Whom do you fight against after a Florida truck accident?

Devastating accidents with large trucks bring their daily share of misery on Florida’s roadways. If not killed, victims are often left with debilitating injuries that could last a lifetime. In most cases, the truck driver gets away either unhurt or with light injuries. If the crash was caused or aggravated by the truck, the victims can file a claim for compensation in order to cope with the terrible consequences of the accident. As we mentioned in a recent article motor carriers and their insurers will probably fight tooth and nail to deny or limit the compensation to which victims are entitled.

One reason why such cases need to be handled by experienced Florida truck accident lawyers is that it is not even clear, in many cases, whom you will fight against. The trucking business involves many commercial parties whose interests are intertwined. This means liable parties could be:

• The truck owner: This is the normal case, but semi-trucks have a tractor unit and a trailer, and they may belong to different parties.
• The truck driver: This could be the case in a one-truck, owner operated business.
• The driver’s employer: Employers are liable for the negligence or recklessness of their employees acting in the scope of their employment.
• The owner of the cargo: While not frequent, some injuries can be aggravated or sustained because of the spilled cargo, if the cargo owner is found to have been negligent in packing, conditioning or securing it.
• A parent company: Whether the employer of the driver or owner of the truck, sometimes the liable company has no net worth to speak of, and would rather go bankrupt than face a large claim. An experienced truck accident lawyer will find out what the corporate links are with better fitted parent companies.
• A manufacturer: The crash could have been caused by a defective component or poorly designed tractor or trailer.
• A maintenance company: Many motor carriers entrust the maintenance of their truck fleet to specialized maintenance firms. Their technician could have been at the origin of malfunctioning brakes, the loss of a wheel, or any other problem that caused the accident.

If you or someone you love has been hurt in an 18-wheeler crash, you need the support of an experienced and determined attorney focused on truck accidents in North and Central Florida; call the Daytona Beach attorneys of Johnson & Gilbert today toll free at (800) 556-8890 and locally at (386) 673-4412 or fill out the form on this page for a free consultation.