Large commercial trucks can cause serious damage when they get into accidents. In some cases, a truck can lose control and fold, similar to the folding of a jackknife. Jackknife truck crashes can cause serious and catastrophic injuries.
If you or a loved one suffered injuries in a jackknife accident in Florida, Shaked Law Firm, P.A. can help. We have a proven track record of representing injured clients in truck accident claims.
To recover compensation for your medical bills, lost pay, and other losses, talk to our Florida jackknife accident lawyers about your legal options. Contact our law office at (305) 937-0191 to schedule your free consultation today.
How Shaked Law Firm, P.A. Can Help After a Jackknife Truck Accident in Florida
Jackknife truck accidents can be complex, requiring time and effort to fully investigate. These cases require detailed evidence, including eyewitness statements, accident reports, digital evidence, and expert reports. An experienced Florida truck accident lawyer can analyze the crash and build the best possible legal strategy in your case.
To maximize your potential financial recovery in a truck accident claim, you will benefit from having skilled legal counsel. We will evaluate evidence to determine how the accident happened, who caused it, and why they are legally liable for your damages.
When you hire the Florida truck accident lawyers at Shaked Law Firm, P.A., we will:
- Investigate the accident to figure out how it was caused
- Analyze the evidence to determine liability by the truck driver, trucking company, or others involved
- Work with accident reconstruction experts to prove how the crash happened
- Negotiate aggressively during the insurance claims process
- File a personal injury lawsuit if the insurance companies won’t make a fair offer
- Take your jackknife truck accident case to a jury trial when justice requires it
After a truck accident in Florida, you want to act quickly to obtain the monetary damages you deserve. You will need time to recover physically and emotionally – we can help ease the burden by fighting for your financial recovery. Our personal injury lawyers have over 100 years of combined experience, securing millions in recovery for our injured clients. We will fight to help you, too.
What Causes Jackknife Accidents in Florida?
Semi-trucks consist of two main sections—a tractor and a trailer. A single pivot joint connects both sections. This design frees the truck to move and turn most efficiently. However, the semi-truck’s design is not without risks. A jackknife accident can occur when the tractor stops too suddenly, making the trailer move at an opposite angle. Overall, the movement resembles a pocket knife or jackknife folding.
The United States sees over 4,000 fatal jackknife accidents every year. Each accident risks severe injury to the truck’s driver and every motorist in the truck’s way. Since a fully loaded semi-truck weighs up to 80,000 pounds, a truck accident of this magnitude can have disastrous consequences.
Factors causing jackknife accidents can include:
- Speeding
- Drunk driving
- Fatigued driving, or “drowsy driving”
- Distracted driving
- Lack of proper training
- Lack of experience with semi-trucks and big rigs
- Improperly loaded cargo
- Defective equipment
- Aggressive driving
- Poor weather conditions
- Poor road conditions
Negligence by a driver, employer, parts manufacturer, or other third parties can play a role in an accident. Given the sheer size and weight of a semi-truck, many vehicles and passersby can be struck at once in a jackknife accident. When injuries occur due to an out-of-control truck, attorneys will work to prove liability and secure compensation for injured victims.
Proving Negligence in a Jackknife Accident Case
In a personal injury claim, plaintiffs normally need to prove negligence by the other party.
Proving negligence in a Florida truck accident case involves four legal elements:
- Duty of care: Truck drivers have duties to drive trucks safely and follow traffic rules; trucking companies have duties to properly train their drivers and follow Florida and federal regulations. Manufacturers of truck parts have duties to put safe products on the market and recall parts known to be defective.
- Breach of duty: When any party has a duty of care and fails to follow it, that can lead to legal liability.
- Causation: The at-fault party’s breach of duty must have caused the accident victim’s injuries.
- Damages: Actual injuries and losses must be shown in a truck accident claim. Medical expenses, lost income, vehicle damage, emotional distress, and other losses are all examples of damages in a truck accident claim.
Your dedicated jackknife truck accident lawyer will use all the evidence available in your case to prove negligence and push for financial compensation. Through physical evidence, video footage, police reports, black box recordings from a truck, maintenance logs, and other evidence in your case, an experienced truck accident lawyer will fight for you each step of the way.
Contact a Florida Jackknife Truck Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation
A jackknife truck accident in Florida can leave you seriously hurt and struggling to find answers. If you or a loved one were injured in a jackknife accident, our devoted Florida truck accident attorneys will work on your financial recovery. Shaked Law Firm, P.A. will help you understand your legal options and fight for your rights after an accident. Contact our law office to schedule your free consultation.
Visit Our Personal Injury Law Office in Aventura, FL
Shaked Law Firm, P.A.
20900 NE 30th Ave STE 705
Aventura, FL 33180
(305) 937-0191
*Relocated across the street from Aventura Hospital.
Available 24/7