A commercial truck weighs 20 times more than a car, which makes it 20 times more likely to injure a motorist in a road accident. Truck drivers must participate in advanced training to earn a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL), and most are conscientious. However, sometimes, they can make mistakes, which often leads to a serious accident. When you have sustained an injury from a truck accident, contact our skilled commercial vehicle accident attorneys at Dannheisser Injury Law for help understanding your options for bringing a claim.
It is crucial to understand that truck accidents occur when truckers or motorists behave below the standard that a reasonable person would uphold behind the wheel. As a result, someone is harmed by their negligence. You may be able to avoid a crash if you know the common causes of truck accidents in Sarasota, but when you are hurt in one, consulting a well-practiced attorney can make a difference in the success of your claim.
Truckers drive recklessly when they ignore traffic rules, inclement weather, or their fatigue. Trucking companies and drivers will argue that weather-related accidents are caused by a force of nature and not them. Under Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations § 392.14, commercial truckers must consider weather conditions as a reason to reduce speed or sideline themselves until it is safe to proceed. Driving in inclement weather is reckless driving, which is the basis for a negligence claim when a person is injured.
To understand exactly what happened, the Sarasota attorneys at Dannheisser Injury Law collect evidence in a truck wreck case by analyzing the varying common causes of wrecks, which include:
We dedicate the time it takes to recover the full value of damages for injured motorists, and we strive for a personal relationship with every person so we can understand their specific needs. If necessary, we are not afraid to take a case to court.
Truckers who are not paying attention to their driving are distracted. Distractions are visual when the trucker’s eyes leave the road for any reason, manual when hands or feet come off the wheel or pedals, and cognitive when they are daydreaming or impaired by alcohol or drugs.
Improper cargo loading includes overloading trailers, which raises the center of gravity, making the commercial truck unstable and more likely to flip or jackknife. An overweight truck is also hard on the braking system and tires, which causes them to wear out more quickly. Cargo that is not secured properly will roll around in the trailer, destabilizing the truck, and is a common cause of 18-wheeler collisions in Sarasota.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) sets rules for truckers, including how many hours a day and week they can drive. Some companies and the truckers themselves will circumvent these rules to earn bonuses for early delivery. An exhausted driver is a dangerous one. When a motorist suspects that a commercial vehicle wreck was caused due to driver fatigue, our Sarasota attorneys can ensure that a diligent investigation is performed to collect the necessary evidence.
The FMCSA also oversees truck maintenance, and drivers must submit maintenance logs daily, before, and after a job. Cutting back on maintenance and falsifying records is negligent and dangerous to other motorists on the road and is a cause of 18-wheeler collisions in Sarasota.
Establishing a truck driver’s negligence and the compensation a person is entitled to based on their physical, emotional, and financial injuries is what our team at Dannheisser Injury Law does with precision. We also consider how a judgment might be adjusted under the doctrine of comparative negligence, which means the injured party contributed to the accident with their negligence. Recovery is still possible, reduced by an injured party’s degree of fault, if that fault is less than 50 percent.
When you are injured in a commercial truck accident, our attorneys will work tirelessly to understand exactly how the collision happened. Some common causes of truck accidents in Sarasota may point to the driver’s careless acts, which could be the foundation for building a negligence case.
The experienced attorneys at Dannheisser Injury Law are dedicated to helping injured motorists get the necessary compensation. Call us today for an initial consultation and discuss your recovery options.
