Trinity is a gorgeous town, and its tri-county location makes it a perfect place to live for commuters. Unfortunately, semi-trucks clogging local highways cause accidents, injuring our residents. If a heavy commercial vehicle injures you, you may need the help of a Trinity truck accident lawyer to help you seek compensation for your injuries. Call today to speak with a dedicated personal injury attorney at our firm.
Perenich Law Injury Attorneys Can Help After a Truck Accident
At Perenich Law Injury Attorneys, our seasoned Trinity truck accident attorneys have experience with the unique liability issues and damages that truck accidents cause. Because semi-truck accidents cause great devastation, there may be a lot of money on the line for our clients. We work hard to represent our clients’ rights and help them pursue the compensation they deserve. Call us today to speak with a team member about your case.
Your Risk of a Truck Accident in Trinity
Trinity sits northwest of Tampa’s sprawling metropolitan area. A quieter community sitting on the city’s outskirts and just east of the Gulf of Mexico, many residents commute to Tampa for work and recreation during the workweek and weekends. Those traveling to and from Trinity cross several major roadways frequented by large commercial trucks and shipping companies.
Unfortunately, this travel increases the risk of getting involved in a semi-truck accident. For example, U.S. Highway 19 runs to the west of Trinity runs. The highway is a major artery along the west coast of Florida that connects many cities and beach towns within the state. Many truckers use U.S. 19 to travel the state’s west coast towards the panhandle or the Midwest. Other major roadways and interstates frequented by trucks near the Trinity include I-275, I-75, I-4, and U.S. 41.
Truck Accident Statistics
Americans encounter trucks every day. Trucks carry our mail, online shopping, and materials, goods, and products to our favorite stores. Due to increased demand for shipping, more trucks travel the road nationwide.
When more truckers drive farther, the number of semi-truck and 18-wheeler accidents increases. The National Safety Council reports that over 100,000 people sustain injuries in large truck accidents annually, and over 5,000 victims die in accidents involving large trucks. While the truck driver or other truck occupants occasionally sustain injuries, most victims in truck accidents occupy other vehicles. Over 70 percent of accident victims drive or ride in other cars. This statistic should frighten everyone who travels on our roads.
What Are the Most Common Causes of Truck Accidents?
Trucks are dangerous because of their difficult handling, heavy cargo, and massive size. Large trucks can obstruct the view of other passenger vehicles, cause traffic jams, and create hazards to anyone traveling near one. Negligence commonly causes truck accidents, injuring individuals.
Truck drivers are human, and they may act in ways that endanger others. Impatience, stress, and heavy workloads push some drivers to take risks and shortcuts that jeopardize the lives of other travelers. Others, such as the trucking company or the truck manufacturer, might also act negligently.
Examples of negligence that could cause a truck accident in Trinity include:
Truck driver fatigue
Truck operators work long hours, which create a constant battle with exhaustion on the road. Little time between loads and tight, demanding schedules make drivers push themselves beyond their physical limits. They might doze off behind the wheel, running over vehicles or losing control of their rigs.
Driving under the influence
Alcohol, prescription medications, or recreational drug use can be a problem with long-distance truck drivers. Any substance that alters a driver’s coordination, reaction time, or ability to stay awake can cause an accident.
Reckless driving
Truckers feel comfortable driving massive semis and tractor-trailers. They might regularly speed, maneuver aggressively, or tailgate. However, these dangerous behaviors disrupt traffic and cause wrecks.
Lack of training or experience
Truck companies must hire drivers with clean driving records. They must also train their drivers to operate large commercial vehicles. When a rookie drives a big rig with no training or real-world experience, they may cause preventable accidents.
Failure to maintain the truck
Commercial trucks log many miles traveling week in and week out. Over time, parts wear out and need replacing. Without routine maintenance, minor problems worsen into catastrophic failures and loss of function. Malfunctioning parts can cause a driver to lose control and put others at risk.
