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PRACTICE AREAS

Truck & Semi Accidents

Truck accidents are one of the leading causes of death on American roadways, and Florida is no exception. In 2015, an estimated 116,000 people were injured in vehicle accidents involving semi trucks. In Florida alone, large trucks comprise 5.2% of all accidents, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association. According to the same report, semi truck accidents are most common on interstates and in rural areas. Whenever a person is injured by a semi truck accident, he or she may be able to recover for those damages in an Orlando court.

Florida Law on Truck Accidents

Under the laws applicable to Orlando, victims of truck accidents will usually seek recovery for their damages through a negligence lawsuit. In order to prevail on a negligence lawsuit in Florida, the injured party will be required to prove the following in an Orlando courtroom:

  • The truck driver owed a duty of care: Whenever a driver chooses to get behind the wheel, the law requires that driver to behave as a “reasonably prudent person.” While this standard is flexible to the circumstances surrounding each vehicle accident, this typically requires the truck drivers to follow the traffic laws, to only drive if they are not under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and to only drive if they are alert and focused on the road. For drivers of large trucks or semi trucks, these standards are even higher.
  • The truck driver violated this duty of care: Next, the injured victim in a truck accident will be required to prove in an Orlando court that the truck driver “violated” this duty of care, or, in other words, that the driver did not behave in the way a “reasonably prudent” person would have behaved in similar circumstances. Using the previous examples, this means that driver was violating some traffic law or driving while impaired or distracted.
  • This violation caused truck accident injuries: Finally, the driver’s violation of his or her duty must have been the cause of your injuries. This fairly simple legal concept is best illustrated by an example: If the driver was sending a text message while driving 30 minutes prior to the truck accident and was otherwise behaving in a reasonably prudent manner at the time of the collision, then the injuries from the truck accident were not “caused” by the negligence of the driver, even though he or she had recently behaved in a negligent manner.

Contact a Florida Truck Accident Attorney

If you or a loved one were injured by the negligence of a semi truck driver, then an Orlando truck accident attorney may be able to help you recover for your damages. Under Section 95.11 of the Florida Code, a person injured in a truck accident will have four years from the date of the accident to file a negligence lawsuit against the truck driver or their trucking company. More urgently, some of the evidence required to prove negligence can dissipate over time. To ensure you have the strongest case possible, contact us at 407-315-8000. Bengal Law: Florida Accident Lawyers and Personal Injury Attorneys PLLC.

Schedule a free consultation

Getting the compensation you need to make a full financial recovery starts with a free case evaluation with accident attorneys Jeff Starker or Joel Leppard.

Start today by texting or calling our office and scheduling a consultation with one of our Orlando personal injury attorneys, or complete our contact form to start your journey of getting help. We look forward to serving you.

    ADDRESS

    Bengal Law: Florida Accident Lawyers and Personal Injury Attorneys PLLC. 1530 US Highway-1, Suite #400, Rockledge, FL 32955 OPEN GOOGLE MAP

    PHONE

    (321) 332-7901 CALL US

    ADDRESS

    Bengal Law: Florida Accident Lawyers and Personal Injury Attorneys PLLC. 638 Broadway Ave, Suite #200, Orlando, FL 32803 OPEN GOOGLE MAP

    PHONE

    (407) 815-3000 CALL US

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