You may not worry or fear sharing the Florida roads with 18-wheeler, commercial trucks. That is until you, unfortunately, encounter one in a negative way, and find yourself hurt with property damages after a collision. Continue reading to learn the types of truck accidents that can happen and how an experienced Tampa truck accident lawyer at Merricks Law Group, P.A. can help you take the appropriate legal action against the at-fault party.
What are the types of truck accidents that can happen in the state of Florida?
Truck accidents commonly occur in the same fashion as standard car accidents, whether it’s a T-bone collision, a rear-end collision, or a sideswipe collision. However, the aftermath of injuries and damages may be far more severe when a truck is involved. This is because a truck’s sheer size and weight may lend to more catastrophe upon the point of impact. Nonetheless, below are types of collisions that may be specific to truck interference or involvement:
- Jackknife accidents: this may happen when a truck driver hits the brakes too hard or too abruptly and the trailer folds together with the cab, resembling a jackknife.
- Rollover accidents: this may happen when a truck driver turns too quickly or sharply and the unevenly distributed weight of the trailer causes the truck to roll over on its side or head.
- Underride accidents: this may happen when a truck driver dramatically halts and a smaller, standard motor vehicle slides underneath the trailer.
Who are the individuals that can be at fault for a truck accident happening?
Just because the truck involved in your accident caused the most amount of damage does not necessarily mean that its driver was the catalyst of the event. Rather, depending on the unique circumstances of your collision, you may identify several individuals or parties as responsible. This may ultimately dictate who you file your truck accident claim against, should you choose to pursue a legal route. Without further ado, below are examples of potentially at-fault parties besides the truck driver:
- A truck driver’s employer may be at fault if they did not check that they met all training and certification prerequisites before sending them onto the road.
- A truck driver’s coworkers may be at fault if they did not evenly distribute cargo within the truck’s trailer or did not securely lock the trailer’s doors beforehand.
- A truck manufacturing company may be at fault if it did not identify and recall a faulty part within its produced commercial vehicle in a timely manner.
- Another driver involved in the truck accident may be at fault if they were driving negligently and caused the truck driver to abruptly swerve, brake, or otherwise.
- A city or state entity may be at fault if there was a hazardous condition on the road that caused the truck driver to abruptly swerve, brake, or otherwise.
To conclude, you should know that a skilled Tampa auto accident lawyer is here to assist you with whatever your legal issue may be. So please reach out to us at Merricks Law Group, P.A. today.
