Truck Accident Attorneys
| Arleen Lazarus | 0 Comments | Truck Accident Attorney |

Using the Black Box to Investigate Large Truck Accidents – Truck Accident Attorneys

Speed, Location, Direction of Travel, and Other Data can Help Determine What Caused a Crash

Air travel is a very safe way to get from point to another but when there is a crash investigators immediately attempt to find the black boxes. The truth is the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorders are actually bright orange but the name originated with warplanes in World War 2 and it has stayed around.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety a total of 4,119 people died in large truck crashes in 2019. Sixteen percent of these deaths were truck occupants, 67 percent were occupants of cars and other passenger vehicles, and 15 percent were pedestrians, bicyclists or motorcyclists. The number of people who died in large truck crashes was 31 percent higher in 2019 than in 2009, when it was the lowest it has been since the collection of fatal crash data began in 1975. The number of truck occupants who died was 51 percent higher than in 2009.

Florida Truck Accident Attorneys Many people aren’t aware that almost all large commercial trucks and many passenger vehicles also have data recorders installed. These amazing devices can answer questions about a collision such as:

  • What was the speed of the vehicle at the time of the collision?
  • What was the direction of travel?
  • Were the brakes applied?
  • Was the tire pressure correct?
  • Were the seat belts engaged and did the airbag deploy?
  • What was the vehicle’s GPS position during and before the collision?
  • Was there a video in use during the crash?

All this information can be very helpful when trying to determine the cause of a crash.

The Law Firm of Lazarus and Lazarus never overlooks a single detail when it comes to investigating an accident. Witness testimony, outside video sources, physical evidence, and police reports are some of the sources we will examine to best serve the needs of our clients.

If you’re involved in a crash with any size truck we are happy to speak with you about protecting your rights to proper medical care and compensation for you injuries and damages.

We’re available 7 days a week at 954-356-0006

Large Truck Collision Personal Injury Attorneys in Fort Lauderdale and Weston, Florida

Truck Accident Attorneys
| Arleen Lazarus | 0 Comments | Truck Accident Attorney |

The Complexities of Truck Accidents • The Law Firm of Lazarus and Lazarus

Tractor Trailer Collisions Can Cause Extensive Damage and Injuries

If it seems to you there are more trucks than ever on the road, you’re right. More people are staying home and ordering online instead of going to the store so more trucks are needed to bring products from the factories to individual homes.

Estimates by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration say there are about 282 million vehicles on U.S. roads and over 15 million of them are trucks.

Just by their sheer weight and large size, trucks have the potential to cause very serious damage to persons and property when they are involved in a collision and thousands of people are seriously injured in accidents involving trucks every year. Often it is difficult determining who or what is at fault in an accident and with trucks it is also difficult to immediately know who even owns the truck.

There are approximately 500,000 accidents involving trucks each year with about 5,000 of them resulting in fatal injuries.

When a driver is injured in an accident with a truck there are a number of facts that need to be discovered quickly:

  • Who Owns the Truck?
  • Was the Truck Maintained Properly?
  • Was the Driver of the Truck Properly Licensed?
  • Does the Owner of the Truck Follow Rules about Driver Rest Periods?
  • What actually Caused the Accident?
  • Is there Sufficient Insurance on the Truck and Driver?

All these questions must be answered promptly and accurately so the victims can pursue whatever legal options are available to help them pay for injuries and damages.

Our experience dealing with complex accident cases in south Florida extends from 1992 through today and we are committed to an attorney-client relationship that puts our client first.

The Law Firm of Lazarus and Lazarus is available for free consultation by video or in person seven days a week and you can reach us at (954) 356-0006.

South Florida Truck Accident Attorneys

Florida Truck Accident Attorney
| Arleen Lazarus | 0 Comments | Truck Accident Attorney |

Truck Accidents in South Florida – Getting Help for Your Injuries

Improvements in vehicle safety technology are helping lower the numbers of fatal accidents on roads but people are still being seriously injured in Broward County at an alarming rate.

The 2018 traffic accident statistics for Broward County, Florida, include:

  • Total Crashes: 40,560
  • Injury Crashes: 16,482
  • Total Individuals Injured: 24,329

That works out to 45 people every day being injured in a crash in Broward County, and many of these victims have insurance that won’t take care of their hospital bills and no health insurance.

While every injury from an accident can be serious, injuries from crashes involving large trucks are generally more severe simply because of the nature of the size of 18-wheelers and other commercial vehicles. When they make contact with a passenger vehicle they often do devastating damage to the car and the occupants.

There were over 44,000 commercial vehicle accidents in Florida, with about 10% of them occurring in Broward County.

What Makes Truck Accidents Unique for a Personal Injury Attorney?

