Research shows that more than 400,000 truck accidents occur annually on American roadways. Injuries caused by a Fort Lauderdale truck accident could include minor damage such as simple scrapes and bruises or serious injuries and even death. Some common injuries that result from truck accidents include whiplash, burns, injuries to internal organs, broken bones, spinal cord injuries, head, back, and neck injuries, and wrongful death.
Proving liability, which sometimes can be attributed by determining the cause of the truck accident, is essential to a personal injury case. This is because fault determines whether or not a victim is entitled to recover monetary damages from the party (or parties) responsible and, just as important, how much monetary compensation is owed. Damages that may be awarded to a victim of a Fort Lauderdale truck accident may include money to cover past and future medical expenses, past and future loss of income, as well as pain and suffering, among others.
When a massive truck (large commercial trucks can weigh 10,000 lbs. or more) collides with a passenger vehicle, the consequences can be fatal. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) estimates that 500,000 truck accidents happen annually and that one in eight traffic deaths involve a truck accident. This equates to 1% – or 5,000 accidents – causing fatalities. A commercial truck can weigh as much as 25 times more than a passenger vehicle. The large difference in weight and height of a truck, coupled with the difficulty in operating such a large machine, makes truck accidents more dangerous than the average traffic crash. This is despite truck drivers being statistically more careful drivers than others due to the stringent licensing requirements. A truck’s large cargo load, which may include hazardous or flammable materials, can enhance an already dangerous situation.
Special dangers are present in truck accidents that do not exist in regular personal-use vehicle crashes.
Turning accidents are common types of crashes. This is because turning a large commercial truck is a difficult maneuver, often requiring two or more lanes to be successfully executed. As a result, if a truck accident happens, a clear case of negligence is not always present. Likewise, when a truck suddenly brakes, the tractor of the truck can swing out and stop at a 90 degree angle. This is known as jack-knifing. These types of truck accidents are especially dangerous because the tractor will plough through all property and people in the trailer’s way before coming to a complete stop. An unforeseeable event such as a sudden turn by a vehicle in front of the truck, slipperiness on the roadway, or an abrupt stop in traffic ahead may release the driver (and the employer) from liability.
If you or someone you know has been injured or tragically killed in a Fort Lauderdale truck accident, contact an experienced truck accident lawyer today. Do not try to face this situation alone. Have legal advocates from the Law Offices of Joseph I. Lipsky, P.A. on your side, fighting for the compensation to which you are entitled. Schedule your free, initial consultation with one of the firm’s attorneys today by calling 954-693-0073.