Orlando Truck Accident Lawyers
If you’ve suffered an injury in a truck accident in Orlando, you could be left with permanent disabilities, lifelong medical bills, and uncertainty about your future. You shouldn’t have to bear the financial costs of someone else’s negligence. Our award-winning Orlando truck accident lawyers can help you recover significant damages from the driver, the trucking company, and others. Call us today at (407) 329-5054 for a free consultation.
Wealthy trucking companies too often refuse to pay injured accident victims fair compensation. Overcoming their tactics requires significant experience, legal knowledge, and finances. Our experienced Orlando truck accident lawyers have been defeating big truck companies for over four decades. We will invest our own resources to fight for you, and it won’t cost you a penny unless we win. Contact us today for a free case review.
Make Farah & Farah Your First Call After a Truck Accident in Orlando
When you hire one of our nationally recognized personal injury lawyers in Orlando, you will get a powerful team of highly experienced attorneys, paralegals, and support staff who will fight for you with the full support of our large law firm. We have been protecting families since 1979, and our experience has taught us that caring, understanding, and hard work are how to win.Â
Our talented Orlando semi truck accident attorneys collaborate rather than compete. This helps us get the best results for our clients, and we are committed to putting clients first.Â
When working with our big truck lawyers, you’ll feel like family because we genuinely care about you and your outcome. You can count on us to keep you up-to-date about your case, answer your calls and texts, and help you find medical care. We will meet with you on your schedule and even visit you in the hospital.
Caring Means Sharing Through Community Involvement
We live and work in Orlando and feel an obligation to give back to the community by sponsoring local events and supporting worthy causes through financial giving and volunteerism.
Every year, we award scholarships to high school seniors across Florida who demonstrate strong academic potential and a commitment to community service. We support veterans’ organizations, organizations that help the homeless, organizations that empower people with disabilities, legal aid, and more.Â
Our compassionate Orlando truck accident attorneys also support worthy causes in Orlando on their own, such as:
- The Society of St. Vincent de Paul
- United in Love Adoptions
- The UCF Mock Trial TeamÂ
- The Orange County Bar Association
We have provided free legal services to veterans, first responders, and others through the Orange County Bar Association.
Experience That Gets Results
Our renowned semi truck accident lawyers in Orlando all have unique backgrounds that make them dynamic and effective big truck lawyers. Some have past experience defending insurance companies and large corporations. Others have extensive trial experience as prosecutors.Â
Our truck crash lawyers in Orlando know how far big companies will go to avoid fairly compensating injured accident victims. This insider’s perspective is part of the reason we’ve been able to recover over $2 billion in settlements and verdicts for our clients.
Our Orlando Attorneys
Ricky Favors
Ricky Favors is an experienced Orlando truck accident lawyer with a remarkable record of results that have won him recognition by National Trial Lawyers as a Top 40 Under 40 attorney. He is also part of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, an honor only awarded to attorneys who win verdicts and settlements over $1 million. Only the top 1 percent of lawyers in the United States are members.
He has a background in family therapy, and he truly cares about people. He prides himself on being available to his clients around the clock, and his compassion and empathy drive him to fight tirelessly until he wins the results our clients deserve.
Matthew McKie
Matthew McKie is a former financial advisor and an experienced litigator who deeply understands severe injuries’ long-term emotional and financial costs. He refuses to allow insurance companies to shortchange our clients. He is an enthusiastic attorney whose people skills will quickly put you at ease.Â
Being comfortable in a courtroom is an important skill for a big truck lawyer. It puts a trucking company on notice that you can win in court. These large corporations only care about their bottom line. The idea of going against a capable litigation attorney like Matthew McKie in court can scare many large companies into offering a generous settlement to avoid the risk.
Alec Weber
Alec Weber has decades of personal injury experience and is well-known for his work ethic and tenacity in even the most complicated cases. He will search endlessly through detailed medical records and insurance documents until he finds the exact detail he needs to get you the results you deserve.
