Fort Myers Truck Accident Lawyers
As a truck accident victim, you’re likely overwhelmed by medical bills and struggling to make ends meet if you cannot work. Our Fort Myers truck accident attorneys can make things easier by pursuing a legal claim for damages against a negligent trucker, trucking company, or insurance carrier. We’ve won over $2 billion for accident victims and families in Florida. Now, we’re here to fight for you.
You may be entitled to compensation if you’ve recently been injured in a truck accident in Fort Myers, Florida. A negligent truck driver, trucking company, insurance carrier, or another party may be liable for the costs of your medical bills, disability, and emotional distress.
Our experienced Fort Myers truck accident lawyers at Farah & Farah can help you fight for the top-dollar settlement or jury award you deserve. Contact us now for a free consultation.
Why You’ll Want To Hire Farah & Farah After a Fort Myers Truck Accident
We have been fighting for accident victims and families in Fort Myers and throughout Florida for over four decades. Our clients are the heart and soul of our law firm. We use a team-driven approach to litigation to help ensure that every client gets the top-level representation they deserve.
When you trust our award-winning big-truck lawyers in Fort Myers with your truck accident case, you benefit from a compassionate and caring team of dedicated advocates who will go above and beyond to get you the results you deserve.
When you visit our Fort Myers personal injury law office, you’ll find a small, welcoming group of friendly attorneys who will treat you like family. But don’t let our small office fool you. Our Fort Myers semi truck accident lawyers have access to all of the resources of our large Florida personal injury law firm. This means you can expect the personalized service a small law firm offers with big firm results.
Our Big-Truck Lawyers Get Big Results
We have won more than $2 billion in verdicts and settlements for our clients through caring, understanding, and hard work. Our truck accident case results include the following:
- $3.4 million verdict for a client rear-ended by a moving truck
- $2 million for a man rear-ended by a tractor-trailer
- $1.3 million for a truck driver struck by a semi truck
- $750,000 for a Fort Myers resident struck by a tow truck
Our results are no accident. Experience makes all the difference. Put our experience to work for you by calling us today at (239) 558-0750 to schedule a free case evaluation.
We Have Thousands of Satisfied Clients
Below are a few examples of the types of unsolicited feedback we regularly receive from our past clients in Southwest Florida:
Thank you so much to Amanda Olivert, Hailey Tucker, Tyler Dupuy, and Veronica Oquendo for assisting me in a long battle. They were there for me and treated me like family! Thank you again to Farah & Farah and their Fort Myers office.
Lori Wegner and Christian Lopez have been with us every step of the way since my husband's accident…They were always there to answer questions. To say they were good isn't enough to let you know how well we were treated. I will always recommend Farah & Farah to anyone who needs an attorney!
[I] was in an accident and called Farah & Farah...I am very pleased with the way they helped me out with my case… [I] had Attorney Greg Ream as my attorney, and he was the best...always answered my questions and either called or texted with the ongoing case…[I am] very happy with the results.
We Care About Our Communities
We are a law firm that prioritizes and values people. In addition to providing our injured clients with compassionate, attentive advocacy, we give back to our communities. We are proud supporters of organizations that help veterans, empower people with disabilities, and work to improve the lives of all people in our community. Organizations we support include the following:
- Empowering Greatness Scholarships are for Florida and Georgia high school seniors who demonstrate a commitment to community service.
- Centers for Independent Living is a statewide program that provides employment and training opportunities for adults with disabilities, benefitting many of our courageous big-truck accident clients.
- Lee County Legal Aid and the Bar Association of Lee County provide free legal services to needy people.
- Relay for Life is a fundraiser for cancer research.
- Meals on Wheels delivers hot meals to people with disabilities.
Our law office in Fort Myers is proud to serve communities throughout Southwest Florida, including Port Charlotte, Cape Coral, Punta Gorda, Naples, and Lehigh Acres.
Experience Handling All Types of Truck Accident Cases in Florida
Even if you do everything right to drive safely around commercial vehicles, you cannot control the actions of other motorists, including truck drivers.
For over 40 years, our law firm has been a dedicated advocate for big-truck accident survivors and families who have lost close loved ones in all types of truck accidents. No matter what type of accident you’ve experienced, we can help you uncover the cause and pursue your well-deserved damages.
