Tampa Truck Accident Lawyer

Pursuing a truck accident injury claim can be intimidating, but if you have a truck accident attorney in Tampa representing your case, you’ll have the confidence you need to win in court.

According to statistics, there are few, if any, types of motor vehicles that can come into contact with a truck and remain unscathed. They don’t call them big rigs for nothing.

Those who are involved in a truck accident can expect to suffer catastrophic injuries that can completely change the path of their life. Apart from dealing with the physical injuries, your financial and emotional state are also sure to be negatively impacted by such a serious accident.

When you have been in a truck accident and are unsure about what your next steps should be, get in touch with a Tampa truck accident lawyer at Anderson & Anderson. Your board-certified truck accident lawyer has the expertise you need when working to secure a full compensation package from the culpable party so that you can begin to rebuild your life after the Tampa truck accident.

How Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Regulations Relate to Your Truck Accident

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulates and enforces the laws that govern commercial trucking. This includes weight capacity, rules for carrying passengers and cargo, and specific regulations for truck drivers.

It should go without saying that truckers should abstain from alcohol and drugs, particularly when they are driving, as well as stay off the roads if they are too tired to be driving. The FMCSA even regulates the number of hours that a trucker can work in one shift (fourteen hours) and the amount of time they need to have off between shifts (ten hours or as long as thirty-four hours).

These regulations will come into play as we learn more about who is liable for the cause of your Tampa accident and resulting injuries, as there are many individuals and entities that may have played a part in the truck accident.

What Causes Truck Accidents in Tampa?

There are countless factors that can contribute to the cause of a motor vehicle accident. Some of them are out of anyone’s control, such as inclement weather and environmental factors like wild animals, but others could be prevented, and these types of accidents are the ones worth pursuing with the insurance company or in court.

The first party to be examined for liability is always going to be the driver of the truck. There are several ways truckers can be negligent in the operation of their truck, including:

Driving Under the Influence – This occurs when a truck driver has taken illegal drugs or consumed alcohol that raises their blood alcohol levels above the legal limit of 0.08.
Drowsy Driving – It is not uncommon for truckers in particular to be overworked and be too tired to safely operate their trucks.
Driving Aggressively – Speeding, following too closely, changing lanes without using a turn signal, and failing to stop at traffic lights are all examples of aggressive driving practices.
Distracted Driving – If a trucker’s attention is taken away from their driving at any point, they are guilty of distracted driving. Examples of possible distractions could include texting while driving, fiddling with a GPS, or even talking to a passenger.

This isn’t to say that truck drivers are the only party that may be at fault. Continue reading to learn more about other individuals and entities that could be to blame for the injuries you sustained in your Tampa accident.

Culpability for Your Losses in a Truck Accident

It’s easy to place blame on the truck driver, but the truth is that there are many parties that participate in the maintenance, safety, loading, and operation of a commercial truck. For example, truck owners and the truck driver’s employer could be liable if the trucker was overscheduled, thereby violating FMCSA regulations, and was therefore driving while fatigued. Other parties might consist of:

Safety inspectors
Cargo loaders
Vehicle parts manufacturers
Automakers
Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT)
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV)

It is also possible that multiple parties acted in negligence. If this is the case in your Tampa truck accident, you can be sure that your lawyer will bring claims against every liable person or party in order to maximize the compensation you’ll be awarded.

Common Truck Accident Injuries

We previously mentioned that injuries occurring in truck accidents are often catastrophic. In a truck accident claim, the greater the impact your injuries have had on your life, the more you stand to be awarded. Some of the different injuries our clients have been subjected to after colliding with a commercial truck include:

Broken bones
Lacerations
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Spinal damage
Loss of limb
Paralysis
Third-degree burns
Back injuries

Injuries of this nature are tough on the human body, and many injury victims find that they are unable to continue working until they fully recover, while others may never regain full functionality, despite undergoing thorough physical and occupational rehabilitation.

You don’t have to wait until you’re drowning in debt and barely surviving to get help. A truck accident lawyer in Tampa can make all the difference in the success of your case.

Who’s Liable in a Tampa Truck Accident?

After a Tampa truck accident, you may feel overwhelmed and may struggle to recover from your injuries. You may also be due compensation, but who’s liable in a Tampa truck accident?

The answer may not be clear right away. You may think about suing the truck driver, but in many cases, they’re not the at-fault party from a legal standpoint. You can act now with a lawyer from Anderson & Anderson so you know what to expect and who may be liable for your truck accident.

When the Employer Is At Fault

If you’re hurt because a truck driver was careless, you may think suing the driver is the answer. They caused your Tampa truck accident through their negligence, after all. But your claim may not be so simple if the driver was on the clock.

