Experienced Miami Truck Accident Lawyer - Charlip Law Group Injury Attorneys

The trucking industry moves the majority of the freight in our country. The industry is suffering added pressure with delays and blocks in the supply chain and the rise in online shopping further adds to the demand for the movement of goods by truck. Conversely, the industry as a whole is losing drivers. This leaves fewer and less experienced drivers to move the additional freight throughout the country.

Large commercial trucks make up less than 5 percent of all registered vehicles in the United States, and yet more than 13 percent of all fatal crashes on our roads involve at least one large commercial vehicle.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) analyzes and publishes data concerning the industry.

The crash data for the year 2019 show that:

• 5,237 large trucks and buses were involved in fatal crashes, up 2 percent from the year before.
• The number of commercial trucks that were involved in crashes resulting in injuries was 119,000, up 6 percent from the year prior.
• Injuries involving large trucks have gone up 62 percent over the past four years.
• 97 percent of fatalities in truck accidents are to the passengers of the smaller vehicle.

At Charlip Law Group, attorney David H. Charlip and our team of injury attorneys understand the tough terrain victims of truck accidents face. Seeking compensation after your injuries can be overwhelming especially if you just want to focus on regaining your health. Speak to an experienced lawyer about your personal injury case.

Call Charlip Law Group at (305) 354-9313 to schedule a consultation for your case.

Trucking accidents require comprehensive investigation by an experienced Miami truck accident injury lawyer. While the accident scene must be thoroughly investigated and evidence collected, many other matters must be examined during the investigation of a complex trucking accident. 

At Charlip Law Group, we:

• Collect all forensic evidence, including the police report, images of damages, any nearby surveillance video, images of the crash site, debris, and damage to nearby structures
• Examine the driver’s driving records, logbooks, route schedules, time cards, manifests, or any other documents pertaining to that driver for 30 days before the accident 
• Look for any FMCSA hours of service violations that restrict how much time a driver can be actively driving the truck within a given 24-hour period.
• Analyze trucking company accident data, infractions, personnel files, and other means to establish any history of FMCSA violations 
• Request any inspection reports prepared for the truck, including the one for the date of the accident. 
• Examine the tractor-trailer for possible equipment failure or to assess its mechanical condition.
• Analyze the truck’s “black box” (data recorder) that records any event data and the speed being traveled at the time of impact.
• Interview all witnesses
• Consult with experienced accident reconstruction experts, trucking specialists, and forensic toxicologists
• Look for any indications of negligent training, hiring practices, or supervision on the part of the trucking company.

One of the most common causes of trucking accidents is driver fatigue. Spending many hours behind the wheel of a large and potentially dangerous vehicle was recognized as one of the main dangers in the trucking industry. Consequently, the FMCSA now regulates the time a driver can spend actively driving their rig. 

A driver must maintain and log their hours of service in a logbook to ensure compliance. Unfortunately, because of tight schedules and ongoing shipping constraints, drivers have been known to falsify records. 

Other potentially liable parties besides the drive can include:

• The company or owner/operator of the truck
• The company that leased the truck
• The company that leased the trailer
• The company that contracted the load
• The party responsible for the maintenance of the truck
• The manufacturer of the truck or its parts or other components

Truck accident claims are seldom simple, and liability is not always obvious. At the Charlip Law Group, our experienced Miami truck accident injury lawyers appreciate the difficulty of these claims and diligently pursue every possible point of liability to ensure that our clients get the compensation they need and deserve.