Jackknife Accidents
A jackknife accident happens when the trailer part of a tractor-trailer skids sideways while still connected to the cab, ultimately forming a 90-degree angle. The truck driver is not in control when these accidents happen, and high-impact collisions with cars caught in the trailer’s path can result.
Jackknife accidents may occur when the truck driver brakes too quickly, turns too sharply, or experiences vehicle malfunctions. These accidents can block highways and cause multi-vehicle crashes on fast-moving highways with heavy traffic, such as Interstate 75 and US-41.
Rollovers
Rollover accidents are one of the most dangerous types of car accidents, even when all the vehicles involved are smaller passenger vehicles. However, when a big truck is involved, its massive weight can crush any car, exposing the driver and passengers inside to catastrophic crushing injuries, head trauma, and neck injuries.
Most rollovers happen on curves, especially on-ramps and off-ramps, when truck drivers fail to adjust their speed to accommodate the height and weight of their trucks. Rollovers can also happen when the truck driver turns too sharply or veers off the road during a turn. An improperly loaded tractor-trailer increases rollover risk.
Tractor-trailers aren’t the only trucks prone to rollover accidents. Cement trucks have a high rollover risk due to their high center of gravity and top-heavy characteristics while hauling a full load. Long dump trucks are also at risk for rollovers. These risks increase as the length of a dump truck increases.
Squeeze-Play Accidents
Squeeze-play accidents can happen when trucks swing out or borrow part of a lane before making a tight right turn.
In order to create more space, a truck driver may slightly swing the cabin to the left before completing their right turn. This action prevents the trailer from running onto the curb. If the truck driver fails to use a blinker or swings out too widely, this can falsely send a message to the traffic behind the truck that the truck is turning left or merging into the left lane. As a result, cars can get caught between the truck trailer and the curb.
Underride Accidents
Underride accidents happen when a car becomes lodged underneath a big truck, whether it hits the truck from behind or gets swept under while driving beside the truck. Cars may rear-end trucks when trucks stop suddenly, especially if the truck’s brake lights fail to function. Due to the nature of underride accidents, the accidents are typically fatal.
These accidents could be prevented if big trucks used stronger rear and side guards. However, in a blatant demonstration of profits over people, the trucking industry has successfully lobbied against laws that would require stronger side guards. These guards would prevent cars from sliding under trucks during collisions.
In 2022, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration started requiring new trucks to have stronger rear guards, but there are still many older trucks out there with weak, ineffective guards that lack the necessary strength and reinforcement to withstand the force of a moving vehicle.
Lost Load Truck Accidents
An improperly secured load can result in large objects and debris flying from the truck and hitting other vehicles. Some cars may swerve to avoid the debris, resulting in collisions. Truck drivers are responsible for ensuring loads are properly secured before entering the roadway.
Tire Blowouts
Tire blowouts can cause commercial trucks to lose control, resulting in head-on collisions, jackknife accidents, rollovers, and crashes involving other vehicles. Blowouts in congested traffic often lead to dangerous multiple-car wrecks. Tire blowouts typically result from faulty tires or improper inspections and maintenance by the truck driver and the trucking company.
Bobtail Accidents
A tractor-trailer driven without a trailer is known as a bobtail. Tractor-trailers are designed to be driven with heavy weight in the back and lesser weight on the front wheels. Without a trailer, the bulk of the truck’s weight is on the front wheels, making it more difficult to maneuver the truck and easier to lose control.
Bobtail trucks have a longer stopping distance and are especially prone to accidents on wet roads. They can also pick up speed faster than fully loaded semi trucks, increasing the risk and impact of accidents. Bobtail trucks are involved in approximately 70 percent of big-truck rollover accidents.
Rear-End Accidents
Rear-end accidents between passenger vehicles can be minor fender benders, but when a big truck rear-ends a car, it’s almost always a serious accident. When rear-ended by a semi truck, a car may be pushed into an intersection, another vehicle, or a fixed object. Vehicle explosions are also common after a big-truck rear-end accident.