His empathy, compassion, and dedication are evident in everything he does. His commitment to each client is a true reflection of our firm’s commitment to put clients first and treat each client with honesty, dignity, and respect.
What Our Orlando Truck Accident Clients Are Saying
Our clients regularly send our big truck attorneys unsolicited testimonials praising us for our hard work and the results we get for them. Below are a few examples of our recent client feedback:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
From the beginning to the end, Farah & Farah went above and beyond for me. Ed Wyka made my unfortunate accident as easy as something like this could be. From our very first conversation at the hospital, I felt his compassion for my situation and commitment to making things right, consistently checking on my health and well-being, setting each appointment up for me, and making sure I was sent to the right people. I would give Ed and his team 10 stars if I could.
— Alex K.
Farah & Farah is the excellent choice when it comes to making sure you get your health back after an accident, their top priority is getting their clients back healthy again, and it’s much appreciated. Attorney Christopher Baker and his legal assistant Alexa Compean-Garcia are very professional and their services are prompt and without hesitation. I recommend this firm and legal team to anyone.
— Kevin M.
Mr. Favors helped me out so much after my accident. He was prompt and informational in regard to my incident and the plans of action that were to take place. He gave me an accurate timeline for the process and walked me along the way. All things were completed, and I was alerted of the result of my accident and my payout. I’m very grateful and thankful that I contacted this law group and was aided by Mr. Favors and his team.
— Emmanuel O.
Our Remarkable Record of Successful Truck Accident Case Results
We have won over $1 billion in settlements and verdicts for our personal injury clients. Below are a few examples of our recent big truck accident results:
- $3.4 million verdict for a client who suffered herniated discs and required pain management from being rear-ended by a moving truck.
- $2 million verdict for a 47-year-old man who suffered shoulder, neck, and back injuries when a 12-ton tractor-trailer rear-ended him.
- $1.3 million wrongful death settlement for a truck driver fatally struck by a semi while working on a loading dock.
- $1 million federal tort claim recovery for a woman hit by a postal truck.
You can count on our Orlando truck accident lawyers to fight just as hard for you. Contact us now for a free case review.
How Our Big Truck Lawyers in Orlando Will Help You Win Maximum Results
We deliver top results by implementing tried-and-true legal strategies that involve:
- Launching an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the truck accident.
- Reviewing the results of investigations conducted by local, state, and federal government agencies.
- Reviewing truck black box data to determine if the driver violated hours of service regulations or other important Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration mandates.
- Analyzing damage to vehicles and other property, accident reports, dashcam footage, driver records, photographs, vehicle maintenance logs, pre- and post-trip inspection logs, company hiring policies, medical records, and other evidence pertinent to the case.
- Consulting with truck industry specialists, mechanics, medical professionals, accident reconstructionists, forensic specialists, and other experts.
- Communicating with the trucking company and its insurance carrier.
- Building a persuasive legal claim to elicit a top-dollar settlement offer during negotiations.
- Representing you at trial if the trucking company refuses to take responsibility for your wreck and injuries.
Contact our law office in Orlando, Florida, today to learn more about how our team can help you secure the financial award you deserve. Your first consultation is free.
How Are Truck Accidents Different From Other Types of Accidents?
Truck accident cases require more skillful investigations, and in many cases, a higher amount of compensation is at stake. This motivates the liable parties to fight harder against paying the damages victims deserve.
Compensation for Truck Accident Injuries May Be Higher
While this isn’t true of every truck accident case, there are two primary reasons why higher compensation is common after truck accidents:
- Injuries in a truck accident tend to be more severe. This is due to the increased impact when a large, heavy commercial truck slams into a much smaller passenger vehicle. Commercial trucks weigh as much as 80,000 pounds, while most passenger vehicles weigh only 4,000 pounds. Big trucks also take longer to decelerate after the brakes are applied, which can result in crashes occurring at higher speeds.