With most private passenger vehicle crashes, there is one owner of the vehicle and often it is the driver. With large trucks and other commercial vehicles there may be one company that owns theSouth Florida Truck Accident Attorneys truck, another company that operates the truck, and then you have the driver, who may be from out-of-state. When a serious accident happens there may be more than one insurance company involved, and insurance companies are not known for their willingness to cooperate and help victims.

An attorney who has experience dealing with truck accidents understands how to get to the facts fast and investigate who is responsible and who should pay for the damages and injuries. In many cases we are able to negotiate with the parties at fault and the insurance companies to get justice but we are always prepared to go the distance and fight for our clients in court if necessary.

The Law Firm of Lazarus & Lazarus has developed a reputation for fighting hard and getting results for our clients. We would be happy to discuss your situation if you’ve been involved in a crash and you have questions about how to pay for your medical bills, lost wages, and other expenses. We can be reached at (954) 356-0006 for a free and confidential consultation.

Next: Tips to Avoid a Crash with a Large Truck

Truck Accident Attorneys
| Arleen Lazarus | 0 Comments | Truck Accident Attorney

Tractor Trailer Side Guards May Reduce Highway Deaths

Truck Accident AttorneysThe reason tractor trailer accidents are so devastating is mostly due to the fact that they are just so large. When a car is hit by a large truck, it’s like getting hit by 20 or thirty cars. The force is immense, and often so are the injuries.

For many years, regulations have required rear guards on the trailers of big trucks to prevent cars coming from the rear from “going under” the truck. Injuries from these types of collisions are particularly severe for obvious reasons. There have not been any regulations for side guards, however, and that may be changing.

A recent test by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety was performed and results were promising. Because changing lanes is often the spark that causes serious crashes, drivers should always make sure there is nothing in the lane they’re changing to. If another car is in the way, that can be a dangerous situation. But if it is a tractor trailer, it’s quite another. At this time there is debate about the cost and safety outcomes for mandatory side guards, so future testing will be needed. Eventually, we hope the side guards are proven to be a significant improvement and they are installed on all trucks.

Florida Truck Accident Attorneys

Of the 1,542 deaths of passenger vehicle occupants in crashes with tractor-trailers in 2015, 301 involved the side of a tractor-trailer, compared with 292 that involved the rear.

Truck crashes involve complex forensic investigations and special expertise. The Law Firm of Lazarus and Lazarus has been working with the victims of serious truck crashes for over 25 years and we have the ability and the intensity to pursue justice and adequate compensation for victims of serious truck accidents. Please reach out to us at 954-356-0006 and we will arrange a confidential consultation.

Florida Truck Accident Attorney
| Arleen Lazarus | 0 Comments | Truck Accident Attorney |

Large Truck Collisions – Florida Truck Accident Attorney

We would all like to live a nice, long, healthy life and pass away from “natural causes” after a few hundred years. The truth is, most people who pass away early die from unnatural causes like car accidents, homicide, poisoning, and all kinds of other scary things that, with some care and thought, might be avoided.

We constantly stress the need for safety on the road, and it’s for a very good reason. It’s dangerous out there!

Trucks are the foundation for our society’s delivery of food and other products, but in 2015, 1 in 10 highway deaths nationwide were the result of a crash that involved a large truck. Of the 3,852 people who died in truck crashes that year, only 16 percent were truck occupants. The rest were other drivers, passengers in those drivers’ vehicles, or pedestrians.

In Florida, the number of traffic fatalities overall increased 17.8 percent between 2014 and 2015. The number that involved commercial motor vehicles jumped 20.7 percent (232 to 280) during that same time.

So what’s the plan? Be careful all the time, but be really attentive when you’re near a big truck. Remember that trucks have something called “blind spots.” Truck drivers have areas where they can’t see other traffic, even with their mirrors. If you watch videos on YouTube that show real accidents, you may notice that a lot of them involve big trucks. Often, a car is passing a truck and the truck moves over into the car’s lane, causing a horrendous accident. This may be because the car is in the truck driver’s blind spot. See the diagram below and be aware of them. They can’t see you when you’re in the red zones.

Everyone is in a big hurry today, and often they feel the need to pass anyone and everyone ahead of them. First of all, try to slow it down, and second, be very careful going through the blind spots. Watch carefully and if the truck driver seems to moving over, drop back! You will never win a battle with a big truck.

Florida Truck Accident Attorney – Fort Lauderdale

The Law Firm of Lazarus and Lazarus has been representing people involved in big truck accidents for over 20 years. We understand the complex issues that come up regarding ownership, insurance, and the accident investigation procedures with truck accidents. Call us at 954-356-0006 if you have questions, and thank you.

florida truck accident attorney