State and Federal Trucking Regulations
Were you injured in an accident involving a large commercial truck in Gainesville, FL? An experienced Gainesville truck accident lawyer at Allen Law Accident & Injury Lawyers can help you determine whether a violation of state and federal trucking regulations caused your crash. If so, you may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and more.
Collectively, we have over 100 years of experience fighting for accident victims in Central Florida. We’ve recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in compensation since we opened our doors in 2007.
Trucking accident claims can be complex. To get the legal advice you deserve, call our law offices in Gainesville, Florida, at (877) 255-3652 to schedule a free consultation today.
How Allen Law Accident & Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Trucking Accident in Gainesville, FL
A serious trucking accident can have devastating consequences. While you’re recovering and can’t work, your medical bills and daily expenses can quickly add up. You deserve to be compensated if you were hurt – but commercial insurance companies rarely make things easy.
Allen Law Accident & Injury Lawyers is a top-rated personal injury law firm in Gainesville. When you choose our Gainesville truck accident lawyers to represent you after a truck accident, you’ll have a lawyer who will:
- Thoroughly investigate the circumstances of the accident
- Determine who was responsible for the crash
- Defend you if the insurance company blames you for causing the accident
- Hire respected experts in medicine, life planning, and even accident reconstruction if necessary
- Handle all insurance negotiations on your behalf
Our lawyers have earned a Perfect-10 Avvo Rating and an AV Preeminent Martindale-Hubbell rating. We’ve also earned a spot on the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum and been rated among the National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers.
You can learn more about how we can help with your truck accident case. Just call to schedule a free case review with our Gainesville truck accident attorneys today.
How Common are Trucking Accidents?
The FMCSA keeps track of large truck accidents across the United States. In 2019, 5,005 large trucks were involved in fatal accidents. About 119,000 truck accidents caused injuries that year. Another 414,000 large truck accidents caused reportable property damage.
Overview of State and Federal Trucking Regulations
The trucking industry is vital to the U.S. economy. Truck drivers play an important role in ensuring that goods are transported throughout the country. Unfortunately, accidents involving semi-trucks and big rigs can also be devastating.
State and federal trucking industry regulations are designed to reduce the risk of accidents.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Regulations
Driver fatigue is a primary cause of truck accidents. The FMCSA hours-of-service regulations limit the amount of time truck drivers can spend behind the wheel.
If the truck is only carrying property, the following laws and regulations apply:
- The driver can drive a maximum of 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty
- After 10 hours off duty, the truck driver can’t drive beyond the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty
- The driver must take a 30-minute break after driving eight cumulative hours
- The driver may not drive after 60/70 hours on duty in 7/8 consecutive days
More recently, the FMCSA created an electronic logging device (ELD) rule designed to monitor a truck driver’s time behind the wheel.
Federal law also regulates commercial trucks carrying hazardous materials and provides size and weight restrictions designed to prevent accidents. FMCSA regulations strictly forbid drug and alcohol use while truck driving.
Additional federal regulations cover:
- Distracted driving and cell phone use
- Use of controlled substances
- The physical condition of truck drivers
- Requirements for securing truck cargo
- Pre-employment screening for truck drivers
- Truck safety features, under the Code of Federal Regulations
- Vehicle inspection and maintenance
- Passing distances
- Noise emissions
- And more
These detailed federal trucking laws can’t prevent every accident on the roads. If you were injured, don’t hesitate to reach out for the legal advice you need and deserve.
Florida State Trucking Regulations
State laws also govern the trucking industry. Florida law incorporates many federal rules.
However, Florida laws also provide detailed size and weight restrictions. It also has its own hours-of-service rules for carriers that operate only within Florida state lines.
Commercial truck drivers in Florida are required to have a commercial driver’s license. Still, the CDL requirement doesn’t always prevent accidents.
Trucking Accidents Can Cause Severe and Fatal Injuries
Truck accident injuries can be serious. Because trucks are so large and heavy, occupants of passenger vehicles tend to suffer the most severe injuries.
Our Gainesville truck accident lawyers at Allen Law Accident & Injury Lawyers often represent clients who have sustained:
- Broken bones
- Nerve injuries
- Whiplash injuries
- Soft tissue damage
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Concussions
- Back injuries
- Organ damage
- Chest injuries
- Burn injuries
- Amputation injuries
- Paralysis
- Catastrophic injuries
We can also help you fight for fair compensation for wrongful death if you lost a loved one in a fatal truck accident.
Who Can Be Held Liable After a Trucking Accident in Gainesville, Florida?
Multiple parties may share responsibility for a truck accident. To recover fair compensation, you’ll have to identify each responsible party–and prove why they were responsible for the crash.
Those parties could include:
- Truck drivers
- Trucking companies
- Mechanics and maintenance companies
- Cargo loading companies
- Manufacturers of defective truck safety equipment
- Truck leasing companies
- Third-party drivers
- Government agencies
Truck accident victims often suffer severe and debilitating injuries. Medical bills, lost wages, and out-of-pocket expenses can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Those financial costs don’t even begin to factor in your pain and suffering.
You deserve to be fairly compensated if you were injured because of someone else’s negligent or reckless acts. However, Florida’s statute of limitations only allows you a limited amount of time to file a claim.
You can get more information about your right to compensation by calling our law offices in Gainesville for a free case evaluation today.
Questions About State and Federal Trucking Regulations? Call for a Free Consultation
If you were injured in a truck wreck, call the Gainesville truck accident attorneys at Allen Law Accident & Injury Lawyers today. We can help you determine whether a violation of state and federal trucking regulations contributed to the cause of your crash.
