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Commercial trucks help transport goods all around Pinellas County. However, their large size and weight make collisions with cars especially dangerous. A Clearwater truck accident lawyer can review the facts of your crash, explain how Florida law applies to you, and help you understand if you have the right to file a claim for your truck accident injuries.
No matter if your crash happened on US Highway 19, Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard, Interstate 275, near the Port of Tampa on a delivery route, or elsewhere in Pinellas County you were involved in, serious accidents often cause life-altering injuries that require long-term medical treatment. If you were hurt due to the negligence of a careless truck driver or trucking company, know your legal rights by speaking with a Clearwater truck accident attorney.
Ronald Bone has been serving the victims of catastrophic injury and wrongful death accidents since founding his practice in 1997. With over 30 years of combined trial experience, Bone handles his cases personally to provide focused and trial-ready representation for his clients.
Ranked as an AV-rated lawyer by Martindale-Hubbell, Bone has earned a Client Champion Silver rating and is a member of prestigious lawyer groups with limited national membership. However, awards and recognition are not guarantees of future results. Selection criteria vary by organization. Bone is often contacted by other attorneys to help with cases due to his proven track record in complex litigation.
Among his successes are an $8.5 million verdict for a rear-end collision requiring extensive jaw surgery, a $6 million settlement for a brain injury achieved when the defendant’s policy was only $10,000, and a $2.4 million verdict in a wrongful death case involving a motorcycle. Remember, past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case is different and must be evaluated on its own merits. Bone has successfully passed a claims bill through the Florida Legislature.
Some truck accident claims involve unique legal and factual issues. Fully loaded trucks can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. When that much weight collides with a car or motorcycle, crash forces tend to be much greater than in passenger vehicle collisions. As a result, victims are often severely injured, and investigations can be more complicated.
Truck drivers, trucking companies, and other third parties may be responsible for a crash. Unlike most car accidents, multiple parties may owe compensation to accident victims. Someone other than the truck driver may be negligent, such as the trucking company, maintenance contractor, cargo loader, vehicle manufacturer, or another negligent party. This often requires more investigation and negotiation than a crash between two cars.
In addition, large trucking companies are subject to federal safety regulations. These rules address qualifications for truck drivers, how many hours they can drive before resting, vehicle maintenance and inspections, and how cargo is loaded and secured. Determining whether the truck driver and motor carrier followed these requirements is often critical in truck accident claims.
Unfortunately, truck accidents happen every day, and many are preventable. Driver error, equipment issues, and failure to follow industry safety standards can lead to serious crashes. Truck accidents can be caused by:
Heavy traffic along US Highway 19, State Road 60, and other Clearwater roads can cause truck accidents. Whenever commercial motor vehicles pass through crowded intersections or construction zones, there is a heightened risk of collision. In Florida in 2023, there were 35,795 drivers involved in medium to heavy truck accidents and an additional 7,404 involved in other light truck accidents.
Motor carriers and truck drivers must follow Florida law and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations. Federal trucking regulations address driver qualifications, required vehicle maintenance and inspections, cargo securement, hours of service limits, and more. These rules are enforced to increase safety for everyone on the road.
Hours of service laws, for instance, limit how long drivers can operate their vehicles without taking required rest breaks. Regulating driver fatigue is critical because tired truck drivers are a leading cause of trucking industry crashes, since they are often driving for long periods of time, and often through the night.
The state follows Florida Statutes §768.81, which speaks to comparative fault. If part of the blame falls on you, your total recovery can be reduced by the percentage of fault you hold. In most negligence claims, you will not be able to recover damages if more than 50% of the fault for the accident is yours.
These truck accident laws are important to understand because some causes of truck accidents violate state or federal safety regulations. Both can be used to help determine who was at fault.
Unlike regular car accidents, large trucks often leave behind evidence that can help identify who was at fault. Trucks, truck drivers, and motor carriers typically create records about their drivers’ activities, how the truck was maintained, and who was operating the vehicle at the time of the crash. Some forms of evidence that may be used to help prove negligence in a truck accident case include:
Some of this evidence can be lost or destroyed over time. Hiring an attorney early can preserve evidence while it’s still available.
Due to their size differential, accidents involving commercial trucks often result in catastrophic or life-altering injuries to passengers in cars. These types of injuries can require victims to undergo long-term medical care and rehabilitation to recover from their injuries.
Typical injuries in truck accidents include traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, multiple fractures, internal injuries, severe burns, crush injuries, amputations, neck and back injuries, and disabilities. Some victims suffer permanent injuries that require ongoing medical care or prevent them from returning to work.
Many people also struggle with emotional trauma after being involved in a severe truck accident. Depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder are common symptoms that individuals face following a crash and should be considered when determining the total impact of the accident.
In severe cases, a driver may pass away in the accident. In these cases, surviving family members may be entitled to a wrongful death claim.
Deciding to hire a truck accident lawyer can help preserve important evidence and see that every party who may be liable is identified. Your attorney can help obtain the driver’s logs, maintenance records, electronic information, inspection reports, and other records that the trucking company should have on file.
Additionally, your Clearwater truck accident attorney can work with accident reconstruction professionals, analyze federal trucking regulations, calculate economic and non-economic damages, negotiate with insurance companies, and prepare your case for trial if necessary.
Because there may be multiple policies, commercial defendants, and pieces of evidence in trucking cases, a comprehensive investigation by your attorney can be beneficial. Depending on the circumstances, claims for truck accidents in Clearwater may be filed in Pinellas County Justice Center, 14250 49th Street North, Clearwater, FL 33762.
If a trucking company or insurance adjuster calls you after an accident, do not agree to make a statement that they will record or sign any paperwork until you know your rights. You have the right to give basic factual information, but you should not speculate as to fault or your injuries. Contact a truck accident lawyer right away, and they can speak to the trucking company on your behalf.
Yes, in some cases a trucking company can be responsible for a truck driver’s accident. There could be liability based on negligent hiring, training, supervision, or retention of the driver. There could also be liability if the company encouraged the driver to violate Department of Transportation regulations. If maintenance was required but not completed, there could be liability based on that as well. Who is at fault varies based on the facts involved in the wreck.
Truck accident cases are often complex because they typically involve multiple policies of insurance, commercial businesses, federal safety regulations, extensive paperwork, and many parties who may be at fault. Investigation of these accidents often involves analyzing company records, electronic data, and technical information that is not usually associated with accidents involving only passenger vehicles.
The timeline can vary based on each party’s particular case. When someone files a personal injury claim involving catastrophic injuries, multiple defendants, or contested liability, it may take longer than an uncomplicated case. Additionally, if someone is still receiving medical care, has insurance company negotiations, or there are court backlogs, it may prolong the settlement or litigation of a truck accident claim.
If you were injured in a truck accident, you do not have to handle the complex legal aftermath alone. Ronald Bone, P.A., can help. Contact us today to get started.
Thoughtful, trial-ready personal injury representation in Tampa Bay.
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