Tractor Trailer Accident Attorney

Serving West Palm Beach, Palm Beach County, Lake Worth and the Port St. Lucie area

The Department of Transportation data shows the one in every eight fatal collisions on U.S. roads involves a tractor-trailer also known as 18-wheelers or semi-trucks.

Why? Because tractor-trailers usually weigh more than 75,000 pounds when loaded and take a long time to stop, accelerate and decelerate. They make wide, swinging turns, have dangerous blind spots; and are difficult to maneuver even under the best of highway conditions.

Combine all of those factors with drivers who are spending too many hours in front of the wheel or a malfunction of any part of the trucks mechanics, and the results can be tragic.

Tractor-Trailer Override and Underride Accidents

Two of the most serious and fatal types of auto accidents involving tractor-trailer rigs are called override and underride collisions.

An override accident occurs when the front of a tractor-trailer runs over a passenger vehicle or motorcycle. Some of the most common causes of override accidents are:

  • Driver fatigue
  • Reckless or aggressive driving
  • Failure of brakes
  • Worn or malfunctioning tires/wheels
  • Adverse weather or road conditions
  • Tailgating

An underride accident occurs when part of a passenger vehicle or motorcycle crashes into and slides underneath a tractor-trailer. In this type of collision, the smaller car, truck or motorcycle takes the brunt of the impact. Studies show that nearly 40% of all underride tractor-trailer accidents involve a passenger vehicle hitting the back corner of an 18-wheeler rig. This often happens in poor lighting.

In addition to a skilled truck driver who knows to keep plenty of distance between a large truck and passenger vehicles, tractor-trailers should also have the following in place to prevent override and underride accidents:

  • Flashing lights when parked on the side of a road
  • Functioning rear taillights
  • Reflective tape on rear bumpers
  • Well-inspected and maintained brake systems

Responsibility for Tractor-Trailer Accidents

The laws involving tractor-trailers and their drivers relationships with trucking companies are complicated. Each accident is unique. Entities that have been held responsible for tractor-trailer accidents in the past have included drivers, transport companies and truck or other mechanical manufacturers. An experienced tractor trailer accident attorney can help sort through important records to pinpoint responsibility when a collision occurs.

If you or a family member has been injured in a tractor-trailer truck accident and you live in the Palm Beach County, West Palm Beach, or Port St. Lucie area of South Florida, please contact respected tractor trailer attorney Craig Goldenfarb for a no-obligation consultation. Remember, never settle an insurance claim without speaking with an attorney first.

Practice Areas

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OFFICE LOCATION: 2090 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd. Suite 402
West Palm Beach, FL 33409
1-800-GOLD-LAW
Call Toll Free 1-800-GOLD-LAW (465-3529)

Your understanding of the information on this web page about personal injury law does not constitute a formal legal relationship with the lawyers at Craig Goldenfarb, P.A. Please do not assume this content to be formal legal advise. If you would like to know if you have a valid personal injury claim, please contact a tractor trailer accident attorney in Palm Beach County today for a complimentary consultation serving West Palm Beach, Palm Beach County and Port St. Lucie, Florida.
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