Lake City Truck Accident Lawyer
Truck accidents may not be as common as other vehicle accidents, but they typically involve significantly more damage — both physical and bodily injury. In many cases, injuries are catastrophic or result in death to the vehicle’s occupants. In addition to current medical bills, truck accident victims are often unable to work and are facing a significant recovery period with future medical expenses.
If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident, you need to speak with a Lake City truck accident lawyer at Douglas & Douglas who can help get you the compensation you and your family deserve. Our attorneys can help you get medical care and negotiate for future medical expenses as well.
Truck Accident Statistics
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 4,317 people were killed nationwide in 2016 due to accidents involving large trucks. Of those fatalities:
- 72 percent, or 3,127 killed, were occupants in the other vehicles,
- 17 percent, or 722 people, were occupants in the large trucks, and
- 11 percent, or 468 people killed, were not occupants of a vehicle or truck (bicyclists, pedestrians, etc.)
While fatalities due to large truck accidents have seen some decline in the last decade, there was an increase between 2015 and 2016. There was a four percent increase in fatalities involving the other vehicle occupants and a 13 percent increase in non-occupants who were killed.
Other statistics from the NHTSA involving large truck accidents include:
- 79 percent of fatalities in 2016 happened on weekdays between 6 a.m. and 5:59 p.m.;
- Two percent of the truck drivers were driving with a BAC of 0.08 or higher, which is much lower than the percentages of other vehicles and motorcycles;
- Large truck drivers were less likely to have prior driver’s license suspensions or revocations when compared with other vehicle drivers; and
- The large truck drivers involved in fatalities in 2016 had the highest percentage of prior crashes when compared to the other vehicle types.
For 2016, Florida had 4,597 fatal crashes, and 275 of those involved large trucks. Florida ranks as one of the three highest states for overall fatality-related crashes, but only make up 6.5 percent of the country’s total for large truck fatalities.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents
Truck collisions with other vehicles can be caused by a variety of factors — everything from driver error to defective or improperly maintained equipment. Some of the more common causes of truck accidents are:
- Inexperienced truck driver
- Speeding
- Fatigued driver
- Failure to yield the right of way
- Reckless or dangerous driving
- Driver inattention or distraction
- Poorly maintained truck — especially brakes, tires, etc.
- Defective tires
- Improper weight loads
- Trailer not secured properly
- Driver under the influence of alcohol or drugs
Retaining a Lake City Truck Accident Lawyer
Determining liability in a large truck accident can be complex, especially if there may be other culpable parties. If the truck driver is employed by a company and/or there are allegations of defective components or improper maintenance on the truck, there may be additional defendants aside from the truck driver. This is why retaining a Lake City truck accident attorney is so important. You need someone who can protect your rights and ensure the responsible parties are held accountable. Contact Douglas & Douglas today at 386-752-5511 to schedule a consultation.
