Fort Lauderdale Truck Accident Attorney

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Fighting for Your Rights After a Devastating Truck Crash

A commercial truck accident in Fort Lauderdale may have left you coping with life-altering injuries, emotional trauma, lost income, mounting medical bills, or even the inconsolable loss of a loved one.

Dealing with a complex personal injury claim and fighting with insurance companies is the last thing you need when you need to focus on your recovery.

While nothing can erase your pain and trauma, an experienced Fort Lauderdale truck accident lawyer with Hollander Law Firm can relieve some of your heavy burdens.

We understand the devastating toll these crashes take on truck accident victims and their families, and we are ready to fight for your rights and the compensation you deserve.

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What Can Hollander Law Firm Do For You After a Truck Accident?

Have you or a loved one suffered serious injuries in a truck accident in Fort Lauderdale? You may recover significant financial compensation to cover your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.

A skilled Fort Lauderdale truck accident lawyer at Hollander Law Firm Accident Injury Lawyers can help you. Contact our Fort Lauderdale law offices at (954) 231-2320 for your free consultation with one of our lawyers.

When you hire Hollander Law Firm Accident Injury Lawyers, you get a dedicated legal team ready to handle every aspect of your truck accident case so you can focus on healing.

Our services include:

Comprehensive Investigation: We’ll uncover the root cause of your accident, including reviewing the truck’s maintenance records, driving logs, and data from the truck’s electronic data recorder.
Accident Reconstruction: We collaborate with top experts to reconstruct the accident scene, strengthening your truck accident claim with solid evidence.
Determining Liability: We’ll identify all the potentially responsible parties, from the truck driver to the company that maintained the truck, ensuring you pursue compensation from every liable entity.
Dealing with Insurance Companies: Trucking companies and their insurers will likely try to shift the blame. We’ll fight back and ensure the insurance company treats you fairly.
Preparing for Court: While we aim for a fair settlement, we can take your case to trial if necessary to obtain the compensation you deserve. Insurance companies and trucking carriers know that we will argue your case before a judge or jury if necessary, so they usually offer higher settlements faster.

Don’t wait to take action. Trucking companies usually send their own investigators to the crash site immediately while their insurers prepare to minimize their payouts.

The sooner you contact us, the better we can protect your interests.

Call Hollander Accident Injury Lawyers today for your free consultation.

How Common Are Commercial Truck Accidents in Florida?

Recent statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) show that 5,788 people lost their lives in accidents involving large trucks across the U.S. in one recent year, marking a 17% rise compared to the previous year. Of those fatalities, 72% were occupants of other vehicles involved in the crashes.

With 368 truck crash deaths in the same year, Florida accounted for more than 6% of the total U.S. fatal truck crashes, according to the National Safety Council’s Injury Facts. In fact, Florida had the nation’s third-highest number of truck crash deaths, behind Texas (810 deaths) and California (436 deaths).

For every person killed in a Florida truck accident, many others suffered serious and catastrophic injuries.

These figures highlight the critical need to hold negligent truck drivers, trucking companies, and other liable parties accountable for the devastating consequences of these accidents.

Given the significant risks posed by large trucks, particularly in Florida’s densely trafficked areas, victims and their families require skilled legal representation to defend their rights and seek justice for injuries or loss of life caused by these tragic collisions.

Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Fort Lauderdale

Truck accident claims are notoriously complex. The trucking industry must follow federal and state safety standards that aim to improve traffic safety and reduce the number of people killed in truck crashes every year.

Truck accident cases also often involve multiple parties, from the truck driver to the trucking company and even mechanics and truck part manufacturers.

Our Fort Lauderdale truck accident lawyers have more than 28 years of experience litigating truck accident cases and advocating for truck crash victims across Broward County and South Florida. We’ve recovered millions in compensation for our clients, and we’re ready to help you, too.

Many factors can contribute to a truck accident, but according to research from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the most common causes include:

Driver Fatigue: Truck drivers are often on the road for extended hours, leading to fatigue, reduced attention, and slower reaction times.
Distracted Driving: Texting, eating, or using in-cab devices can distract a driver from the road and lead to accidents.
Speeding: Truckers hurrying to meet delivery deadlines may exceed safe speed limits, increasing the risk of accidents.
Impaired Driving: Some truck drivers may resort to drug or alcohol use to stay alert, leading to dangerous driving conditions.
Mechanical Failures: Poorly maintained trucks, defective brakes, or tire blowouts can cause accidents.
Improper Cargo Loading: Overloaded or poorly secured cargo can shift during transport, causing the driver to lose control.

