In accidents between a passenger car and a large truck, 97 percent of the fatalities are the occupants of the car. Studies have also shown that roughly half of all wrongful deaths in 18-wheeler accidents occur in underride crashes, where the car is forced partially or completely underneath the tractor or the trailer.

These are sobering statistics, and we are only talking about wrongful deaths. Injuries sustained in truck wrecks are just as terrible, with consequences that may last a lifetime.

Florida drivers need to think about this when they are on the road: move away from trucks as soon as you can, do not tailgate or cut in front of large trucks.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a wreck caused by a truck, you probably need the support of an experienced truck accident attorney. There are several reasons why such cases can’t be handled by just any Florida lawyer with a general practice:

• Your claim is likely to involve substantial amounts of money, certain to elicit considerable resistance from the motor carrier and their insurer. These companies are handling accident cases every day and know exactly how to limit the damage, which means how to refute or short-change your claim.
• Motor carriers are subject to stringent safety regulations, from driver’s qualification and hours-of-service to truck maintenance (brakes, tires). Their defense could be considerably weakened if they are found to be in breach of any of these rules.
• As a result, in order to prove that the truck caused the accident, an investigation on the scene should be initiated without delay, possibly involving accident reconstruction experts and the seizure of evidence such as log book and cell phone.
• In many cases when the truck is found to be at fault, the question becomes “who is liable?” This is because the tractor may belong to one firm and the trailer to another, the driver could be employed by a company that is not the one operating the truck, the crash could have been caused by a defective component, and so on.

An experienced Florida truck accident law firm like Johnson & Gilbert has the resources and the skills to prevail against these powerful opponents and fight in court until justice is done.

If you have been involved in a truck accident in North or Central Florida, call the Daytona Beach attorneys of Johnson & Gilbert PA 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.