- Insurance coverage for a truck accident is usually higher. Noncommercial drivers are only required to carry $10,000 in property damage coverage, and bodily injury coverage is not required. However, state law requires commercial vehicle owners to carry a combined property damage and bodily injury liability policy ranging from $50,000 to $300,000 per occurrence, and many trucking companies carry more. Big trucking companies also have considerable assets and can be sued directly if your damages exceed their insurance coverage.Â
The higher the value of your claim, the more likely large trucking companies are to fight against you. These companies tend to be wealthy and may use the most expensive lawyers money can buy to stall your case, blame you for the accident, minimize your injuries, or resort to any other tactic they can to avoid paying the compensation you deserve.
Truck Accident Investigations Are More Complex
Truck accidents’ causes and contributing factors can be much more intricate than car accidents. Federal and state laws bind truck drivers and trucking companies, and our experienced truck accident lawyers will carefully review whether the drivers and their companies complied with laws such as the following:
- Inspection and maintenance requirements.
- Daily time limits on a truck driver’s work and driving hours.
- Weight limits for various types of trucks.
- Licensing requirements for drivers based on truck characteristics and the materials hauled.
There are also more parties to investigate after a truck accident. In addition to the driver, it is necessary to determine who owns the truck, the driver’s relationship to the trucking company, and all the parties that touched the truck, such as inspectors, cargo loaders, and mechanics.
Trucks require more care and maintenance than cars, so the potential of finding errors made by non-drivers in truck accidents is higher, making it all the more important to investigate these parties.
What Damages Can I Recover After an Orlando Truck Accident?
Damages for truck accident injuries typically come from large trucking companies, their insurance companies, the individual drivers’ insurance, and other parties that contributed to the accident. When you’ve been injured in a big truck accident in Orlando, you may be entitled to pursue damages for your financial losses and the impacts on your quality of life.
Damages for Financial Losses
Damages for financial losses are known as special damages or economic damages. These are losses you can prove with documentation. They include property damage, medical expenses, and lost wages. You can also pursue future losses, such as your anticipated lifetime medical expenses and lost earning capacity.
Florida’s laws regarding what is required to prove your medical expenses have recently changed. Before March 2023, you could prove your medical expenses simply by providing copies of your medical bills. Under the new law, you can be compelled to show how much you actually paid or how much your insurance company paid after making contractual adjustments.
For example, if your doctor billed $10,000 for surgery, but the insurance company reduced your bill to $6,000, the defendant and a jury are entitled to know about this adjustment. Even if you don’t have insurance, the defendant is entitled to present the amount as 120 percent of what Medicare could pay.
While the new law does not require a jury to use the reduced amount when calculating your compensation, it could persuade some juries to do so. At Farah & Farah, we don’t think an at-fault party should be less liable for your injuries just because of insurance adjustments.Â
We will continue to fight for maximum compensation as we always have. Call us now at (407) 329-5054 for a free case review.
Damages for Losses of Your Quality of Life
Some losses are difficult to measure in dollars and cents. Losing your quality of life is considered a genuine form of damage, and you have the right to pursue compensation for these losses.
Compensation for intangible losses is known as general damages or non-economic damages. These damages are often referred to as pain and suffering but include a wider range of losses, such as disfigurement, loss of bodily functions, and loss of enjoyment of life.
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages, also known as non-compensatory damages, don’t award money to you for your losses but punish the defendant and deter similar conduct. These types of damages are not available in all big truck accident cases. They are only available when you have clear and convincing evidence of intentional misconduct or gross negligence.
Our experienced truck accident lawyers in Orlando will look for evidence that meets this standard during our detailed accident investigation. We have successfully pursued punitive damages in cases involving the following and more:
- Drunk truck driving
- Aggressive or reckless driving
- Extreme negligence in hiring, such as hiring a truck driver with a known history of drunk driving
- Allowing a truck driver to continue driving after a DUI or other major safety offense
- Knowingly placing trucks on the road with safety hazards, such as brake problems
Damages Available After the Death of a Family Member in a Big Truck Accident
An average of 14 people lose their lives in big truck accidents yearly in Orange County alone. If you have lost a beloved family member in a big truck accident, our skilled and caring wrongful death lawyers in Orlando can help you pursue compensation for your family’s financial and emotional losses.
