Were you hit by a semi-truck or 18-wheeler? The force of an 18-wheeler impact in a truck accident can be devastating, to say the least. And no one understands that more than a St. Petersburg truck accident attorney. Our personal injury and workers compensation lawyers have worked on these cases for years and we have helped drivers involved in truck accidents.
Accidents caused by large trucks are overwhelming and stressful at best, traumatic and deadly at worst. Speak with one of our truck accident lawyers at our St. Petersburg law firm at 360 Central Ave, Suite 800, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, or call us (727) 346-6039.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents in St. Petersburg
Truck accidents pose a significant threat to road safety in Florida, with 371 fatalities statewide in 2021 according to the FMSCA Large Truck report, and 368 deaths in 2022 resulting from large truck crashes according to the NSC Injury Facts report. In Pinellas County, which includes St. Petersburg, there were a staggering 14,891 crashes including accidents involving trucks in 2023. These numbers highlight the devastating impact of truck accidents on Florida roads, particularly in high-traffic urban areas like St. Petersburg. The most common causes of these accidents are the following.
- Driver Fatigue: Fatigue is a leading factor in truck crashes. Truckers often push beyond the FMCSA hours-of-service limits to meet tight delivery schedules, increasing the likelihood of mistakes and slower reaction times.
- Impaired Driving: Accidents frequently involve truck drivers impaired by alcohol, drugs, or prescription medications, further endangering others on the road.
- Speeding and Aggressive Driving: Tailgating, abrupt lane changes, and speeding through congested areas like I-275 and U.S. 19 are common behaviors that contribute to serious collisions.
- Improper Truck Maintenance: Faulty brakes, underinflated tires, and neglected steering systems are frequent culprits in crashes, often resulting from trucking companies failing to prioritize vehicle upkeep.
- Environmental Factors: Sudden rainstorms, a hallmark of Florida’s climate, create slippery roads that reduce braking efficiency and increase the risk of rollovers and jackknifing.
- Wide Turns and Limited Visibility: Trucks navigating St. Petersburg’s urban streets often struggle with tight turns and blind spots, leading to collisions with smaller vehicles, cyclists, or pedestrians.
- Improper Cargo Loading: Overloaded or poorly secured cargo can shift during transport, causing the truck to lose stability and increasing the likelihood of rollovers or jackknife accidents.
These causes require quick victims’ actions after an accident.
What to Do After a Truck Accident in St. Petersburg
- Seek Medical Attention Immediately: Even if you feel fine, visit a doctor as soon as possible. Injuries like whiplash or internal trauma often appear hours or days later. A medical evaluation not only protects your health but also creates an official record of your injuries, which is critical for your claim.
- Contact Law Enforcement: Call the police to report the accident, as Florida law requires for crashes involving injuries, fatalities, or significant property damage. Officers from the St. Petersburg Police Department or Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office will create a detailed report documenting fault, witness accounts, and road conditions.
- Gather Evidence at the Scene: Take clear photos of the accident scene, including vehicle damage, road conditions, traffic signals, skid marks, and any visible injuries. Get the truck driver’s information, including their name, employer, insurance details, and license plate number. Avoid discussing fault or making statements that could be used against you later.
- Consult an Experienced Truck Accident Attorney: Florida’s statute of limitations for truck accident claims is two years for cases occurring after March 24, 2023. An attorney familiar with St. Petersburg truck accidents can help you navigate insurance claims, identify all liable parties, and ensure deadlines are met. They will also handle negotiations with the trucking company and their insurers.
- Notify Your Insurance Company: Report the accident to your insurer promptly, but avoid giving recorded statements or signing any documents without consulting your attorney. Insurance adjusters often aim to minimize payouts, and legal guidance ensures your rights are protected.
By taking these steps, you safeguard your health, preserve crucial evidence, and strengthen your chances of recovering the compensation under Florida personal injury protection and regulations in this case.
Truck Accident Laws and Regulations in Florida
Truck accidents in Florida, including St. Petersburg, are governed by both federal and state laws designed to promote road safety and accountability. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations require truck drivers and their employers to follow strict rules on hours of service, vehicle maintenance, and load weight limits. Florida supplements these regulations with state-specific laws, particularly relevant in areas like St. Petersburg, where high-traffic routes such as I-275 and U.S. 19 see frequent truck-related collisions.
Florida’s statute of limitations for truck accident lawsuits was recently reduced to two years for incidents occurring after March 2023. This shortened timeline makes it critical for truck accident victims to act quickly by gathering evidence, consulting legal representation, and filing claims. Delays can jeopardize your ability to recover compensation.
Can You Get Compensation if You’re Partially at Fault?
In Florida, you can still recover damages after a truck wreck, even if you’re partially at fault. Under the pure comparative negligence rule, your compensation reduces by your percentage of fault. For example, being 20% at fault means you can still recover 80% of your damages.
Insurance companies often try to shift blame to minimize payouts. Also, proving the truck driver’s or trucking company’s negligence—such as fatigue from excessive driving hours, improper vehicle maintenance, or unsafe loading practices—can significantly reduce your fault percentage. This is especially critical in complex cases involving multiple vehicles or shared liability among parties like trucking companies, cargo loaders, or manufacturers which is often common in semi-truck accidents.
