Fort Myers Truck Accident Lawyers

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.