Wrongful death damages include financial losses related to your loved one, such as their medical expenses and burial costs. You can also pursue damages for the lost income your loved one would have earned had they not been in a big truck accident. This includes lost wages, lost business opportunities, and lost inheritance.
Emotional losses you can recover compensation for include loss of companionship, parental guidance, support, and similar losses. You can also recover punitive damages in wrongful death cases if applicable. Contact our experienced and supportive big truck attorneys now for a free consultation.
How Long Will I Have to File a Truck Accident Lawsuit in Florida?
In Florida, you typically have two years following a truck accident to sue a negligent truck driver or trucking company. The state’s personal injury statute of limitations sets this deadline. The period begins to run on the accident date, the date you discover your injury, or the date of a victim’s wrongful death, whichever is later.
While two years may seem like plenty of time, you shouldn’t wait to contact a reputable Orlando truck accident attorney. Early attorney involvement is crucial for a successful truck accident case. Valuable information such as skid marks, camera footage, and eyewitness testimony can be lost if you wait too long.
Your attorney will also need time to investigate your accident, identify all the responsible parties, and calculate your case’s value before your case can be filed. Once the deadline passes, you lose the opportunity to demand the compensation you deserve.
Call our truck accident attorneys in Orlando at (407) 329-5054 immediately to preserve your rights and position yourself to win your case.
What Causes Most Florida Truck Accidents?
Big truck accidents can be caused by poorly maintained roads, defective truck parts, and unevenly distributed cargo, but most are caused by driver error. Truck accidents are more common than people realize. Orange County had 2,632 commercial motor vehicle accidents in 2021 alone, resulting in 971 people injured and 12 fatalities.
Distracted Driving
Distracted driving is any activity that takes a truck driver’s attention off the road, including adjusting the radio, eating, daydreaming, texting, or talking on a cell phone. Truck drivers are as prone to distracted driving as other drivers, but it is even more dangerous when a truck driver does it because of the higher impact of truck accidents and the increased difficulty in controlling a large truck.
While any distracted driving activity can cause an accident, texting and talking on a cell phone are among the most common and dangerous. Florida’s Wireless Communications While Driving Law prohibits texting with your hands while driving but does not prohibit talking on a cell phone.Â
However, a truck driver who causes an accident while talking on a cell phone can still be liable for negligence.
Drunk Driving
Truck drivers are considered intoxicated if their blood alcohol content exceeds 0.04 percent. The legal limit for a noncommercial driver in Florida is 0.08 percent. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration imposes a higher standard for truck drivers due to the higher potential for catastrophic harm in a truck accident and the extra skill required to drive a big truck.
Drowsy Driving
Driving while drowsy is almost as dangerous as drunk driving. It can slow down reaction time, affect judgment, and lead to falling asleep. It is not uncommon for drowsy drivers to fall asleep for a few seconds multiple times while driving. These short sleep sessions are known as micro-naps, and they drastically increase the risk of an accident.
Drowsy driving is a chronic problem among truck drivers. The Federal Motor Carrier Administration allows truck drivers to work 14-hour shifts with up to 11 driving hours per shift. Trucking companies are only required to allow one 30-minute break every eight hours.
Drivers who exceed these limits are at a heightened risk of becoming fatigued, but even if drivers stay within these guidelines, they can become drowsy and endanger other drivers.
Inexperienced and Poorly-Trained Drivers
Trucking companies face a chronic shortage of drivers, and they often send new drivers onto the roads without enough training to ensure they can properly handle difficult driving situations and emergencies. Orlando has many areas where drivers must contend with confusing or frequent lane changes and heavy traffic at the same time.
