Any motor vehicle accident can result in serious injuries, but collisions involving commercial trucks present challenges that are often very different from accidents between passenger vehicles. The size and weight of a semi truck can lead to devastating injuries, while the commercial nature of the trucking industry can make determining responsibility significantly more complicated.
A truck accident claim may involve a commercial driver, trucking company, insurance carriers, maintenance contractors, cargo companies, and other businesses. There may also be federal and state trucking regulations, company records, electronic driving data, and other evidence that must be reviewed.
At Woolsey Morcom, our personal injury attorneys represent individuals and families injured in serious motor vehicle accidents throughout Jacksonville and Northeast Florida. Understanding what makes a commercial truck accident different is an important first step in protecting your rights after a collision.
Semi Trucks Are Significantly Larger Than Passenger Vehicles
One of the most important differences between a truck accident and a typical car accident is the enormous difference in size and weight between the vehicles.
Fully loaded commercial trucks can weigh tens of thousands of pounds, while most passenger vehicles weigh only a fraction of that amount. When those vehicles collide, the occupants of the smaller vehicle may be exposed to tremendous force.
The height and structure of commercial trucks can also affect how an accident occurs. A passenger vehicle may travel underneath portions of a trailer during certain collisions, while other crashes can involve rollovers, jackknifed trailers, or multiple vehicles.
Even an accident that occurs at a relatively moderate speed can result in significant damage when a large commercial vehicle is involved.
Truck Accident Injuries Can Be Extremely Serious
Because of the forces involved, semi truck accidents can cause severe and potentially life changing injuries.
Truck accident victims may experience traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, broken bones, internal organ damage, severe burns, nerve damage, amputations, and other serious medical conditions. Some injuries can require surgery, extensive rehabilitation, or ongoing medical care.
The consequences can extend far beyond the initial hospital visit.
An injured person may be unable to work for an extended period or may never be able to return to the same occupation. Long term injuries can also affect mobility, independence, relationships, and a person’s ability to participate in activities they previously enjoyed.
When injuries are expected to affect someone for years or permanently, evaluating a personal injury claim may require considering future medical expenses, lost earning capacity, rehabilitation, and other long term damages in addition to immediate losses.
Multiple Parties May Be Responsible for a Truck Accident
Determining responsibility can be more complicated in a commercial truck accident than in a collision involving two passenger vehicles.
The truck driver may be responsible if speeding, distracted driving, fatigue, impairment, or another unsafe action contributed to the crash. However, the investigation should not necessarily stop with the driver.
Depending on the circumstances, potentially responsible parties could include the trucking company, the company responsible for loading cargo, a maintenance provider, a vehicle or parts manufacturer, or another business involved in the truck’s operation.
For example, a trucking company may have failed to properly train or supervise a driver. A maintenance contractor may have failed to identify a mechanical problem. Improperly secured cargo may have shifted during transportation and contributed to the driver losing control.
Identifying the parties involved and understanding their roles can be an important part of investigating a commercial truck accident.
Commercial Trucks Carry Cargo That Can Affect a Collision
The cargo transported by a semi truck can create additional risks that are generally not present in an ordinary passenger vehicle accident.
Cargo must be properly loaded, balanced, and secured. When it is not, the weight inside a trailer can shift and affect the driver’s ability to safely control the vehicle.
Improperly secured materials may also fall from a truck and enter the roadway, creating hazards for surrounding drivers. Motorists may collide directly with the cargo or lose control while attempting to avoid it.
Certain commercial trucks also transport hazardous or flammable materials. When those vehicles are involved in an accident, spills, fires, or other dangerous conditions can increase the severity of the collision and create risks for everyone nearby.
Investigating a truck accident may therefore require examining how the cargo was loaded, who was responsible for securing it, what the truck was carrying, and whether applicable safety requirements were followed.
Commercial Truck Drivers Must Follow Additional Safety Regulations
Commercial trucking is subject to safety requirements that do not apply to ordinary motorists.
Federal regulations address areas such as how long certain commercial drivers may operate before taking required rest periods, vehicle inspection and maintenance requirements, driver qualifications, cargo securement, and other aspects of commercial transportation.
These regulations exist in part because driver fatigue, poorly maintained equipment, excessive weight, and other unsafe conditions can create serious dangers when large commercial vehicles are traveling at highway speeds.
When a truck accident occurs, an investigation may examine whether applicable regulations were followed and whether a violation contributed to the collision.
For example, driver records may help determine whether fatigue could have been a factor. Inspection and maintenance records may reveal whether a known mechanical issue was addressed. Other company documentation may provide information about the truck, driver, route, and circumstances leading up to the crash.
Truck Accident Cases Can Involve Important Evidence
Commercial vehicles may generate and maintain information that can become important evidence following an accident.
Depending on the truck and circumstances, this could include electronic logging device information, vehicle data, maintenance and inspection records, driver qualification documents, dispatch information, cargo records, photographs, video footage, and communications involving the driver or trucking company.
Some of this evidence may be controlled by the trucking company or another commercial entity.
For that reason, investigating a truck accident as soon as possible can be important. An attorney can determine what evidence may be relevant and take appropriate legal steps to request or preserve information related to the collision.
Commercial Truck Insurance Claims Can Be More Complex
Truck accident claims may involve commercial insurance policies and significantly larger potential damages than many ordinary car accident claims.
When a collision causes catastrophic injuries, the financial consequences can be substantial. Medical treatment, future care, lost income, reduced earning ability, rehabilitation, and other damages can create significant exposure for the companies and insurance carriers involved.
Those companies may have attorneys, insurance representatives, investigators, and other professionals working to protect their interests shortly after an accident occurs.
An injured person should be cautious about providing recorded statements, signing documents, or accepting a settlement before understanding the extent of their injuries and legal rights.
A settlement that addresses today’s medical expenses may not necessarily account for treatment, limitations, or financial losses that could continue for years.
Determining the Full Value of a Truck Accident Claim
A truck accident claim should consider how the collision has affected the injured person’s life as a whole.
Depending on the circumstances, damages may include medical expenses, future medical treatment, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, pain and suffering, and other losses permitted under Florida law.
Serious cases may require assistance from medical professionals, accident reconstruction specialists, vocational experts, economists, or other qualified professionals to better understand how the accident occurred and how the injuries may affect the victim’s future.
Every case is different, which is why a detailed investigation can be critical before determining the appropriate value of a claim.
Why Working With a Truck Accident Attorney Matters
Commercial truck accident cases can involve multiple businesses, complicated insurance issues, extensive records, serious injuries, and federal and state regulations.
An attorney experienced with serious motor vehicle accident claims can investigate the circumstances surrounding the collision, identify potentially responsible parties, review available evidence, communicate with insurance companies, and pursue compensation available under Florida law.
Getting legal guidance early can also help protect important evidence and reduce the likelihood of making decisions that could negatively affect your claim.
Contact Woolsey Morcom After a Jacksonville Truck Accident
If you or someone you love has been seriously injured in an accident involving a semi truck, tractor trailer, or other commercial vehicle, Woolsey Morcom is ready to help.
Our personal injury attorneys represent truck accident victims throughout Jacksonville and Northeast Florida. We understand that these cases can involve serious injuries, significant financial consequences, and powerful trucking and insurance companies.
Woolsey Morcom can investigate what happened, identify the parties that may be responsible, evaluate the impact of your injuries, communicate with the companies and insurers involved, and pursue the compensation available to you under Florida law.
Contact Woolsey Morcom today to schedule a consultation with our Jacksonville truck accident attorneys and learn more about your legal options.
