Trucking Accidents

Jacksonville Trucking Accident Lawyer

Truck accidents usually result in catastrophic injuries that can affect you for the rest of your life. However, the insurance company involved will not pay damages unless you can prove the truck driver or trucking company was at least partially at fault. One thing that the insurance company will not tell you is that important evidence of truck driver and trucking company fault can simply drive away after the accident if you do not take steps to preserve it.

At The Howell Law Firm in Jacksonville and Jacksonville Beach, Florida, our lawyers offer a free initial consultation to meet with you and answer all of your questions about medical bills, lost wages and trucking company liability. We will do this at no charge and with no obligation to hire us.

The Jacksonville area sees more than its share of serious trucking accidents, as interstates I-95 and I-10 serve as starting points for shipping containers that are hauled to other parts of the country.

Truck Accidents and Insurance

Trucking companies are required to carry high insurance policies — often a million dollars or more — to pay for the damages of the people who are injured in truck-car collisions. Because a lot of money may be at stake, you should not sign any insurance documents without talking to a lawyer. You end up signing away your rights to collect additional compensation for your injuries.

Preserving Evidence of Liability

Large trucks are required to follow a number of Department of Transportation safety regulations. For example, truck drivers are required to take rest breaks and to keep records of time spent on the road in logbooks. Trucks may also be equipped with a GPS system that tracks the truck’s movement and records things like speed and braking. The information in the driver logbook and truck GPS system can have an important bearing on fault. Truck drivers and trucking companies are required to perform regular maintenance checks on trucks to ensure brake failure and other malfunctions are avoided. However, this evidence can be destroyed after a period of time if you or your attorney does not demand that it be preserved.