Questions about Truck Accidents

Florida Truck Accident Attorneys

What is the difference between truck accident laws and auto accident laws?

Trucking regulations limit the amount of time truck drivers are allowed to spend behind the wheel. Truckers are required to keep a log as well as making stops to get weighed. These facts could be critical in a truck accident suit, while they don’t even exist in auto accident lawsuits.

When should I contact a Florida truck accident attorney?

If you have been involved in a truck accident, you need to contact a Florida attorney immediately. The trucking company has a team of attorneys that begin working on the lawsuit immediately following the accident. The longer you wait to contact your own attorney, the stronger the claim against you will be.

What is the difference between laws regulating semi-tractor trailers and automobiles?

The Federal Motor Carrier Regulations limit the amount of time truck drivers are allowed to spend behind the wheel during any given day or week. These laws were enacted because of the number of catastrophic crashes that resulted from truck drivers who were severely fatigued as a result of driving too many hours to make additional pay. The attorneys at Avera & Smith have handled a great number of trucking crashes through the years. Often, through our discovery efforts, we have been able to demonstrate that the truck driver was hundreds of miles away at a tollbooth when his logbook stated that he was somewhere else. It is only through the use of this type of discovery that can demonstrate that a truck driver is making false entries into a logbook.

Trucking accidents often involve issues of conspicuity. Conspicuity involves issues of visibility, most typically at night. The attorneys at Avera & Smith have handled a number of cases against trucking companies over the years where unsuspecting drivers drove into the side or rear of a semi-tractor trailer because the trailer was stopped or moving slowly in a roadway without retro reflective tape, or other lighting to indicate the presence of a large truck.

If I have been injured in a truck accident, can I sue the trucking company?

Regardless of the status of a truck driver as an employee or independent contractor, the law in Florida will almost always impose liability against the trucking company under the doctrine of dangerous instrumentality or respondeat superior. Your attorney at Avera & Smith can explain to you the nuances of this area of the law and keep you informed throughout your case as to who the defendants will be and the theory against them.

Let the Florida truck accident lawyers at Avera & Smith guide you along with a free consultation. No recovery, no fee for large truck accidents

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The Florida truck accident attorneys at the law firm of Avera & Smith proudly represent clients in and around the North Florida areas of Gainesville, Lake City, and Ocala. We welcome all clients and visitors to browse our web site for informational purposes only. Nothing on this site should be construed as formal legal advice nor does the acknowledgement of this information constitute a client / attorney relationship. If you need formal advice from a Florida truck accident attorney or would like to schedule a free initial consultation, please call us at 800.654.4659.