With Highway 19 passing through New Port Richey, big trucks on the road are common. Big truck traffic continues to increase as more big trucks move across the country, delivering the goods that people rely on every day. When those big trucks cause accidents, however, it can mean substantial injury for people in smaller passenger vehicles. Big truck accident injuries can permanently change the course of the victim’s life, including leaving the victim with high medical bills, long-term limitations, and substantial ongoing pain and suffering from their injuries. Reach out to a New Port Richey truck accident lawyer.
Did you suffer serious injuries in a New Port Richey truck accident? Lucas, Macyszyn & Dyer Law Firm can help you understand your legal right to seek compensation. Contact us today for your free consultation.
Lucas, Macyszyn & Dyer Law Firm Can Help New Port Richey Truck Accident Victims Seek Compensation
Dealing with the aftermath of a truck accident in New Port Richey on your own can prove incredibly difficult. Let Lucas, Macyszyn & Dyer Law Firm help. Our experienced team of personal injury attorneys wants to put the personal back in personal injury claims as we help our clients learn more about the compensation they really deserve after suffering severe truck accident injuries.
Truck accident claims in New Port Richey need a lawyer who will go deeper.
When it comes to truck accident claims, just looking at the immediate conditions that led to the accident may not offer enough information. Truck accident claims often require an in-depth investigation of the driver, their driving history, and their company. In addition to checking into the driver’s habits and past, including what may have caused them to become distracted or ignore the rules of the road, Lucas, Macyszyn & Dyer Law Firm will take a look at the terms of the driver’s contract and any employer policies that may have contributed to the situation.
If the employer has unsafe policies or working conditions, including pushing the driver to speed to meet tight deadlines or threatening to fire a driver who does not want to drive because of illness, inebriation, or potentially dangerous conditions, we want to know about it—and we know how it can strengthen your claim.
Lucas, Macyszyn & Dyer Law Firm wants to help break down the compensation you, specifically, deserve after a New Port Richey truck accident.
Truck claims do not have a one-size-fits-all resolution. While they may have some common elements, including the types of compensation truck accident victims can claim, your situation is unique and your injuries impact you in a very personal way. At Lucas, Macyszyn & Dyer Law Firm, we help break down the compensation our clients really deserve for truck accident injuries based on the specific losses they suffered as a result of their accident. Our dedicated team of attorneys works to ensure that our clients know what they really deserve and how to pursue it, rather than getting stuck with a “standard” settlement offer that does not fit their needs.
We help fight against big insurance companies.
Big insurance companies seem to have all the power when it comes to truck accident claims. As the victim of serious injuries in a truck accident, you may feel as though you have relatively few options when it comes to accepting the compensation the insurance company offers. At Lucas, Macyszyn & Dyer Law Firm, we aim to change that. We provide our clients with the legal support they need to fight aggressively against big insurance companies, and we take over interactions with the insurance company to reduce our clients’ stress while they recover from those serious injuries.
You need a truck accident lawyer who will fight for you. At Lucas, Macyszyn & Dyer Law Firm, we aim to provide vital services to our clients so they can feel more confident in their ability to recover the damages they deserve.
What Causes New Port Richey Truck Accidents?
Truck drivers face many of the same hazards on the road as the drivers of smaller passenger vehicles. Unfortunately, they also have a clear disadvantage: a much larger vehicle that takes up more space on the road and hits with more force when involved in an accident. Truck drivers also face some unique challenges that increase the danger they pose to other drivers.
Distracted Truck Drivers
Because they spend a lot of hours on the road each day, truck drivers are at a higher risk of distraction than the average driver of a passenger vehicle. Truck drivers may choose to try to take care of other tasks while on the road, rather than waiting until the end of their scheduled shifts, when they can safely pull off the road.
Since truck drivers can drive for up to eight hours before they have to take a break, they may choose to eat and drink behind the wheel as well, rather than pulling off the road and taking a meal break. They may also try to program GPS devices or chat on the phone while driving as they try to fill those long hours on the road. However, even minor distractions can prove catastrophic due to the larger size and weight of the truck.
Bad Weather
New Port Richey sees an estimated 240 sunny days per year (higher than the United States average of 205 days per year), but when rain does fall, it often falls hard. On average, New Port Richey sees 51 inches of rain per year, while the United States average is 38 inches. That heavy rainfall can make for slick roads and poor visibility, which can make for very difficult driving conditions for the drivers of big trucks.
Speeding
Truck drivers often have tight deadlines for each delivery. Unfortunately, road conditions can interfere with those tight deadlines. Truck drivers may struggle with everything from stalled traffic to weather delays. With many employers paying by the mile, and all too many pressuring their drivers to meet deadlines regardless of the challenges they may face along the way, many truck drivers choose to speed.
