18-Wheeler / Commercial Vehicle Accidents

Fort Lauderdale 18-Wheeler Accident Attorneys

If an 18-wheeler is involved in a collision with another vehicle, the damage is often catastrophic. The sheer size of a commercial semi truck can crush a smaller car or truck with no difficulty, and the entire roadway can become involved if a trailer is in tow. If you or a loved has been involved in an accident with one of these hulking behemoths of the road, it's in your best interest to contact an attorney who can help you put things back together. Contact the experienced 18-wheeler accident attorneys at Levine & Glassman, P.A. to set up a free consultation and discuss your case throughout Southeast Florida, including Fort Lauderdale in Broward County, Miami in Miami-Dade County, and West Palm Beach in Palm Beach County.

Current estimates show that about 1 in 8 traffic fatalities are caused by big rig accidents. Corporate pressure and competition encourage truck drivers to speed down highways to make shipments on time, which causes undue danger to all of the surrounding drivers on the road. In addition, a number of truckers have trouble sleeping, even with Hours of Service (HOS) regulations; sleep disorders like sleep apnea affect many truck drivers. A fatigued driver in a big rig becomes a gamble with lives in a massive, rolling death machine. If you have been affected by a big rig accident, you have the right to fight for compensation.

What do I do after a trucking accident?

As in any automobile accident, there are a few things you should always do right away. Taking care of these things will make the recovery process proceed much more smoothly:

• Seek medical attention - This is absolutely essential. It's very likely that an ambulance would have been called to the scene of an 18-wheeler crash, since they are very capable of causing serious damage. If you weren't attended to medically following the crash, however, that should be your first priority. Diagnosing any potentially dangerous internal or external injuries is an important step in securing your health and financial recovery.
• Contact an attorney - The truck driver will most likely have a trucking company backing him, and these companies are ruthless in legally defending themselves and their employees. Don't let them take advantage of you; secure experienced personal injury representation to guide you through this troubling time.
• File an insurance claim - If you're covered, filing bodily injury and property damage claims with your insurance company as soon as possible will help ensure that you get the maximum amount of compensation for your damages.

Take care of these things as quickly as you can; they are the key to getting back on your feet after a serious semi truck accident. Don't let your financial recovery slip away by not taking action.

How do big rig crashes happen?

An 18-wheeler is significantly more difficult to control than the vehicles most of us drive, especially with a tractor trailer in tow. The large size of a semi truck gives it very limited maneuverability, making even minor emergency situations even worse. With this in mind, truck drivers need to be held to much higher standards than the rest of us in terms of reaction time, vehicle maintenance, and vehicle awareness and control. Unfortunately, that's not always the case. Negligence happens in the trucking industry just as it happens everywhere else.

The following factors contribute to a large number of 18-wheeler crashes:

• Failure to check blind spots
• Truck driver recklessness
• Inattentiveness to changes in traffic or construction zones
• Following too closely
• Speeding
• Driver fatigue / sleep apnea / highway hypnosis
• Driver distraction
• Cell phone use / texting and driving
• Driving under the influence of alcohol
• Drug / stimulant use
• Brake or tire failure / truck manufacturing defect
• Unsecured cargo / payload freight shifting
• Inclement weather
• Debris or other articles in the road

Any of these factors working individually can be dangerous, but these often work together. A fatigued or distracted truck driver is less likely to check blind spots before changing lanes and will have reduced reaction times, so they are more likely to react poorly to shifting cargo or poor road conditions.

In the event of any of these factors, there are a number of different ways that an 18-wheeler can crash and cause damage. Each condition can result in a different crash, and each different crash causes its damage in a different way. Some of the common types of big rig crashes include:

• Trailer Flip / Rollover - These kinds of accidents usually occur if one of the rear wheels on the trailer blows out or some other kind of sudden stop or interference is made with the trailer's motion. This can cause serious damage to a wide range of the highway when the trailer hits the ground and continues to skid.
• Fishtail / Jackknife - This means that the tractor trailer swings out to the side of the truck. In a jackknife situation, the trailer shifts all the way to 90 degrees from the truck, creating a wide-range skid that often results in massive highway pile-ups.
• Underride Accidents - An underride accident occurs when a small car hits the back of a large trailer. The combination of a low vehicle and a high trailer means that the smaller auto often gets stuck riding under the back of the trailer. The contact point between the car and the trailer is usually at driver eye level as it smashes through the windshield and often causes fatal injuries.
• Rear-End Accidents - A truck driver that follows other drivers too closely can be a significant danger. Rear-end accidents in commuter automobiles can be somewhat dangerous, but the damage is usually kept to a minimum. With an 18-wheeler involved, however, this situation quickly becomes messy. The massive 18-wheeler can easily crush a smaller vehicle when it collides, and the truck driver's attempt to stop quickly can result in the trailer swinging out and causing a fishtail or jackknife situation.
• Head-On Collisions - This type of accident is usually caused by a fatigued or severely distracted driver on an undivided roadway. The distracted driver slowly drifts into oncoming traffic from the inside lane and is unable to react or move before colliding head-on with another vehicle. These crashes are often fatal due to the combined speeds of the vehicles involved.

The unfortunate reality of an 18-wheeler wreck is that it is often fatal or catastrophic for the drivers in smaller vehicles, while the negligent truck driver is usually unscathed. This leaves many families feeling like their loved one was unfairly stolen from them. If you or a loved one experienced loss in a tragic 18-wheeler accident, secure legal representation with Levine & Glassman to start the recovery process.

Levine & Glassman, P.A. - Florida Semi Truck Accident Lawyers

At Levine & Glassman, P.A., our attorneys have the experience, integrity, and resolve that it takes to fight for your right to compensation in an 18-wheeler accident case. Whether you or a loved one has sustained injury or death, we will stand by you throughout the process of the lawsuit. Call us at (954) 332-6100 or fill out our online case submission form to schedule your free case consultation and begin the process of recovering your damages.

18-Wheeler Safety Information Center

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration - The federal government's division that sets and enforces regulations on motor carriers like 18-wheelers, commercial vehicles, and passenger carriers / buses.

Commercial Motor Vehicle Fact Sheet - Facts and figures regarding crash data and fatality rates in 18-wheeler and bus crashes