In July of 2023, a semi truck caused a chain-reaction accident on Interstate 75 in Fort Myers when it rear-ended a dump truck, resulting in the following series of events:
- The weight of the semi pushed the dump truck into an SUV
- The SUV was pushed into a second SUV
- Flying debris struck a third SUV
The semi driver was pronounced dead at the scene. This is somewhat unusual. Serious truck accidents are typically more dangerous for the people in the passenger vehicles. The truck driver sometimes escapes with all but the most minor injuries.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Administration, truck drivers and their passengers accounted for 16.8 percent of people killed in big-truck accidents, while 70.7 percent of the fatalities in these accidents were drivers and passengers in smaller vehicles.
What Compensation Can I Get If I’ve Been Hurt in a Fort Myers Truck Accident?
After a truck accident in Fort Myers, you can generally seek compensatory damages through an insurance claim or truck accident lawsuit.
Compensatory damages include economic damages, which offset verifiable financial burdens, and non-economic damages, which compensate for the harder-to-value trauma you experience.
A successful claim can help you secure money for the following:
- Amounts actually paid for current medical care
- Costs for reasonably necessary future medical treatment
- Lost wages and income
- Lost job opportunities
- Reduced earning capacity
- Rehabilitation
- Property damage
- Funeral expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of consortium or loss of the benefits of a family relationship
- Reduced quality of life
- Inconvenience
- Disfigurement and scarring
Our gifted big-truck attorneys in Fort Myers will bring in respected experts and specialists as we dig into the details of your case. We’ll rely on their unique insight, combined with the expertise of your legal team, to determine causation, pinpoint liability, and ultimately calculate what your truck accident case is worth.
What Factors Can Affect the Value of My Truck Accident Settlement?
The details of your specific experience will ultimately influence how much money you might be able to recover in a related claim for damages. Some of the factors that can impact your settlement value include the following:
- Your age at the time of the accident
- Changes to your life expectancy due to the accident
- The impact on your quality of life
- The nature of your specific injuries
- Your long-term medical prognosis
- Your ability to work in the same capacity as before the accident
- Issues surrounding your contribution to the crash
Generally, the more severe your injuries are and the more significant the effects on your daily life, the higher your compensation will be.
Hiring an experienced big-truck attorney in Fort Myers, FL, can also help you make the most of your case. Contact Farah & Farah. We’re always here to help.
Trucking Accident Statistics
At the beginning of 2022, there were 60,931 registered commercial motor vehicles in Lee County. That year, 1,631 big-truck crashes took place in Lee County, injuring 425 people and killing six.
Truck accidents are a statewide problem. A whopping 9,238 commercial truck accidents were reported in the Sunshine State in 2022—an average of over 25 truck accidents per day. These accidents injured 4,462 people and caused 285 deaths.
A study by the Florida Department of Transportation found that the downtown Fort Myers area has the highest concentration of truck accidents in Southwest Florida. Major highways throughout this area include the following:
- State Road 45
- State Road 739
- State Road 80
- State Road 82
- State Road 884
The area between Interstate 75 and State Road 45 in Naples also has a high occurrence of truck accidents, which is particularly alarming because it is primarily residential with some office and retail locations.
The average car weighs about 4,000 pounds or two tons. A fully loaded tractor-trailer can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds without special permits. Vehicles with three or more axles or that weigh 26,0001 pounds or more are classified as commercial motor vehicles.
What Are the Most Common Causes of Fort Myers Truck Accidents?
Truck accidents are largely avoidable. They tend to happen when truck drivers or trucking companies are negligent. Prime examples of negligent conduct include the following:
- Driving in violation of hours of service regulations
- Fatigue
- Speeding
- Driving too fast for road or weather conditions
- Wide right-hand turns
- Distracted driving
- Drug and alcohol use
- Braking errors
- Sharp turns at high speeds
- Tailgating
- Unsafe passing
- Uneven cargo load
- Negligent hiring
- Failing to perform federally mandated inspections
- Failing to perform federally mandated maintenance
Other causes can include vehicle defects, bad weather conditions, other motorists driving in a truck’s blind spots, and road defects.
Who’s Liable for My Fort Myers Trucking Accident?
In Florida, the following parties may be liable for a truck accident:
- Truck drivers
- Trucking companies
- Freight loaders
- Freight brokers
- Truck mechanics
- Drivers of passenger vehicles
- Bus drivers
- Transit companies
- Bicyclists
- Pedestrians
- Government agencies
- Truck manufacturers
- Property owners
- Employers
When a truck driver is negligent and causes an accident, their employer can be vicariously liable for the wreck. So, identifying who owns the truck and who is responsible for hiring the negligent trucker is often critically important.
