reason for the collision is still unknown and is under investigation by law enforcement.

It is vital to take basic steps to protect yourself when you are driving. One simple thing you can do every time you drive is to ensure that you are wearing your seatbelt, especially when you’re in the front of the car. Seatbelts significantly decrease the risk of fetal injuries in the event of a crash, while forgoing a seatbelt while in a car can increase your risk of death in a car accident by as high as 45%. Thousands of drivers in Florida experience severe or fatal accidents annually due to their failure to wear seatbelts.

The danger of not wearing your seatbelt is compounded when a truck or other large vehicle is involved in the crash. Large commercial vehicles like trucks are on the road to transport heavy items over long distances. That means that trucks can become difficult to maneuver in emergency situations, preventing truck drivers from turning or stopping suddenly due to the weight of their vehicle and cargo. Additionally, truck drivers are under extreme pressure to spend long hours on the road, as they need to meet delivery deadlines. This can lead to exhaustion and impaired judgment on the roads. Tired drivers are more likely to make mistakes when driving, increasing the likelihood of accidents. A recent news article discussed a fatal Florida car and truck accident.

According to the news article, the accident occurred when a fully loaded semi-truck collided with a passenger vehicle in an Ocala intersection on Wednesday, February 22. Ocala Police officers responded to the crash. A witness stated that the semi-truck had a red light when it started blasting its air horn and proceeded into the intersection. The passenger vehicle had already begun to cross when the semi-truck tried to avoid a collision. The front of the semi-truck struck the car door and pushed it sideways into the median. According to authorities, the female driver of the passenger vehicle was trauma-alerted to a local hospital, where she passed away from her injuries.

Truck underride collisions are one of the deadliest types of automobile accidents on the road today. According to a report from Crash Forensics, truck underride collisions represent approximately one-quarter of the fatalities in accidents involving trucks. Due to the nature of underride accidents, even slow-speed collisions can be fatal for passenger-vehicle occupants. Truck underride collisions occur when a passenger vehicle crashes into a semi-truck trailer or a straight truck, resulting in the passenger vehicle running under the truck or trailer. Crashes, where the passenger vehicle passes under the truck or trailer, can often result in the car roof being sheared off, sometimes with fatal results. A recently published news article described such a crash in St. Johns County, Florida.

According to the news article, an 84-year-old man from St. Johns was killed Tuesday morning in an underride collision with a semi-truck and trailer. The accident occurred early in the morning of Tuesday, February 21, around 6:30 am. The crash happened on U.S. 1 at Pine Island Road, according to the Florida Highway Patrol, leaving all southbound lanes blocked on U.S. 1 for hours. According to the Florida Highway Patrol report, the man’s car drove under the side of a semi that was heading across the southbound lanes of US 1, attempting to cross the center median break to turn left onto northbound US 1. The car driver died at the scene, and the 26-year-old truck operator was unhurt. According to the report, both drivers were wearing their seatbelts.

Comparative negligence is the legal concept that parties in an accident are assigned the percentage of fault that they were responsible for in the accident. Under the pure comparative negligence theory, an accident victim can recover money from an equally or less negligent party. Under Florida law, accident victims can recover compensation from the other party, even if the victim is partially at fault, including fault that exceeds 51%. In practice, this means that even if the victim is found to be mostly at fault for an accident during a trial, they can still seek compensation for personal damages from the other party. If the claim is successful, the total damages awarded will be reduced by the victim’s percentage of fault. Although establishing fault in a car accident may seem straightforward, many factors could impact a victim’s recovery. An attorney can help accident victims at all stages of the claims process, including helping to gather evidence, leading settlement negotiations, litigating, and appealing.

Recently, a Florida court ruled on an appeal involving severe injuries that occurred in a truck parking lot. Originally, the lower court had decided that the company that owned the lot was not responsible for injuries suffered by the plaintiff. Reviewing this decision, the higher court agreed, ultimately denying the plaintiff’s appeal.

Facts of the Case

According to the opinion, the defendants in this case owned a commercial parking lot that contained crushed concrete and was used as a spot for large commercial trucks to park. Owners of these trucks could pay a monthly fee and keep their vehicles in the lot. The lease agreements said that no oil changes or engine work could be performed on the lot, but that emergency repairs were acceptable.

Despite this prohibition, truck owners would still occasionally perform mechanical repairs on the lot. On January 23, 2016, the plaintiff in this case came to the lot and noticed that others were working on trucks that day. He saw no signs prohibiting mechanical work, so he began working on his own vehicle.

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Truck accidents are a common everyday occurrence and can, unfortunately, lead to not only road closures, but devastating injuries for the parties involved. In 2019, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 5,005 people killed and an estimated 159,000 people injured in crashes involving large trucks. NHTSA also found that approximately 10 percent of combination truck occupant (commonly known as semi-trucks or trucks with one or more trailers) fatalities are associated with jackknifing.

Jackknifing is a term that is used to describe a situation where a large truck skids and the trailer attached to the truck swings, or folds in an angle that resembles a folding pocket knife. Jackknifing accidents are considered one of the most common types of trucking accidents and can be caused by various factors. These factors may include, but are not limited to, speeding, turning too quickly, improper loading, or driving in bad weather conditions when there are slippery roads.

For example, in a recent news report, a big rig was traveling in the center lane when a tractor-trailer hit the left rear of another big rig in the outside lane. As a result, the first big rig jackknifed in the center and outside lanes, while the second big rig ended up in the outside lane and shoulder. The driver of one of the big rigs was taken to a hospital with serious injuries, while the driver of the other big rig had minor injuries.

While the trucking industry throughout the country is consistently growing, the increasing presence of the online marketplace in combination with the pandemic has resulted in significant truck transport. Although trucking transport is a preferable way of shipping goods, the demand has brought on a surge in Florida trucking accidents. There has been an over 50% rise in truck accidents over the last decade, and various agencies that study truck accident statistics report that truck accidents will likely become the fifth largest cause of death in the country. Currently, nearly 75% of fatal vehicle accidents involve a large truck.

For instance, an Associated Press article described a harrowing, deadly Florida truck accident. According to reports, a tractor-trailer slammed into a vehicle on U.S. 27. The vehicle was carrying two adults and seven children. A teenage boy in the vehicle died, and six children suffered injuries. The truck driver sustained minor injuries in the accident.

Statistics by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reports that Florida is one of ten states that comprise half of all deadly truck accidents in the country every year. While truck accidents occur all over the state, certain areas such as Ft. Myers, Sarasota, Bradenton, Lakeland, Auburndale, and Naples have a higher rate of truck accidents. Moreover, the research suggests that driver error was responsible for over 90% of truck accidents. At the same time, road conditions and defective vehicles account for around 6% of truck accidents.