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Boca Raton Truck Accident Lawyer
Hersh Kirtman Injury Law is here to help if you’ve been hurt or lost a loved one in a trucking accident in Palm Beach County. Weighing over 25 times more than the average passenger car, a truck crash can be devastating to the occupants of the smaller, lighter vehicle. Collisions with 18-wheelers, also known as tractor-trailers or semi-trucks, can cause catastrophic injuries or wrongful death to the accident victims, including sometimes the truck driver as well, regardless of who was at fault.
Trucking accidents are complex, and insurance carriers for the transportation industry fight hard to defend against claims. If you’ve been injured in a trucking accident on I-95, U.S. Route 1, Yamato Road, Glades Road, A1A, Clint Moore Road, Florida’s Turnpike, or the streets of Boca Raton or Palm Beach County, Hersh Kirtman Injury Law can help. Contact our experienced Boca Raton truck accident lawyers today.
Should I Hire an Attorney After Being Involved in a Truck Accident in Boca Raton?
After suffering harm in a truck accident, it is vital you have the help of one of our legal professionals who can help ensure your injury claim has the best possible chance at a successful outcome. At Hersh Kirtman Injury Law, our team of personal injury lawyers is passionate about helping you get the justice and fair compensation our clients deserve, including those who have suffered harm in truck accidents caused by someone else’s negligence.
Truck accidents, and the legal injury claims that follow, are uniquely complex, with respect to both damages and liability. Truck accidents involve some of the largest vehicles on the roadway, which often results in significant harm. In any injury claim involving a victim having suffered catastrophic injuries, the claimant must take several necessary steps to prove every aspect of the injury including future care planning. Truck accidents present certain complicated liability obstacles. Trucking companies are generally well-funded and prepared, and they will have representatives and experts at the scene within hours of a crash. Claimants are at a disadvantage if they do not have someone on their behalf taking similar immediate action to preserve evidence, identify witnesses, and begin to determine and develop the liability case, meaning who did what wrong, causing the crash. Trucking cases often also present questions as to who was responsible for what in relation to the truck. In many instances, the driver may be separate from the company or companies who own and operate the tractor or trailer, and then other companies may be involved by way of rental or transportation of goods. With potentially numerous parties involved, complicated questions as to liability often arise. With these complexities, among others, it is imperative to consult with an experienced truck accident lawyer if you experienced harm following a crash involving a truck.
To learn more about how our experienced truck accident lawyers can help you with your claim, contact our firm for more information.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Boca Raton, FL
According to Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, over 35,000 truck drivers and passengers were involved in truck accidents in Florida in 2021. Nearly 3,000 of those crashes happened in Palm Beach County, making PBC rank number three in the state for the county with the most commercial motor vehicle accidents. Even at relatively low speeds, an 80,000-pound big rig can strike a car with tremendous force, causing catastrophic injury or death to the occupants. Trucking accidents on the highway are even more devastating, as the force of a collision is calculated by the weight of the vehicles multiplied by their force.
Truck accidents can be caused by the negligence of either driver or other parties associated with the trucking company. Injury victims can get a portion of their medical bills paid and also be reimbursed for some of their lost wages through a no-fault insurance claim under their personal injury protection (PIP) coverage. But you’ll need to file a claim against the truck driver, trucking company, or other responsible parties to recover fair compensation for the significant damages caused, including past and future medical expenses, lost income, pain, suffering, and mental anguish.
The truck accident attorneys with Hersh Kirtman Injury Law can help you recover this much-needed compensation after a trucking accident in Palm Beach County. Our Boca Raton truck accident lawyers have years of experience and a record of success that includes well over a dozen multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements on behalf of catastrophic injury or wrongful death victims. Not only do we strive to obtain great results for our clients, but at all times we make ourselves available to listen to you, answer your questions, and make sure you are getting taken care of. We establish a personal connection with our clients so we can be sure we are meeting your needs. We are in this with you and partner with you to get the results you need.
Some of the main types of trucking accidents in Palm Beach County involve jackknife truck accidents, rollovers, underride or override collisions, or other kinds of collisions with a tractor-trailer. These types of crashes occur when truck drivers and trucking companies act unsafely. The Boca Raton truck accident attorneys at Hersh Kirtman Injury Law know how to hold trucking companies responsible when their unsafe actions cause harm to others. We have considerable experience investigating these crashes and proving violations of the laws and regulations specific to the trucking industry, including:
Hours of Service Violations
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) limits how long truckers can drive and be on duty and when they must take time off. These “hours of service” regulations let truck drivers work 14 hours a day and spend 11 hours a day driving, and they can lawfully put in 60 hours over seven consecutive days or 70 hours over eight consecutive days before having to take as little as 32 hours off. If facing “adverse driving conditions,” they can even drive longer and still be within the rules. The regulations as-is test the limits of human endurance and safe driving, but truck drivers are known to routinely break the rules and drive even longer than is lawful or safe. Hours of service violations put truck drivers and all those they share the road with at danger of an accident from drowsy or fatigued driving, falling asleep at the wheel, decreased attention and alertness, slowed reflexes and impaired judgment from lack of rest.
Truck Maintenance Issues
When trucking safety organizations and government agencies come together for annual roadside inspections of commercial vehicles, they wind up pulling one in every four or five trucks off the road for immediate safety violations such as bad tires or brakes that make them too dangerous to be on the road. These aren’t surprise inspections either; trucking companies know well in advance when these inspections will be held yet don’t take the time to maintain their fleets in decent working order. Roadside inspections only capture a fraction of the trucks on the road, and it’s scary to think of how many semis are on the road right now with defects that could lead to a blowout or brake failure at a critical moment.
Negligent Driving
Truck drivers and the motorists around them can be guilty of speeding, distracted driving, drinking and driving, following too close, failing to signal, unsafe lane changes, and other risky and dangerous behaviors. Semi-trucks have extensive blind spots and need more space and time to stop or maneuver, so negligent driving is an even greater danger than usual when 18-wheelers are involved.
Negligent Loading
When trailers are overloaded or unbalanced, truck tires and brakes can fail, and truck drivers can lose control of their rigs, leading to rollovers, jackknifes and other disasters. Unsecured loads can also come loose and spill out of the truck, wreaking havoc on the roads. Loading errors could be the fault of the truck driver, trucking company, freight shippers, or third-party contractors.
The truck accident lawyers at Hersh Kirtman Injury Law put in extra time and effort to identify and bring in all negligent parties and hold them responsible in order to achieve the maximum compensation for injury victims.
Contact Our Top-Rated Truck Accident Lawyers in Boca Raton, FL Today
Being injured in a truck accident can lead to devastating results. If you were injured in a truck accident, you may have the legal right to pursue justice by filing a claim.
Hersh Kirtman Injury Law can help when you’ve been injured in a truck accident or lost a loved one to a fatal truck crash in Palm Beach County. We are here for you when you need us and ready to give our all to make sure you are taken care of. Contact our experienced Boca Raton truck accident lawyers today by calling 561-208-3700 for a free consultation.
LEGALLY REVIEWED BY
Michael Hersh and Ian Kirtman, Trial Attorneys
September 10, 2024
Attorneys Michael Hersh and Ian Kirtman are experienced personal injury attorneys who have won their clients more than $100 million in verdicts and settlements throughout their 30 years of experience.
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