Lack of safety features
Large trucks should carry safety equipment. If a trucker fails to have safety equipment or maintain it, it can increase the risk of injury to innocent bystanders.
Defective parts or equipment
Well-made parts and equipment on a truck keep it operating safely. When an unexpected defect arises, the truck driver might not maintain control of the semi. In these cases, the manufacturer of the faulty part or equipment may be liable for the damage that occurs.
Improper loading procedures
Properly placing cargo onto a truck takes work. Cargo loaders must think of how the cargo travels when they load it up for shipment. Sudden weight shifts, loosening of cargo, or unsecured cargo can fly onto the roadway or cause a truck driver to lose control of their truck on the road.
Common Semi-Truck Collision Injuries
The costliest damage from a tractor-trailer collision is not the loss of cargo or damage to property but rather the loss of life and injuries crash victims endure. It is hard to imagine a minor truck accident—the weight of commercial trucks slamming into a passenger vehicle seems like a losing scenario every time. It is no surprise that truck accidents kill so many people.
Truck accident survivors frequently require hospitalization and may face permanent disability. If you are in a truck accident, you must first call emergency medical services at 911 to evaluate you to see if you need treatment. Truck accident victims usually feel confused, on edge, and unsure following an accident. You may need to visit the nearest emergency room to be evaluated for potentially life-threatening injuries following a truck accident.
Common injuries that a victim may sustain in a Trinity truck accident include:
Head and neck injuries such as a traumatic brain injury (TBI)
Injuries to the back or spinal cord
Internal bleeding or injuries to vital organs
Fractured, broken, or crushed bones
Lacerations and cuts
Fighting for Compensation When You Are a Semi-Truck Crash Victim
As a truck accident victim, the bills for your medical care and other expenses may quickly add up, and you may find yourself struggling to manage the high costs of the aftermath of a truck accident. When you suffer injuries because of someone else’s negligence, the law allows you to seek compensation.
You can seek compensation through several different avenues, but talking to an experienced lawyer will help you determine which will work for your case. For example, insurance coverage may apply when a commercial vehicle causes an accident.
At Perenich Law Injury Attorneys, our Trinity truck crash lawyers have experience evaluating complicated claims and advising our clients about how to proceed. Although most cases never go to court, we also have extensive experience fighting for clients before a judge and jury.
Filing Insurance Claims
Immediately following a truck wreck, the insurance claims process begins. If you speak to a Trinity 18-wheeler collision attorney as soon as possible after an accident, you give yourself an advantage. Various parties may attempt to influence the outcome of your case by encouraging you to speak about the details of your crash.
For example, an insurance company may try to get you to admit partial fault for the accident, allowing them to reduce any compensation they may give you. If you have a lawyer on your side, you can avoid making some of these costly mistakes.
A truck accident attorney will guide you through filing an insurance claim and make certain you meet any deadlines. They will help you gather evidence that substantiates your claim for damages and fault if needed.
Then, your lawyer will negotiate with the insurance company. Because these negotiations are complex and challenging, you want an attorney on your side who has been through the process successfully before. In most cases, you will reach a successful resolution with the insurance claim at this stage. However, if the insurance company refuses to offer you a fair settlement, your lawyer may advise you to file a lawsuit.
Filing Lawsuits
If your truck accident lawyer believes that your case should go to court in Trinity, you must file your case within the statute of limitations. In Florida, a victim has two years from the date of a truck accident to file a lawsuit for negligence. When you hire a truck accident lawyer, they will keep track of this timeline to protect your rights to compensation.
Your lawyer will build a case, gather evidence from records and experts, and prepare for a trial if one should become necessary. Your lawyer should work proactively to resolve your case outside of court while also preparing to fight for you before a judge or jury.
Contact a Trinity Truck Accident Attorney Today
At Perenich Law Injury Attorneys, our record shows that we respect our clients and help them relentlessly pursue the compensation they deserve. Call for a free case evaluation with a Trinity truck accident lawyer to find out how we can help you with your claim.
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