Florida Injury Lawyer Blog
In most truck accidents in North Miami and Florida, passengers of the smaller cars involved in the collision are the ones most likely to suffer severe injuries. Each year, car passengers sustain serious tissue injuries, spinal cord injuries, burns, and head injuries in North Miami and across Florida due to truck accidents. The size and force of a truck is simply no match for a passenger vehicle, and passengers in smaller cars are likely to bear the brunt of the accident.
However, while truck drivers are more protected by their larger vehicle and by their cabs, truck driver fatalities do occur each year as a result of truck accidents in North Miami and other communities. In fact, long haul truck driving is considered among the more dangerous of professions because truck drivers can and do sustain serious injuries, including spinal cord injuries, burns, and fatalities each year.
According to statistics:
-Close to 600 truck drivers die annually in accidents on highways
-About 55% of all semi-truck accidents in which a driver is killed occur due to rollover accidents
-Driving flatbeds and tankers is considered one of the most dangerous jobs
-About 10% of all semi-truck accidents in which a driver is killed occur due to fuel oil fires
Fires are an especial concern for truck drivers working with tankers. Tankers may travel with 100 gallons of diesel fuel or other flammables, and while these materials are protected and while diesel oil is hard to ignite, when it does happen fatalities are likely. In most cases, diesel oil does not ignite because of a ruptured tank but rather because of a shorting out or damage of the battery box. Once the fuel does catch on fire, explosions can easily occur and in many cases a driver may have only seconds to escape the truck before sustaining life-threatening injury. In cases where a truck is carrying hazardous and flammable materials, a fire can cause wide-spread damage and serious injury to the driver and to many others in the vicinity. Due to the amount of fuel the average tanker carries, a fire involving a truck often burns fast and hot and can quickly get out of control.
Another issue that causes truck accidents and fatalities is rollovers. Commercial trucks are much more prone to rollovers than cars. Half-empty tankers are more prone to rollovers than semis and other large trucks. Speeding, road unevenness, and sharp turns can all increase the odds of a rollover. On slopes and in other higher-risk conditions, rollovers can occur even at speeds of 5 mph. In many cases, a cab does not offer adequate protection for the driver when a rollover occurs in North Miami or another community. In these types of accidents, the truck driver is likely to sustain head injuries and other serious injuries.
If you are a commercial truck driver and have sustained a serious injury on the job, you can always contact the Flaxman Law Group legal team for free legal advice and for a no obligation, co cost case evaluation. You may qualify for more than just workers compensation and pursuing a legal claim may allow you to secure fair compensation for your injuries.