Fort Walton Beach No-Zone Truck Accident Lawyers

If a truck driver or trucking company’s negligence led to a no-zone accident and your injuries, you should contact the Fort Walton Beach truck accident lawyers of The Bruner Law Firm immediately to learn about your legal options. You might be entitled to file an insurance claim or lawsuit to recover financial compensation. You shouldn’t be responsible for the expenses you incurred when someone else was responsible for causing the crash.

No-zones around a truck are the blind spots, areas where the truck driver can’t see other vehicles. All cars have blind spots, but the ones on commercial trucks are much larger. If you’re driving directly next to a truck’s trailer, the driver doesn’t know you’re there. No-zones are on all four sides, with the biggest at the rear of the vehicle. Truckers can’t see up to 30 feet of space directly behind their truck while they’re driving. The no zone in front of them is up to 20 feet.

Truck drivers must always check all of their blind spots thoroughly before changing lanes or turning. If they don’t, they could crash into the side of a car. Severe accidents often occur when truck drivers make errors behind the wheel. If they’re not focused on what they’re doing, they could drift into oncoming traffic or another vehicle. When that happens, injuries and fatalities are likely.

If you want to discuss your case with a qualified and dedicated Fort Walton Beach no-zone accident lawyer from The Bruner Law Firm, call (850) 243-2222 right now for a free consultation about your accident and to see whether you’re entitled to compensation.

Common Types of Truck Accidents

Whether a truck driver follows another vehicle too closely, tailgates, or merges without looking carefully at their blind spots, various types of accidents could occur. No-zone collisions are dangerous due to the significantly greater size and weight of a truck when compared to a passenger car. There are many points of impact in an accident like this.

The most common types of truck accidents involving a no-zone are:

• Rear-end collisions – Tailgating is a common cause of rear-end accidents. The truck driver follows a vehicle too closely and can’t stop in time to avoid a crash. When there’s a car within the 20 feet no-zone area in front of the truck, they can’t see if the other driver is slowing down or stopping.
• Jackknife accidents – Jackknifing occurs when the trailer and front cab of a large truck swing towards each other to form an angle. They’re typically the result of overcorrection by the truck driver. Noticing a car in their blind spot at the last second could cause them to brake hard or steer rapidly in the other direction, causing the wheels to slide across the pavement.
• Head-on collisions – Head-on motor vehicle accidents are among the most deadly. When your car collides head-on with a large truck, it can lead to debilitating injuries and fatalities. According to statistics, 618 passenger vehicle occupants died in 2019 from a head-on collision with a commercial truck.
• Rollover accidents – Commercial trucks have a high center of gravity. It’s easy for them to tip over and cause destruction to other vehicles. Many rollover accidents happen if there’s overloaded or improperly loaded cargo on the trailer. The excessive weight or uneven weight distribution of the load can throw the whole vehicle off-balance and cause the driver to lose control.
• Blind spot accidents – No-zone crashes occur if the truck driver doesn’t adequately survey the areas around them. They could drive over a small car or crash into the back of one they’re traveling behind.
• Underride accidents – An underride accident happens when a car traveling behind a commercial truck crashes into the back and gets trapped underneath the trailer. This can occur if the truck driver brakes without warning.

If you sustained injuries in any type of truck accident, you should speak with one of the experienced Fort Walton Beach no-zone accident lawyers from The Bruner Law Firm. We understand the dangers of a commercial truck’s blind spots and the significant damage and harm victims can suffer in a crash.

Common Causes of No-Zone Truck Accidents

Driver error is a common cause of truck accidents. Truck drivers should also remain aware of what’s happening in the no-zone around their vehicles. If they’re not paying attention or allow distractions to take their focus away from the task at hand, they could cause an accident.