What If I’m Partly To Blame for the Accident?
Note that your liability can limit or prevent a financial payout. Under Florida’s modified comparative negligence rule, damages are barred for those more than 50 percent to blame for a truck accident. If you’re 50 percent or less at fault, damages are reduced proportionately.
Our skilled Florida truck accident attorneys in Fort Myers will carefully evaluate your truck accident from every angle to understand how it happened and, in turn, who’s at fault. Once liability is clear, we will aggressively seek damages from all responsible parties.
This is why you shouldn’t let an assignment of fault deter you from calling our experienced Fort Myers truck accident lawyers. Even if you didn’t do everything perfectly leading up to the accident, we’re committed to uncovering evidence that will reduce your share of the blame to below 51 percent so you can recover the compensation you deserve.
No matter what law enforcement or the trucking company told you, there are no details about the accident that cement the finding of fault against you without a proper forensic investigation. The police report and your interview with the police cannot be used against you in court. Even a traffic ticket is inadmissible in court as evidence of fault.
What Are Common Truck Accident Injuries?
While the type of truck accident in which you’re involved can influence the injuries you’re most likely to suffer, some of the most common truck accident injuries include the following:
- Head injuries, often leading to traumatic brain injuries, lifelong cognitive impairment, and physical disabilities
- Spinal cord injuries, which can lead to full or partial paralysis, weakness, incontinence, and chronic pain, resulting in significant lifelong disabilities
- Whiplash and other neck injuries, which could lead to chronic nerve pain, physical therapy, and quadriplegia
- Back injuries, including compression fractures of the lower spine, herniated discs, broken vertebrae, and pinched nerves, often requiring surgery and pain management
- Multiple broken or crushed bones, including broken ribs, broken bones in the back, broken arms, and broken legs, some of which may require surgery
- Severe widespread second- and third-degree burns, resulting in permanent scarring, disfigurement, long-term health complications, and reduced quality of life
- Internal bleeding and organ damage as a result of broken bones or the sheer impact of the truck collision
- Severe damage to the limbs, resulting in loss of use or amputation
It is crucial to follow your treatment plan after your accident. This will help you recover to the fullest extent possible. In addition, your medical treatment is the most important evidence showing the extent of your injuries and financial losses.
What’s the Statute of Limitations for Truck Accident Lawsuits in Florida?
Florida’s statute of limitations gives you two years from the date of your truck accident to file a lawsuit. However, you shouldn’t wait to contact a trusted semi truck accident attorney in Fort Myers. It takes time to gather evidence, review your medical records, calculate your case value, and build your case.
If you wait too long to contact an attorney, important evidence needed to prove your case could be gone. For example, eyewitnesses forget pertinent information over time, skid marks fade, and camera footage gets erased. In addition, once the deadline passes, you forfeit the ability to assert your rights and demand the compensation you deserve.
Do My PIP Benefits Cover Me After a Fort Myers Truck Accident?
Under Florida’s no-fault insurance system, your Personal injury Protection coverage, or PIP benefits, apply when you’ve been injured in a big-truck accident. PIP will cover up to 80 percent of your medical bills and 60 percent of your lost income, up to $10,000.
If your injuries are severe, you can file a claim against the truck driver, the trucking company, and any other responsible parties to recover losses that PIP doesn’t cover.
One of our most important jobs as truck accident lawyers in Fort Myers is identifying all liable parties and all available insurance—the most effective way to put more money in your pocket.
Call Our Experienced Big Truck Accident Lawyers for Help Today
Don’t leave the compensation you need and deserve on the table. Call our experienced Fort Myers truck accident lawyers today at (239) 558-0750 to schedule a no-obligation case review.
Why You’ll Want To Hire Farah & Farah After a Fort Myers Truck Accident
Experience Handling All Types of Truck Accident Cases in Florida
What Compensation Can I Get If I’ve Been Hurt in a Fort Myers Truck Accident?
What Are the Most Common Causes of Fort Myers Truck Accidents?
What Are Common Truck Accident Injuries?
What’s the Statute of Limitations for Truck Accident Lawsuits in Florida?
Do My PIP Benefits Cover Me After a Fort Myers Truck Accident?
Call Our Experienced Big Truck Accident Lawyers for Help Today
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