What is the Difference Between a Truck Accident and a Car Accident?
An accident is an accident, right? Wrong. Two things make truck and car accidents very different: Damage and Regulations.
DAMAGES: If you're in an accident with a big rig or other commercial vehicle, the chances of getting seriously hurt or killed increase dramatically. That's because those semi-trucks are so much bigger than your car or motorcycle. Anyone who saw the huge I-75 pile up on the Sarasota and Manatee County line recently witnessed the kind of devastating damage caused when a truck crashes into a car.
REGULATIONS: Commercial trucks, drivers and trucking companies are regulated by state and federal laws. That means they have extra rules to follow to keep everyone safe on the road. It also means you'll need an attorney who knows how to fight through the federal legal system to find evidence that will help you get compensated. Truck accidents are very different from a local personal injury cases.
Is the Trucking Company Responsible?
Trucking is a business and drivers are trying to make money. Sometimes a truck driver's efforts to get the job done will lead to bad driving decisions, such as:
- An over worked and tired driver.
- Driving without securing a cargo load correctly.
- Not maintaining the vehicle or trailer correctly.
- Poor driving like speeding or following to closely.
- Unsafe passing or merging onto a highway.
- Driving in spite of poor weather conditions, where the driver should stay off the road.
Drivers are pressured by their employers to make deadlines and get the load delivered. It takes a sophisticated investigation to uncover what caused an accident because the evidence may not be left in the rubble of the crash scene. Often we can prove why an accident happened by analyzing detailed trucking records to find violations.
Do Regulations Only Apply to Semi Trucks?
No! Commercial trucks can include dump trucks, box trucks, utility vehicles, and any other type of large commercial vehicle.
Contact the Buckman and Buckman Law Firm
Drake Buckman and Amiee Buckman have represented truck accident victims in Sarasota and Manatee County for years. For a free evaluation of your case, contact us at (941) 923-7700 or fill out our online contact form. You will always speak with an attorney and work directly with an attorney throughout your case.