The most common driver errors resulting in no-zone truck accidents are:

• Failure to check blind spots
• Tailgating
• Driving too fast for conditions
• Failure to yield the right of way at an intersection
• Taking a turn too quickly or without using turn signals
• Speeding
• Fatigued or drowsy driving
• Distracted driving
• Improper maneuvering or sudden braking
• Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol

If any of these negligent actions caused your injuries in a truck crash, you maybe be able to seek compensation from the at-fault driver. It’s vital that you begin the legal process immediately following the accident to protect your rights. There are strict deadlines involved in cases like this, and if any pass, you could lose your right to hold the truck driver liable.

Compensation You Can Seek in Fort Walton Beach

State law requires all Florida drivers to purchase personal injury protection (PIP insurance). The minimum available limits are $10,000 each for injury and property damage. If you get hurt in an accident, you must file a claim with your PIP carrier first. The insurance company should provide the compensation you need for your medical treatment, lost wages, and other costs up to the available limit.

Once you exhaust your PIP limits, you might be entitled to compensation from the trucking company’s insurance company. All trucking companies must purchase liability insurance for their drivers. These policies also come with minimum available limits. The limits you could potentially seek will depend on the type of truck involved in the accident. Limits start at $300,000 and go all the way up to $5 million.

You can only file a liability claim if your injury falls under the serious injury threshold. It must meet at least one of these criteria:

• Permanent injury besides scarring or disfigurement
• Significant and permanent loss of a vital bodily function
• Permanent and significant disfigurement or scarring
• Death

The economic, physical, and emotional losses available in a liability claim may include:

• Past and future medical bills
• Inconvenience
• Lost income
• Loss of future earnings
• Pain and suffering
• Property damage
• Car rental cost
• Physical impairment or disfigurement
• Emotional distress
• Loss of enjoyment of life

Various factors can contribute to the settlement you receive. Insurance companies want to save money whenever possible and will investigate the accident for evidence that places blame on you instead of their policyholder. They will likely deny your claim or provide a low settlement offer if they discover that you were at fault for the crash or your injuries aren’t as severe as you initially stated. The Bruner Law Firm has experience negotiating with insurance companies and won’t back down without a fight.

Why You Should Hire The Bruner Law Firm

You could benefit from having an experienced Fort Walton Beach no-zone truck accident lawyer in your corner. You might not know how to collect evidence or what steps you need to take to prove what actually happened and who was at fault. It’s a complex process and The Bruner Law Firm is ready to help. When you hire us, we will take over the entire legal process from start to finish so you can focus on recovering from your injuries.

During our accident investigation, we can obtain the relevant documentation and other evidence to show that the truck driver or trucking company should be held liable. Some of the evidence we might need includes:

• Copies of your medical records and medical bills
• Photos from the accident scene
• Eyewitness statements
• Truck driver’s employment history, experience, and qualifications
• Video surveillance footage
• Copy of all available insurance policies
• Crash report
• Damage estimates for all vehicles involved
• Trucking company’s hiring practices, maintenance logs, and other reports

The legal team from The Bruner Law Firm will advocate for your rights while we’re seeking compensation from the at-fault party. You deserve to receive the full and fair monetary value of your case. Medical treatment can become a significant expense that you might not be able to afford. The trucking company’s insurer should pay a settlement amount that completely covers your losses.

Contact The Bruner Law Firm for Your Free Consultation

The Fort Walton Beach no-zone truck accident lawyers of The Bruner Law Firm have over four decades of experience in personal injury cases. We know the ins and outs of insurance claims and lawsuits and can take on any matter, big or small. Whether you suffered minor injuries or lost a loved one in a truck accident, you can depend on us to fight hard for the justice you and your family deserve.

We are available 24/7 to take your call so you can reach us when you need us the most. We know the importance of quality customer service. We will provide you with the one-on-one personalized attention you need during this traumatic experience.

Call The Bruner Law Firm right now at (850) 243-2222 if you suffered injuries in a no-zone truck accident. One of our Fort Walton Beach truck accident lawyers will be happy to meet with you for a free consultation to discuss the details of your case.