Truck Accident Attorney in Gainesville
If you’re in a car accident, the claims process is rather straightforward. You can go through the insurance company, or file a personal injury claim against a negligent driver. But truck accidents are more complicated. Instead of dealing with the truck driver and their own insurance, you often have to deal with the trucking company. This makes insurance and personal injury claims more complicated.
Another complication comes from the fact that truck accidents tend to be more devastating than car accidents. Because trucks are so large, they cause more force in a collision. In one Gainesville truck accident, seven people died. At least eight individuals were injured. If you’re a truck accident victim, you could find yourself with serious complications.
Here at Abercrombie, P.A., we can take the necessary steps to get you compensation for your accident. A personal injury claim could get you money for your medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering. With a truck accident attorney in Gainesville, you can get the assistance you need.
What Causes Truck Accidents?
There are several common causes of truck accidents. However, most of the causes revolve around one issue: negligence. It could be negligence on the part of the truck driver, trucking company, or a parts manufacturer.
Here are some of the most common truck accident causes:
Brake Issues
You could argue that truck drivers rely more on their brakes than car drivers. Trucks moving at a high speed need reliable brakes to bring them to a stop. If the brakes fail, the driver could find themselves in an accident.
When the brakes fail, there are two potential culprits. First, there’s the trucking company. They could fail to provide the proper maintenance for their vehicles. By not replacing the brakes when they were worn, the company could be liable for the accident.
A parts manufacturer could also be to blame. If the brakes weren’t worn but failed to work, they could be faulty. The manufacturer acted in negligence by failing to produce a reliable part.
Speeding
The weight of speeding trucks makes them difficult to control at high speeds. If a driver is speeding, they are more likely to rear end another vehicle or lose control of their own vehicle.
Unfortunately, speeding is all too common. Truck drivers are on tight deadlines. In an effort to make a deadline, a driver might drive past the speed limit. Or, they may drive too fast for the weather conditions. In either case, they could cause a collision.
Driving Under the Influence
Some truck drivers rely on narcotics, alcohol, or prescription drugs to make it through the day. But this puts your safety at risk. If a trucker is under the influence, they lack the judgement and cognitive ability needed to drive safely.
Although the truck driver is liable for their own actions, the trucking company could also be to blame. It’s their responsibility to hire employees with clean records. If the company hires someone with a history of DUIs, they could be liable for your accident.
Common Truck Accident Injuries
Most typical vehicles are significantly smaller than a truck. If a sedan has a run-in with a semi-truck, the size discrepancy is enormous. And, unfortunately, the sedan is unlikely to withstand the force of the accident. The driver and passengers of the sedan can have serious and life-threatening injuries.
The extent of the injuries varies. Typically, the speed of the accident, size of the truck, and type of accident directly affect the severity of your injuries. Victims are likely to experience one of the following:
Head Injury
A head injury could result in memory loss, headaches, trouble with speech, and many other issues. In some cases, the damage is temporary. But it can also be permanent.
Spinal Cord Injury
If you suffer from a spinal cord injury, you could have permanent paralysis. Or, you may experience extreme pain in the back or neck, loss of bladder control, and numbness of your extremities.
Broken Bones
A truck accident can result in multiple broken bones. Areas like the rib cage and collar bone are most susceptible to breaks. Wherever a break occurs, the injury can be extremely painful.
Fatalities
In a period of two years, there were 19 accident fatalities in Alachua County. Seven of those fatalities involved a commercial motor vehicle. Fatalities happen, and the victim’s family suffers.
Working with a Truck Accident Attorney in Gainesville
With our assistance, you can hold the negligent party responsible for your accident. Abercrombie, P.A. wants to represent you. We can help you deal with insurance companies, or file a personal injury claim. Contact us today and learn more.
