Accidents involving buses and large commercial trucks in Miami and throughout South Florida are fairly common, and the victims of these accidents are often severely injured or even killed as a result. Those who are affected by such an accident should consult with the experienced Miami truck and bus accident lawyers at our firm regarding their legal rights.

According to the United States Department of Transportation, more than 500,000 truck accidents take place each year, resulting in approximately 5,000 fatalities. In fact, 12 percent of all traffic fatalities in the United States are caused by truck accidents, and in 98 percent of the fatalities involving tractor-trailer trucks the passengers or driver in the other vehicle is killed as opposed to those in the truck.

There are some major differences between accidents involving commercial trucks and buses and those involving basic cars and motorcycles that are owned and driven by individual consumers. Interstate trucking, which is an essential component of commerce and the U.S. economy, is governed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. Because of all of the complexities and nuances of these federal regulations, cases involving these accidents require experienced attorneys who are very familiar with the business practices, insurance requirements, and the safety and training regulations that apply to the trucking industry.

Trucking companies and their insurers will typically spring into action after a catastrophic truck wreck. They will immediately contact defense lawyers who turn to claims investigators to go to the scene of the accident in order to seek any favorable evidence demonstrating that the professional driver was not at fault. They will check the logs of the driver’s schedule to ascertain whether they had enough rest, and the insurer will then contact the victim and their family to persuade them that they do not need an attorney and perhaps offer a settlement.

In the meantime, a great deal of evidence that demonstrates that the trucking company and its driver may have been at fault in the accident can be lost if the victim does not exercise their right to have an attorney act on their behalf to uncover and preserve it. The major trucking companies now use on-board computers and satellite communication systems that are capable of generating a great deal of information that may be helpful to the victim’s case. Most modern large semi-trucks also now include engine control module boxes that gather and store important information regarding the movements and operation of the vehicle. All of this data is often purged from computers within a few weeks of being gathered, and it can also be modified by the trucking company before a court order is issued for it to be shared with the victim and their attorney.

The victims of trucking accidents and their families should not be guided by the representatives of the trucking company and its insurer. While many of these companies and their drivers operate in compliance with all of the necessary regulations and safety requirements, there are also a significant number of operators who skirt the law and sacrifice safety in search of greater profit margins. The most common problems include driver fatigue, inadequate training, overloaded trucks, improper maintenance, faulty brakes, driving in dangerous road conditions, driver inexperience, speeding, aggressive or illegal driving, drugs and alcohol, and improper safety equipment on the trucks.

Our attorneys have represented many victims of truck and bus accident cases in Miami, Broward and throughout South Florida, and we are available for free and confidential consultations to anyone who has been involved in such an accident.