Car Accidents and Tractor Trailer Accidents
Differences in Collisions between Cars and Tractor Trailers.
The average automobile only weighs 4,000 pounds, but the average tractor trailer weighs more than 80,000 pounds. The large size of the tractor trailer and the small size of the automobile causes the tractor trailer to do much more damage to the car than the car can do to the tractor trailer. For example, if you are stopped at a stop sign, and a car runs into the back of you going 35 miles per hour, it may do a lot of damage to you and your vehicle. Conversely, a tractor trailer runs into you going the same speed, your vehicle would have a lot more to you and your vehicle.
The injuries may be more severe if you are hit by a tractor trailer than if you are hit by a car. If a small automobile rear ends you, you may experience whiplash. After a tractor trailer rear ends you, you may have severe pain in your neck, back and maybe even broken bones or worse.
A car may only cause your vehicle to have a scratch that you barely notice, but a tractor trailer can cause your insurance company to total your vehicle.
If a tractor trailer hits you, it is important to collect as much information as possible. A tractor trailer has logs that record everything, including when the truck stops, how long the truck is driving and how long the driver is resting. Most commercial vehicles have dash cams so it may be advantageous to encourage the reporting officer to review the footage before making their determination of fault.
Additionally, cell phone records will be taken into evidence after a collision occurs. Tractor trailers are heavily regulated and it is important to find out if those regulations were followed if an accident occurs.
Who Is at Fault?
Determining who is at fault in a collision between a car and a tractor trailer is also much more involved than a collision between two small vehicles. Your tractor trailer accident attorney in Central Florida will have several people to target in your collision. That’s because more than one person may be at fault in the crash. For example, your Orlando car accident attorneys may decide to file a claim against the truck’s driver, the trucking company and possibly the truck’s manufacturer.
Your Orlando semi truck accident attorneys know that trucking companies are responsible for keeping track of the hours that their drivers are on the roads. They are responsible for the logs and making sure that the trucks are properly maintained.
If anything on the truck malfunctions, the manufacturer may be at fault. If the malfunction is the cause of the collision, the trucking company could be at fault for not maintaining the truck.
Some people do not believe that they need to hire a car accident attorney in Orlando FL. They mistakenly believe that they are adept enough to handle the negotiations on their own. The fact is you may not have ever negotiated with an insurance company before, but Orlando car accident lawyers have done this several times before and well versed to handle these important discussions.
Trucking companies must carry a greater amount of insurance coverage than the average Florida resident. For example, you are only required by Florida law to have PIP and property damage insurance. A tractor trailer, on the other hand, generally has very large coverage or is self insured.
The insurance companies from which trucking companies purchase their insurance coverage are often very large. If this is your first time dealing with an insurance company, you would, most likely, have to negotiate with a huge and imposing insurance company, and you are not prepared to do this. Allow seasoned Orlando semi truck accident lawyers to do this for you.
Hire Us at the Blevins and Adams Law Group!
If you were involved in an accident with a tractor trailer, don’t hesitate to contact us at the Blevins and Adams Law Group. It can be difficult to find the right tractor trailer accident attorney in Central Florida, but it is imperative that you do. Your case can be harder than you believe it is, and if this is the case, you aren’t prepared to deal with it even if it isn’t as difficult as it could possibly be. Our Orlando car accident attorneys can help you obtain the monetary compensation that you need to recover from your injuries. Contact us today.