Jacksonville Florida Trucking Accident

A Jacksonville Florida Trucking Accident claimed the life of one woman and injured two. The fatal Trucking Accident occurred on Friday morning. A man was driving north on Phillips Highway in an SUV when she attempted to turn into a business her vehicle was struck by a tractor-trailer heading north. The passenger in the SUV a 77-year-old woman died at the scene. The driver of the SUV a 79-year-old Jacksonville man was transported to a hospital with serious injuries. The tractor-trailer driver was transported to the hospital. According to the Florida Highway Patrol the tractor-trailer driver’s injuries were non-life threatening. The accident occurred on Phillips Highway at Baymeadows Way around 8:30 a.m.

Trucking Accidents claim lives and cause serious life-threatening injuries due to their size and weight. Both Florida and Georgia are listed as having the highest rate of trucking accident fatalities in the nation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Jacksonville Florida Trucking Accidents appear to be on the rise.

Barnes & Cohen Jacksonville’s Experienced Trucking Accident Lawyers have a Trucking Accident check list. We hope you are never involved in a Trucking Accident but if you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a trucking accident we are here to help.

 

Jacksonville Florida Trucking Accident Facts:

1.) What should I do if I have been involved in a truck accident?

If you have been involved in a truck accident on the road, your first priority should be to seek medical attention. Even if you do not feel like you are in pain right away, you could still be taking the risk of overlooking bodily trauma. Many serious injuries can have a delayed onset on symptoms. Neck and back pain can take 24 to 72 hours to manifest. Those who wait and do not get treatment for their injuries until down the road will also risk insurance companies denying their claims. Other additional steps to take following a truck accident include:

Calling the police – A police report will need to be filed for your truck accident.

Taking pictures of the scene – If you have a phone or camera available, remember to take as many pictures of the truck accident scene as possible. These pictures should include the vehicles involved, people injured, road conditions, and all other notable factors that will serve as evidence for your personal injury case.

Get witness information – If other people who saw the accident occur are nearby, be sure to gather their contact information.

2.) What are the most common causes of truck accidents in Florida and Georgia?

Truck accidents are typically caused by driver error – either yours or the truck drivers. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), trucks are responsible for 55% of all accidents that occur on the U.S. roadways. However, many of these accidents are preventable. A few common causes of large truck accidents include:

  • Driver fatigue
  • Driving while distracted (talking on the phone, texting, etc.)
  • Speeding, or driving too fast for road conditions
  • Defective vehicle parts
  • Poor maintenance and/or training
  • Speeding and overtaking

3.) Who can be held liable in a truck accident claim?

Just like any other type of accident, determining who is at fault will be key in any truck accident claim. However, identifying who is responsible for a truck accident can be difficult due to the challenges of reconstructing the events after high-speed wrecks with heavy property damage. Since there could be more than one negligent party or cause that has contributed to the accident, a full investigation is often required to determine who is really at fault and to what degree. Potential liable parties in a truck collision include:

  • The truck driver
  • The trucking company
  • The truck owner
  • The truck manufacturer

In some cases multiple parties may be held liable for a truck accident and the reasons can be complex. Having an experienced truck accident attorney is the best way to clearly identify what happened in your accident case to ensure that every party is held accountable for their role in the collision.

 

4.) How can I find the best truck accident attorney in Florida and Georgia?

Once you’re ready to meet with personal injury attorneys to discuss your truck accident case, it is important to have confidence that the attorney you choose is committed to your case and ready to devote the time, effort, and resources you deserve. Finding both an experienced and reliable accident lawyer with strong communication skills and the ability to put you at ease throughout the process will make a world of a difference.

A good personal injury attorney will be sure to go over all cost and fee agreements before starting work on your case to ensure that there will be no further “surprises.”

Lastly, experience is everything. If you have been the victim of a commercial truck accident, you will want to be confident that the attorney you have chosen has successfully worked on cases similar to yours in the past. At Barnes and Cohen, our expert personal injury lawyers have had many years of experience with truck accident cases in Florida and Georgia. We are confident that we can help you work through the complexities of your accident case while getting you the compensation that you deserve.