If you or a loved one were injured in a truck accident caused by any of these factors, Hollander Law Firm’s Fort Lauderdale truck accident attorneys will hold the responsible parties accountable and fight for your maximum compensation.

Common Types of Fort Lauderdale Truck Accidents

Every type of truck accident, no matter how minor, can have devastating consequences for the occupants of smaller motor vehicles, not to mention pedestrians and bicycle riders.

Some common types of truck accidents include:

Jackknife Accidents: A jackknife accident occurs when a truck’s trailer swings out to the side, forming a 90-degree angle with the cab. Jackknifes usually happen when a truck driver loses control during sudden braking or sharp turns. The trailer can sweep across multiple lanes of traffic, causing catastrophic multi-vehicle accidents.
Rollover Accidents: Due to their high center of gravity, large trucks are more prone to rollover accidents, especially during sudden turns, swerves, or while navigating tight curves. When a truck rolls over, it can crush any vehicles in its path, block highways, and create a chain reaction of collisions.
Underride Accidents: One of the most deadly types of truck accidents, an underride accident occurs when a smaller vehicle slides underneath the trailer of a large truck, often resulting in fatal injuries for the occupants of the smaller car. Truck underride accidents usually happen when a truck stops suddenly or when visibility is low and the car slams into the rear of the truck.
Override Accidents: In override accidents, the truck drives over the top of a smaller vehicle, often because the truck driver failed to stop in time. Truck override accidents are usually a severe consequence of rear-end collisions, where the force of impact causes the truck to override the car in front of it.
Rear-End Collisions: Due to the massive size and weight of commercial trucks, rear-end collisions are particularly dangerous. If a truck crashes into the rear of a smaller vehicle, the impact can be deadly, crushing the car and causing severe injuries to the occupants. Likewise, if a smaller vehicle rear-ends a large truck, the truck’s height can cause the car to slide underneath, leading to an underride. Rear-end collisions are among the most common types of truck accidents.
Tire Blowouts: Large trucks often experience tire blowouts, which can cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle. A blown tire can also send dangerous debris flying into the road, posing serious risks to other motorists.
Blind Spot Accidents: Commercial trucks have large blind spots on all four sides, making it difficult for drivers to see nearby vehicles. Blind spot accidents occur when a truck driver changes lanes or makes a turn, colliding with a vehicle in a neighboring lane that was not visible.
Wide-turn accidents: Trucks require more space to make turns, especially right-hand turns. In wide-turn accidents, the truck may swing wide to the left before turning right, trapping or crushing vehicles caught between the truck and the curb.
T-Bone Accidents: These occur when a truck crashes into the side of another vehicle, usually at intersections or when the truck fails to yield the right of way. T-bone accidents are particularly dangerous because the sides of vehicles provide less protection than the front or rear.

Each of these truck accidents can lead to serious injuries or fatalities, especially for the occupants of smaller vehicles.

At Hollander Law Firm, our Fort Lauderdale truck accident lawyers thoroughly investigate every truck crash to determine how it happened and to hold the responsible parties accountable for the devastation they’ve caused.

Who Can You Hold Liable for a Truck Accident in Florida?

In many truck accident cases, multiple parties may share liability for a truck accident.

Under Florida’s shared fault rules, you can sue any party that contributed to the crash, including:

The truck driver
The truck company that owns the truck
A truck leasing company
A company hired to inspect or maintain the truck
Manufacturers of dangerous or defective truck parts
A cargo loading company
A company in charge of securing the tractor to the trailer
Government agencies responsible for maintaining safe road conditions

The lawyers and insurers of the parties involved in a truck accident often try to shift from themselves onto another party, including the personal injury claimant. We are familiar with these tactics and know how to counter them.

Hollander Law Firm Accident Injury Lawyers will conduct a thorough investigation to identify every contributing cause of the truck accident and hold all responsible parties financially responsible.

Life-Altering Injuries After a Truck Accident

Tractor-trailers, 18-wheelers, and semi-trucks – a big rig by any name is no match for a passenger vehicle. The sheer size and weight difference between commercial trucks and passenger vehicles make truck accidents among the deadliest of traffic crashes, even at low speeds.