Inexperienced truck drivers may have difficulty in these circumstances, especially if they are unfamiliar with the Orlando area. Some of the most challenging intersections in Orlando include:
- State Road 50 and State Road 436
- Colonial Drive and John Young Parkway
- Orange Blossom Trail and Oak Ridge Road
- Kirkman Road and Vineland Road
- Lee Road and Interstate 4
Speeding
Driving too fast for the conditions or exceeding speed limits is dangerous. Anyone who has driven on Interstate 4 or other highways around Orlando knows that truck drivers are notorious for speeding. Yet this problem isn’t limited to the highways. Â
In September of 2023, News 6’s Trooper Steve on Patrol traveled to the intersection of Par and Princeton Streets in response to multiple viewer complaints about speeding to observe the traffic flow in the area. He found that every commercial vehicle was exceeding the speed limit by 10 miles per hour or more on both Princeton and Fairbanks.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, “speeding of any kind” was the most common driver error that led to crashes in 2020. Speeding truck drivers caused 32 percent of big truck crashes during the study period.
Who’s Liable for My Truck Accident?
Determining liability in a truck accident is complex because multiple parties can be liable, which can vary depending on who owns the truck and the employment status of the truck driver. Trucking companies own most trucks, but in some cases, the driver may own the truck.Â
If a trucking company owns the truck, it may be liable for the driver’s negligence, even if the company itself was not negligent. The same may be true if the truck driver was an employee or agent of the trucking company, regardless of who owned the truck.
A trucking company can also be held liable based on its own negligence. The most common examples of trucking company negligence include:
- Negligent hiring. Commercial trucking companies must perform background checks on driver applicants before hiring them. Trucking companies are prohibited from hiring drivers with previous DUI convictions, convictions of felonies involving commercial motor vehicles, or a recent history of violating state and local laws, such as reckless driving or illegally using a cell phone while driving a commercial motor vehicle.
- Inadequate training. All truck drivers must hold a valid commercial driver’s license before driving a truck. The licensing requirements can vary based on the type of truck. Trucking companies are responsible for ensuring their drivers have the correct license, skills, and physical ability to safely operate the types of trucks they will drive, including during emergencies.
- Unrealistic schedules. Trucking companies that impose unrealistic delivery deadlines may cause their drivers to speed or drive excessive hours in violation of federal time limits. Drivers under excessive time pressure may become impatient in traffic and make careless maneuvers, drive aggressively, or fail to yield.
- Poorly maintained trucks. Trucking companies must enforce federal inspection standards, including a post-trip inspection at the end of every driving day. When safety issues are discovered during an inspection, the trucking company must not allow the truck back on the road until it is cleared. Detailed periodic inspections are also required every 12 months. Failure to comply can result in dangerous accidents and expose trucking companies to liability.
- Poorly planned routes. Trucking companies often try to increase profits by requiring drivers to use the shortest possible routes. This may constitute negligence if a route is shortened at the expense of safety. Trucking companies should plan routes to avoid narrow roads, heavy traffic areas, low overpasses, and severe bottlenecks.
Other Potentially Liable Parties
Trucking companies aren’t the only parties that may be liable for a trucking accident. Other potentially liable parties include cargo loaders, negligent mechanics, construction companies, manufacturers of defective truck parts, and government entities responsible for maintaining roads.Â
The city of Orlando has designated specific downtown roads as trucking routes. These routes include State Road 50, State Road 408, US Highway 441/Orange Blossom Trail, and Rosalind/Magnolia Avenue. Truckers on these north-south roads must exit onto east-west roads as close to their destinations as possible.
The most common defective truck parts that lead to accidents include airbags, brakes, and tires. Our resourceful truck accident lawyers look for recalls and require our accident reconstructionists to analyze the truck and your vehicle for manufacturing defects that could have caused or contributed to the accident.
