Tractor trailers, semi-trucks, delivery trucks, and other large trucks are a vital part of our economy—they transport essential goods to people and businesses throughout West Palm Beach. There are legal regulations surrounding the trucking industry in Florida, with both state and federal laws governing commercial trucking companies. These include driver qualifications, vehicle maintenance requirements, a limit on hours that drivers can work, and how cargo must be secured. Yet despite the best efforts to make the trucking industry as safe as possible, trucking accidents happen in West Palm Beach and throughout Florida every day.
Tragically, truck accidents in West Palm Beach have devastating consequences: significant property damage, traffic disruptions, severe injuries, and death. The massive weight of commercial (and even personal) trucks, as compared to the average weight of a car, makes these accidents particularly dangerous for anyone involved.
Trucking accidents can occur due to a variety of factors, including driver fatigue, error, speeding, mechanical failures, traffic conditions, improper maintenance, distracted driving, and inclement weather.
The most important step after a trucking accident in West Palm Beach is to call 911 to report the incident to local law enforcement. An ambulance will be called to the scene to take anyone who is injured in the accident to the hospital.
Law enforcement will investigate the scene, collect evidence, interview witnesses, and determine probable cause for the accident. If you are involved in a trucking accident in West Palm Beach, you have four years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury and/or property damage claim. For a wrongful death lawsuit, loved ones have two years from the date of the accident to take legal action.
Florida is no longer a pure comparative fault state. Anyone who is involved in an accident can be held liable and assigned a percentage of fault for the accident, so long as the claimant is not as responsible, or more responsible, for causing the accident and their injuries.
These are general steps to take following a trucking accident, and it is best to consult with a West Palm Beach personal injury attorney about the legal process. Call the experienced accident attorneys at CTL today if you or your loved ones have been involved in a trucking accident.
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