A fully loaded tractor-trailer can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, while the average passenger vehicle weighs around 3,000 to 4,000 pounds. Such an enormous disparity means that in a collision, the smaller vehicle and its occupants are far more vulnerable to becoming seriously injured or killed.

Victims of truck accidents often suffer from severe and life-changing injuries, including:

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI), concussions, and other head trauma
Neck and back injuries
Spinal cord injuries, paralysis
Broken bones and fractures
Amputations
Internal organ damage
Severe burns
Lacerations
Wrongful death

Truck accident injuries often require extensive medical care, surgeries, physical therapy, and rehabilitation, leading to overwhelming medical bills and lost income. At Hollander Law Firm, we understand the emotional and financial toll these injuries can take on victims and their families.

Compensation Available for Truck Accident Victims in Florida

Truck accident victims may recover compensation for economic damages and non-economic damages, including:

Medical bills (past and future)
Lost wages or income
Pain and suffering
Emotional distress
Permanent disability
Loss of earning capacity
Loss of enjoyment of life

The goal of compensation is to make the victim whole again, as much as possible. This philosophy recognizes that money can’t undo the accident, but it can help alleviate the financial burden and provide resources for recovery.

Financial recovery also aids in physical and psychological recovery, according to a study of financial toxicity among people with serious injuries and illnesses published by the National Library of Medicine.

Medical costs, lost wages, unemployment, and other costly burdens following an injury can deepen the crash’s outcomes, both mentally and physically, and drastically diminish the victim’s quality of life.

Wrongful death: If the unthinkable has happened and you lost a loved one in a Florida truck accident, you may recover funeral and burial expenses, loss of financial support, loss of companionship, and other damages.

Punitive damages: Plaintiffs can receive punitive damages when the at-fault party acted maliciously or showed a blatant disregard for safety. The court awards them on top of compensatory damages to punish the at-fault party as well as discourage them from acting with gross negligence.

Florida Statute of Limitations: Don’t Wait to File Your Claim

Personal Injury Lawyer Gregg Hollander selected as a Best Attorneys of America

The personal injury statute of limitations in Florida typically gives you two years to file a lawsuit. The clock starts running on the date of your accident.

The Sunshine State’s statute of limitations used to provide up to four years to file a negligence lawsuit — but the law changed on March 24, 2023. Thus, if your truck crash in Fort Lauderdale occurred after that date, you’ll probably face the two-year deadline.

The statute of limitations is a hard and fast rule. Once the allotted time has expired, you lose your right to compensation entirely.

Let Us Handle the Insurance Companies

It isn’t unusual for the trucking company’s insurance to contact you directly and offer a settlement. The best advice we can give you in this situation is to politely decline it and hire a skilled truck accident lawyer to deal with the insurance adjusters.

Insurance companies will likely take advantage of your situation and make you a lowball settlement offer if you do not have a personal injury lawyer. An experienced Fort Lauderdale truck accident lawyer will make sure the insurance company offers you full and fair compensation for all of your damages.

Contact Hollander Law Firm: Your Trusted Fort Lauderdale Truck Accident Lawyers

At Hollander Law Firm Accident Injury Lawyers, we know how much you have at stake after a truck accident. If you suffered serious injuries or lost a loved one, the accident may have placed your entire future at risk.

We also know that choosing the right law firm to handle your case can be a difficult and overwhelming decision. We have a long and proven track record of successfully obtaining life-changing settlements and verdicts for our clients, including those injured in truck accidents.

Over 28 years of experience in personal injury law
Direct, personal attention from founding attorney Gregg Hollander
Access to top-tier experts and investigators in the industry
Round-the-clock availability to address your needs
A proven history of successful settlements and trial verdicts
In-depth knowledge of federal trucking laws and regulations
Exceptional negotiation and courtroom skills
A relentless commitment to securing maximum compensation for you
No up-front fees or out-of-pocket expenses. You pay nothing unless we win your case

Call Hollander Law Firm Accident Injury Lawyers today to speak to an experienced Fort Lauderdale personal injury lawyer. Don’t give the trucking company and its lawyer another day to minimize your claim. Level the playing field today.
Call our Fort Lauderdale office today at (954) 231-2320 or through our online form to request a free consultation.

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