Identifying all of the liable parties plays a crucial role in maximizing compensation. Call us today at (407) 329-5054 for a free case evaluation.
Truck Accident FAQs
Getting into a truck accident can turn your world upside down. You’re bound to have questions. Farah & Farah has the answers you need.
Can I Recover Compensation if I’m Partly to Blame for My Truck Accident?
Yes, as long as your share of the blame is not more than 50 percent. Under Florida’s modified comparative negligence system, you cannot recover compensation if your share of the fault is 51 percent or higher.Â
Sharing some—but not the majority—of the blame can still impact your financial recovery. Damages will be reduced based on your contribution to the accident. For example, if you’re 30 percent at fault, your damages will be reduced by 30 percent to reflect that.
What To Do If You’re Found at Fault
Have you been found liable for a truck accident? It means nothing until an experienced truck accident lawyer investigates. The initial finding of fault was determined by a law enforcement officer or an insurance adjuster, and they are not on your side. You need a dedicated team of attorneys who are on your side to perform a more detailed investigation that neither law enforcement nor the insurance company can refute.
Even if you received a traffic ticket for causing the accident, we can help you reverse the finding of fault and invalidate the ticket. A traffic ticket is not proof that you were at fault, and it cannot be used against you as evidence of fault in court. Even the police report and statements you and the truck driver made in the aftermath of the accident are privileged information that cannot be used against you.
Don’t let a large trucking company convince you that a traffic ticket or an assignment of fault in a police report negates your claim. Let our experienced Orlando truck accident lawyers protect your rights. Call us today at (321) 286-7974 for a free case evaluation.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Truck Accident Attorney in Orlando?
There are no out-of-pocket costs to hire our law firm to represent you. You only pay when we win your truck accident case. Our fee is an agreed-upon percentage of your financial recovery and comes directly from your award. If we don’t win, you don’t pay.
What Are the Most Common Truck Accident Injuries?
Being injured in a truck accident can be significantly worse than car accidents because of the massive size of trucks. Eddie Farah has compared truck accidents to being hit by 20 cars simultaneously. Injuries following a truck accident are more likely to be catastrophic, permanent, or fatal. The type of truck accident you were in may have a bearing on the injuries.
For example, an underride accident can result in severe head and neck injuries, even decapitation. An underride accident occurs when a car gets caught underneath the truck from the side or rear. This occurs because truck frames are often level with the headspace of passenger vehicles.
If a truck rolls over onto your vehicle, you could end up with crushed bones, multiple fractures, and severe head and neck injuries. This can also occur if you are rear-ended by a large truck, especially if you’re stopped at an intersection. When a truck rear-ends a car, the car can be pushed into an intersection and hit by other vehicles from multiple angles.
These accidents often result in one person sustaining multiple severe injuries, making treatment complex. Being crushed by a large truck generally affects multiple body systems.
We have helped truck accident clients with severe spinal cord injuries resulting in paralysis, traumatic brain injury, severe organ damage, loss of limbs, and more. We have also found that the massive impact of truck collisions often causes vehicle fires and explosions, causing many of our clients to suffer catastrophic burn injuries.
Call Our Trusted Orlando Truck Accident Lawyers for Help
If you’ve been involved in a trucking accident, we’re here for you. When you work with an Orlando injury lawyer from Farah & Farah, we handle every aspect of your case so you can focus on your recovery. Call us today at (407) 329-5054 for your free, no-obligation case review.
Make Farah & Farah Your First Call After a Truck Accident in Orlando
What Our Orlando Truck Accident Clients Are Saying
Our Remarkable Record of Successful Truck Accident Case Results
How Our Big Truck Lawyers in Orlando Will Help You Win Maximum Results
How Are Truck Accidents Different From Other Types of Accidents?
What Damages Can I Recover After an Orlando Truck Accident?
How Long Will I Have to File a Truck Accident Lawsuit in Florida?
What Causes Most Florida Truck Accidents?
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