In these cases, the truck accident may be their employer’s responsibility. Employers are responsible for the actions of their employees when workers are on the clock and acting in the scope of their job. Your truck accident lawyer can help you determine whether the employer is at fault and who to serve your lawsuit to.

Truck Accidents Caused by Defective Parts

There are other cases where Tampa truck accidents aren’t the driver’s fault. The truck driver may have been doing everything in their power to avoid the accident. The problem may have been a mechanical failure in the truck.

Commercial trucks are massive vehicles, so when something goes wrong, the results can be devastating. Because of this, the manufacturer of the defective part may be held responsible for your injuries. They may have been careless in production, and now you’re hurt.

Identify the At-Fault Party with a Truck Accident Lawyer in Tampa

You need to know who caused your truck accident, and you need to know who to sue in these situations. But that can be tough when you’re hurt, suffering, and inexperienced in the courtroom. Worse, more parties can be involved in your truck accident, not just the ones above.

Luckily, the lawyers at Anderson & Anderson have the experience and tools you need. If you’re unsure who’s liable in a Tampa truck accident, reach out for a free consultation by calling 813-251-0072 or by completing the online contact form below.

Did You Become One Of The Statistics?

Large trucks, also known as big rigs, tractor-trailers or semis, form part of the supply network that keeps the economy running smoothly in the United States. But they are also extremely dangerous in the hands of an inexperienced or careless operator or if they are improperly maintained. A tractor-trailer weighs much more than the average automobile and as a result, it can hit a passenger vehicle causing serious injury or even death for the driver and passengers.

At Anderson & Anderson in Tampa, we have extensive experience with these catastrophic cases. We know how the negligence of a trucker or trucking company may have changed your life forever. Let our attorneys help you understand your options for pursuing compensation for your lost wages, pain and suffering, medical bills and other damages. Call us at 813-251-0072 today.

Looking At The Numbers

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) National Center for Statistics and Analysis:

- In 2012, there were 3,921 people killed and 104,000 people injured in crashes involving large trucks(gross vehicle weight rating greater than 10,000 pounds) and in the United States, 333,000 large trucks were involved in traffic crashes.
- Large trucks were more likely to be involved in a fatal multiple-vehicle crash as opposed to a fatal single-vehicle crash than were passenger vehicles in 2012 (81 percent of fatal crashes involving large trucks are multiple-vehicle crashes, compared with 58 percent for fatal crashes involving passenger vehicles).
- In 46 percent of the two-vehicle fatal crashes, both the large truck and the other vehicle were proceeding straight at the time of the crash.
- In 9 percent of the crashes, the other vehicle was turning.
- In 12 percent, either the truck or the other vehicle was negotiating a curve.
- In 7 percent of fatal crashes, either the truck or the other vehicle was stopped or parked in a traffic lane (5 percent and 2 percent, respectively).

In Florida, 5.7 percent of total vehicle crashes involved large trucks in 2012.

Seek Maximum Repayment for Your Tampa Truck Accident

Every truck accident will cause varying losses on a case-by-case basis, but the majority of injury victims will endure similar kinds of damages. These losses are often categorized as being economic or non-economic. Examine the table below to learn more about which personal injury losses fall into each category.

Economic Damages (Financial)	Non-Economic Damages (Personal)
Vehicle replacement or repairs	Loss of enjoyment of life
Loss of income	Pain and suffering
Healthcare-related costs	Disfigurement and/or scarring
Loss of future earnings	Emotional distress
Other property damages	Inconvenience
Lost retirement savings contributions	Loss of consortium
Increased auto insurance premiums	Reputational damage
Money struggles when living expenses go unpaid	Loss of household services

There is also a possibility that your award could be increased by the issuance of punitive damages. The Tampa judge will make a determination as to whether punitive damages are applicable, based on if the actions of the liable party were particularly unscrupulous, egregious, or willfully harmful.

If the judge decides to award you punitive damages, it will not be done specifically to increase your award; rather, it is the court’s way of punishing the defendant and hopefully preventing similar instances from occurring in the future.

Work with a Seasoned Truck Accident Attorney in Tampa

Truck collisions can be devastating experiences for automobile drivers and passengers and others involved in these wrecks. A good tractor-trailer crash lawyer will know what to look for in terms of determining who was at fault. For example, a truck accident injury lawyer should know how to work with crash reconstruction experts and be familiar with reading tractor-trailer logbooks and checking the data on the vehicle’s black box.

Truck accidents are known for causing destruction, and if you’ve been a victim of a truck accident in Tampa, you have the right to seek full compensation for the suffering you’ve endured due to someone else’s negligent actions. You can consult with a Tampa truck accident lawyer at Anderson & Anderson for all the legal help you need. Schedule your free claim evaluation today by filling out the quick contact form below or calling our firm directly at 813-251-0072.

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