Due to the immense size and weight of tractor-trailers, these accidents usually result in severe injuries, serious property damage, and fatalities.
If you or your loved one has been involved in a tractor-trailer accident, you have the right to seek total compensation for all your damages. Our Apopka tractor-trailer accident lawyers can handle your case from beginning to end. Your lawyer will take all the necessary steps to protect your rights and fight for fair compensation.
The Role of an Apopka Tractor-Trailer Accident Lawyer
With accidents involving tractor-trailers, the possibility of suffering severe injuries is higher than in other auto accidents.
Our lawyers will take the time to understand all the injuries you may have suffered and how they’ve impacted your daily life. This way, they’ll be able to pursue fair compensation for your case.
The following are some of the ways we can help:
- Launch an in-depth investigation into everything surrounding your tractor-trailer accident in Apopka
- Gather and analyze relevant evidence regarding the accident, including obtaining witness testimony, tractor-trailer logs, and accident reports
- Take the lead on all negotiations with the insurance company
- Prepare to discredit any false claims from the at-fault party
Types of Tractor-Trailer Accidents in Apopka
Negligence can occur in a variety of ways. The following are some types of tractor-trailer accidents that can occur in Apopka:
Rollover Accidents
Rollover accidents usually occur when a tractor-trailer takes a sharp turn while speeding. These accidents can also occur due to an unbalanced or excessive load. Even though all vehicles are susceptible to rolling over, tractor-trailers are at a higher risk due to their sheer size and weight. Rollover accidents pose a danger to the tractor-trailer, motorists, and pedestrians using the same road.
Jackknife Accidents
Jackknife accidents occur when the tractor-trailer’s driver applies sudden pressure to the brakes. Since tractor-trailers take longer to come to a stop compared to other vehicles, sudden braking forces the trailer to skid out and form an acute angle to the cab. In such incidences, the trailer can easily hit other cars, causing property damage and severe injuries to the drivers and pedestrians.
Underride Accidents
Another common tractor-trailer accident occurs when another vehicle hits the trailer from behind. These accidents can also happen from the side of the tractor-trailer. Underride accidents often result in head injuries, decapitation, or brain damage to the smaller vehicle’s occupants.
Head-on Collisions
A head-on collision with a tractor-trailer is one of the biggest nightmares for any driver in Apopka. The results are usually catastrophic every time a tractor-trailer collides with any other vehicle. In most cases, such accidents typically lead to fatal injuries.
Tire Blowouts
Many drivers in Apopka have experienced a tire blowout at some point. When a tire blowout happens on a tractor-trailer, it can be hazardous. Such an incident can cause the driver to lose control of the tractor-trailer and hit other road users.
Cargo Spills
This usually happens when the tractor-trailer has been loaded improperly. Heavy materials falling from a tractor-trailer can easily cause other vehicles to crash. If the tractor-trailer is carrying flammable or poisonous cargo, the consequences of such an accident are magnified.
Causes of Tractor-Trailer Accidents in Apopka
In some cases, tractor-trailer accidents happen due to various factors coming together.
Some of these factors include:
- Driver distraction
- Mechanical defects
- Driving while intoxicated
- Unfamiliarity with the roadway
- Lack of tractor-trailer maintenance
- Speeding
- Overloading
- Unqualified car drivers
- Tractor-trailer driver fatigue
Our lawyers can determine the liable parties and proceed to file a claim against their insurers. Sometimes, there could be multiple at-fault parties responsible for the accident.
The Cost of Hiring a Lawyer After a Tractor-Trailer Accident
Our tractor-trailer accident lawyers in Apopka work on a contingent fee basis. Such an arrangement protects the plaintiff from any financial risk associated with their case. This means that you don’t have to worry about paying any amount up front to start your case.
Your lawyer can work closely with various experts to investigate your case. Some of these experts include:
- Private investigators
- Accident reconstruction experts
- Meteorologists
- Biomechanical engineers
- Forensic experts
- Human factor experts
- Psychologists
Although the cost of hiring the additional experts may be astronomical to an accident victim, you’ll only pay the law firm representing you after winning you a settlement or verdict. If they don’t, you owe them nothing.
Determining Liability in an Apopka Tractor-Trailer Accident
The driver is likely responsible if you’re involved in a tractor-trailer accident in Apopka. However, sometimes the case can end up including other third parties. Not to mention that victims can be at-fault in some cases.
The following are the people and entities who can be held liable in a tractor-trailer claim or lawsuit:
- Tractor-trailer driver
- Commercial tractor-trailer owner
- The trucking company
- Manufacturer of the tractor-trailer parts
- The person who loaded the tractor-trailer
- Automobile insurance companies
- The mechanic who services the tractor-trailer
- Government agencies, especially those responsible for setting up road signs
- Transit companies (both private and government-owned)
Contact Us Today for a Free Consultation
If you’ve been injured in a tractor-trailer accident in Apopka, you can pursue compensation. Reach out to The Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine for legal help. Our law firm can fight for what you deserve and handle your case from start to finish.
Call 1-800-747-3733 today for a free consultation.