Florence Truck Accident Lawyer

Protecting families in Alabama after a collision with a large truck

Truck accidents are often more deadly, and cause more severe injuries than car accidents. At Mezrano Law Firm, our lawyers understand what laws and regulations apply to the trucking industry. We have a strong track record of success in holding drivers accountable when they are careless. We demand trucking companies pay for your pain and suffering, medical bills, and lost wages when they put profit before safety. We hold truck manufacturers liable when their defects take or shatter lives.

Types of Florence truck accidents

Truck accidents happen in many different ways. The way a truck crash occurs often indicates who is at fault. If the fault is not apparent, we conduct extensive discovery and work with engineers and others to show what happened. Some problems that are unique to trucks are:

• Jackknives. Here the truck and trailer go in different directions, causing the tractor and trailer to end up at a 90-degree, right angle from each other. A jackknife causes the truck to become immobile.
• Rollovers. Trucks have a different center of gravity than cars. They carry cargo that can be hard to control. Trucks that go too fast, especially in a curve, tend to roll over. The initial rollover can cause the truck to collide with other vehicles. Cars trying to avoid the truck may get into accidents too.
• Wide turns. Many commercial trucks now have signs – caution trucks make wide turns – because trucks need more room to maneuver when they turn. Cars on the right of the truck can be crushed because truck drivers often can’t see on the far side of the truck.
• Blind spots. Truck drivers, because of the truck’s height and length, have blind spots that make it hard for drivers to see cars that are close to them – even with a good set of mirrors.
• Under-ride accidents. Cars can easily slide under a truck killing the occupants of the vehicle. Truck manufacturers are increasingly required to have guard rails and side rails to prevent under-ride accidents.
• Cargo spills. Most commercial trucks have one function. Get the cargo from one place to another. Cargo is supposed to be adequately secured, so it doesn’t shift or move during the trip. When cargo shifts, the driver can lose control of the truck. When cargo spills, the spill can create a multi-car crash as vehicles try to avoid the spill.

Why truck accidents happen

In most truck accident cases, driver error is to blame. Fatigue, drunk or drugged driving, and distracted driving may receive the bulk of the attention, but most truck collisions occur because drivers cannot see other cars. Their blind spots are too big, or the other car is too close in front of them. The sheer size of a tractor-trailer makes it difficult to stop – especially going downhill – and could lead to a rear-end collision.

Some other common causes of truck accidents include:

• Defective parts. If the fuel lines, brakes, headlights, or any part of the truck malfunction – and that malfunction causes an accident – then the makers of the defective parts can be held liable.
• Poor training. In addition to a commercial driver’s license for heavy trucks and trucks carrying hazardous materials, drivers need special training for each type of truck they drive. The training should include understanding how to inspect the truck and report the need for repairs.
• Poor weather. As with other vehicles, bad weather makes for bad driving.
• Bad roads. Many trucks drive in construction areas. In Florence, many drivers operate their trucks on rural roads. Roads that aren’t paved have numerous potholes, or have dirt and gravel on them can easily cause a driver to lose control.
• Careless and negligent driving causes many accidents. Drivers who do any of the following should be held accountable if they cause an accident:
  • Speed
  • Tailgate
  • Go through a stop sign or red light
  • Drive while under the influence of alcohol
  • Get involved with road rage
  • Change lanes frequently

Liability of the trucking company

In many truck accident cases, the company that employed the truck driver is liable for the negligence of its employees. There usually isn’t a different need to show that the trucking company was negligent. If the driver was an employee and negligently killed or caused someone injuries due to the driver’s negligence, then the trucking company is liable.

Things get more complicated if the truck driver isn’t an employee. Then, there is typically a need to show the trucking company failed to supervise or educate the driver properly.

Trucking companies are also required to comply with federal and Alabama laws. Trucks should be inspected before they are placed on the road. Trucks should meet weight requirements. Cargo should be secured. Our truck accident lawyers work aggressively to show the trucking company is liable in addition to the driver.

Other liable parties when Florence truck accidents happen

• The state of Alabama or the Department of Transportation could be responsible if they designed a dangerous road or failed to maintain the roads properly.
• A parts manufacturer or the original truck manufacturer could be liable if the truck has a defect that causes an accident.
• If a truck driver gets a drink from a local tavern and the driver is visibly intoxicated, the pub could be responsible for any injuries caused by the drunk driver.

Damages for injuries in truck accident cases

Tragically, many truck accident victims die when trucks collide with cars. When a loved one dies, we file wrongful death claims on behalf of the victim’s estate. In Alabama, defendants pay punitive damages when someone dies to punish them for their negligence and to compensate the heirs of the decedent’s estate.

Many truck accidents leave victims with a traumatic brain injury, spinal cord damage, burns, disfigurement, scarring, broken bones, muscle damage, torn ligaments, and other injuries. In catastrophic cases, victims require a lifetime of medical care. When someone has a permanent injury, they often can’t work again, and the pain never disappears. Even when wounds heal, victims deserve compensation for their medical bills, lost wages, physical pain, and emotional suffering.

The help you need from the Florence injury lawyers you trust

When truck accidents happen, it’s critical to your case and recovery to speak with a skilled Florence truck accident lawyer as quickly as possible. At Mezrano Law Firm, we move quickly to investigate the scene of the truck crash, to speak with the police and witnesses, and to inspect the trucks. To speak with a trusted truck accident lawyer ready to pursue your Florence accident case aggressively, please call us at 205-206-6300 or use our contact form to schedule an appointment. We take truck accident cases on a contingency fee basis.

If you have a case, you have a lawyer. Call us today.