The state of Florida, including the city of St. Petersburg, has some of the busiest roads in America. Vehicles of all shapes and sizes frequent the thoroughfares that connect rural areas, towns, beach fronts, and cities across our great state. Some of our roads are dangerously congested, populated by aggressive drivers with little care for the safety of others. If you are involved in an accident, you could face a serious injury. When you are in an accident with a truck, the chances of serious injury rise dramatically. A truck driver has a responsibility to drive safely, within the legal speed limit, and within the allotted time allowed on the road per day. When a truck driver acts recklessly and irresponsibly, they put everyone at risk. If you get into an accident with a truck, you could face injuries including spinal cord damage, concussion, whiplash, broken bones, dismemberment, and more. You may be able to recover damages that can help you with medical bills, lost wages, and more if you were injured by a truck driver’s neglect. If you need an experienced team to effectively represent your interests and see that you are justly compensated for your injuries, contact the truck accident attorneys here at Youngblood Law Firm for a free consultation.
Truck Accident Attorneys | Fighting for Clients Throughout Florida
Truck accidents are devastating. In many cases, those injured will suffer permanent disabilities as a result. If you’ve been harmed in a truck accident due to no fault of your own, simply speak with a dedicated St. Petersburg personal injury attorney from Youngblood Law Firm as soon as you can.
The Pitfalls of Being a Truck Driver
Truck drivers have a very difficult job. Truck drivers are under immense pressure to make time up for the restrictions on the hours they are allowed on the road per day. The Federal Motor Carriage Safety Administration restricts a truck driver to 11 hours of driving within a 14-hour workday. Truck drivers are maxed out at a 70-hour work week, down from the 82 hours they were previously allowed to work. The intention was to protect truck drivers from being overworked and exploited. The employers of truck drivers do not want to see a change in productivity and truck drivers feel pressure to speed and take less care while operating their vehicles. Unfortunately, the pressure of the job, exhaustion of driving so many hours per day, and other factors lead to truck accidents.
What Else Causes Truck Accidents?
There are countless factors that lead to truck accidents. Visibility can be a major factor in a truck accident. Trucks are large and hard to maneuver. Visibility is a major problem as the mirrors can only cover so much area. Trucks have huge blind spots that affect their ability to see small vehicles on the road leading to a driver becoming trapped, running off the road, and more.
Trucks are heavy and often loaded with cargo that adds to the enormous weight. When a truck stops, it needs a certain amount of area to come to a complete stop. With an average length of 45 to 65 feet and a weight of up to 80,000 pounds, it would take about 525 feet for a truck to come to a stop. That is almost 2 football fields. It is very easy for a truck driver operating the vehicle irresponsibly to not have the necessary room to complete the stop without incident.
Trucks are susceptible to mechanical problems like any other vehicle. Unfortunately, when a truck has mechanical problems, it can put more people in danger. When an 80,000-pound vehicle has mechanical problems, the result can be devastating.
Fulfilling the Burden of Proof
If you make the decision to take legal action after a truck accident, be aware that you must fulfill the burden of proof. This is a legal concept that means the injured party has to provide evidence showing that the truck driver was acting negligently and that this negligence ultimately caused the accident and your injuries. There are numerous ways that the burden of proof can be fulfilled, including through police reports, surveillance footage, witness statements, and more.
Recovering Damages After an Accident
The physical, emotional, and financial burdens that you may be facing after a truck accident can be devastating. As much as you may want your life to get back to normal, it may take years for the impacts of the accident to subside. Luckily, with the help of a personal injury lawyer, you may be able to recover compensation for your injuries. The economic damages that you may be able to recover include medical bills, lost wages, the cost of rehabilitation, and more. Noneconomic damages that you may be able to recover can include emotional distress, pain and suffering, loss of independence, and more.
Contact our St. Petersburg Truck Accident Attorneys
Youngblood Law Firm has been a legal resource for the people of St. Petersburg, Florida for numerous years. If you have been injured in a St. Petersburg truck accident, please contact Youngblood Law Firm. Our firm is committed to working tirelessly to see that you are compensated fairly for your injuries.