Unfortunately, not only does accident risk increase along with speed, but the faster a truck goes, the more force it has and the more damage it causes in an accident.
Drunk Truck Drivers
Around 13 percent of truck accidents that cause injury to the victims involve driver inebriation. While truck drivers must follow strict regulations that govern how much alcohol they can have in their system while on the road, including lower limits than the drivers of passenger vehicles, some truck drivers choose to ignore these rules. As a result, they may suffer from impaired judgment, decreased motor skills, and poor reflexes, all of which can increase the risk of an accident and cause accidents with increased severity.
Short Training Periods
Across the nation, many trucking companies struggle to find enough drivers to keep their routes moving smoothly. As a result, companies may put new truck drivers behind the wheel without providing adequate training. Truck drivers who have not spent enough hours on the road have trouble properly responding to the hazards they may face, from dangerous weather conditions to drivers who do not allow adequate space around them. A lack of training can prove catastrophic when drivers cannot adequately manage the road conditions they face.
Truck Blind Spots
Big trucks have long areas down all four sides of the truck where the driver has inadequate visibility. While modern trucks partially compensate for blind spots with cameras, many of the trucks currently on the road do not yet have that technology. Truck drivers may struggle to keep track of vehicles in their blind spots, especially if those vehicles linger there for too long. Large blind spots can also interfere with truck drivers’ ability to conduct turns safely. Many truck drivers choose to make wide right turns, in particular, to compensate for the lack of visibility. However, an average passenger vehicle can easily fit into the space drivers cannot see, which can seriously injure you.
The Aftermath of New Port Richey Truck Accidents: Serious Injuries
Because of their larger mass, big trucks often cause more serious injuries than passenger vehicles in an accident.
Truck accident victims may suffer from a range of injuries, including:
- Concussion/traumatic brain injury.
- Amputations.
- Back and neck injuries, including spinal cord injuries, herniated discs, and chronic whiplash.
- Broken bones, including multiple broken bones.
- Soft tissue injuries.
- Organ damage.
- Burns.
- Cuts and lacerations.
In the aftermath of a serious truck accident, seeking medical care right away can prove critical. Make sure you receive the treatment you need for your truck accident injuries to both maximize your odds of making a full recovery and increase your odds of recovering the compensation you deserve.
New Port Richey Truck Accidents: Who Bears Liability?
After a New Port Richey truck accident, an experienced attorney can investigate all elements of the accident to identify who may share liability for the accident and your injuries.
The truck driver bears liability for any mistakes they made behind the wheel, from a decision to drive while distracted or tired to a decision to speed to reach their destination faster. However, other parties may also share liability for the accident. Like the truck driver, the truck driver’s company bears a high duty of care to people on the road with its drivers. The trucking company must take steps to protect those drivers, including enforcing policies that help decrease dangers on the road.
Trucking companies must:
- Monitor their drivers to ensure that they drive safely and follow all legal requirements.
- Maintain their vehicles to prevent mechanical failure.
- Properly schedule loads to allow drivers adequate time to rest.
If trucking companies fail in their duty of care, they may share liability for accidents caused by their drivers.
Furthermore, truck accidents sometimes occur due to mechanical failures such as brake problems, engine failures, or tire blowouts. If those failures occur due to a manufacturer defect, the manufacturer may share liability for the accident.
How Much Compensation Can You Recover for New Port Richey Truck Accident Injuries?
At Lucas, Macyszyn & Dyer Law Firm, we can help you break down the expenses you have faced due to your truck accident injuries and give you an estimate of how much compensation you should pursue for those injuries. While we cannot guarantee the compensation you will ultimately recover, we let you know what to expect as you move forward with your claim.
Most successful truck accident claims include compensation for:
- Medical bills for accident-related injuries, including emergency care, follow-up care, medication, and necessary therapies.
- Lost wages when a truck accident prevented the victim from working, either short-term or long-term.
- Pain and suffering related to the accident.
Contact our attorneys today to learn more about how much compensation you may be able to collect in your case.
Contact a Lawyer as Soon as Possible After a Truck Accident in New Port Richey
If you suffered serious injuries in a New Port Richey truck accident, do not try to handle your claim on your own. An experienced truck accident attorney in New Port Richey can help you learn more about the compensation you deserve and support you through your truck accident claim. Contact Lucas, Macyszyn & Dyer Law Firm today at (727) 849-5353 or use our contact page to get your free consultation with our New Port Richey personal injury lawyers.