Who Is Liable in a Truck Accident in St. Petersburg?
Liability in a St. Petersburg truck accident often involves multiple parties:
- Truck Driver: Responsible for actions like speeding, distracted driving, or fatigue violations.
- Trucking Company: Liable for negligent hiring, poor training, or failure to maintain vehicles.
- Maintenance Providers: Accountable for mechanical failures, such as brake or tire issues, caused by neglected upkeep.
- Cargo Loaders: Liable if improper loading leads to balance issues, jackknifing, or rollovers.
- Manufacturers: Responsible for defective parts like faulty brakes or steering systems that contribute to crashes.
St. Petersburg’s busy roads, including U.S. 19 and I-275, often see multi-vehicle truck accidents, further complicating liability. Thorough investigations—driver logs, maintenance records, and accident reports—are essential to identify all responsible parties. An experienced attorney can ensure all liable parties are held accountable, maximizing your compensation.
What Compensation Can You Recover After a Truck Accident?
If you or your loved one has been injured in a truck accident in St. Petersburg can seek compensation for a wide range of damages, depending on the severity of the crash and its impact on their lives. Medical expenses are a primary component, covering everything from emergency care and surgeries to long-term rehabilitation and necessary medical devices. If your injuries require ongoing treatment, you can also claim for future medical costs.
Lost wages are another critical area. If the accident caused you to miss work or left you unable to return to your job, you can recover both current and future lost income. For those facing permanent disabilities, compensation may also include diminished earning capacity.
Non-economic damages address the emotional toll of the accident. You can recover compensation for pain and suffering, mental anguish, and loss of enjoyment of life. In cases of catastrophic injuries, this type of compensation reflects the profound impact on your quality of life and emotional well-being.
If the truck driver or company acted recklessly—such as by ignoring safety regulations or driving while intoxicated—you may also be entitled to punitive damages. These serve as both punishment for egregious negligence and a deterrent for similar behavior in the future.
Our experienced truck crash attorney can evaluate your case and help you pursue maximum compensation, ensuring that all economic and non-economic losses are accounted for that you can begin rebuilding your life after a devastating accident.
Why Are Truck Accidents More Complex?
Truck accidents are among the most complex personal injury cases due to the severe consequences they cause and the intricate legal and regulatory issues involved. Unlike standard car accidents, these cases often require navigating multiple layers of liability, federal regulations, and specialized evidence. Here’s why truck accidents demand a more detailed approach:
Severe Damages
The size and weight of commercial trucks often cause catastrophic injuries or fatalities, leading to higher medical expenses, prolonged recovery, and substantial compensation claims.
Multiple Liable Parties
Liability extends beyond the driver to include trucking companies, cargo loaders, maintenance providers, or manufacturers of defective parts. Each party typically has its own insurance and legal team, complicating the case.
Federal Regulations
The trucking industry is governed by FMCSA rules on hours of service, vehicle maintenance, and cargo loading. Proving violations of these rules often plays a key role in establishing fault.
Specialized Evidence
Evidence like driver logs, black box data, and maintenance records is critical but often controlled by the trucking company. Swift legal action is essential to preserve and analyze this information.
Truck accident cases require a deep understanding of industry-specific laws and regulations. At Steinger, Greene & Feiner, our experienced truck wreck attorneys navigate these complexities, build strong cases, and file a lawsuit when necessary, all with the goal of helping victims recover the compensation they deserve.
Successful Truck Accident Lawsuits
All successful truck accident attorneys in St. Petersburg share a few common traits. For one, they all work at Steinger, Greene & Feiner. Many personal injury attorneys in St. Petersburg and auto accident attorneys worked at insurance companies before working at our Florida law firm.
They have seen behind the curtain and know exactly how to fight insurance companies to make sure you are paid every penny you deserve. All successful truck accident lawsuits have a few of the following elements:
Find the Right Lawyer
Be sure to look for the right attorney. Ask questions and take your time looking at reviews. Reviews can tell you a lot about an attorney. How many reviews do they have? Are the reviews recent? Are they responding to reviews often? Do the reviews look real?
Document Everything
Make sure you document all your injuries, your treatment, and everything in between. Because it’s not what you know, it’s what you can prove. Give your St. Petersburg truck accident attorney as much evidence as possible. Keep receipts, emails, texts, letters, and even keep a journal of all the pain and suffering the truck accident caused you.
Get Medical Treatment Immediately
Some injuries have a delayed effect on your body and may be the cause of long-term health problems if they are not treated as soon as possible. We advise all our personal injury clients to seek medical attention immediately following the truck accident or as soon as they can. Sometimes, once you begin feeling symptoms, it may be difficult to determine the cause of the injury.
Speak to one of our St. Petersburg truck accident attorneys right now: (727) 346-6039.
Why Choose Steinger, Greene & Feiner
One of our clients once told us, “the force of an 18-wheeler is incredible and so unexpected”. Of course, we understand but not many do. We have been helped over 32,000 clients win over $1 Billion over since 1997. This is our business.
A semi-truck accident requires the expertise of an auto accident attorney who has worked in the insurance field. Many of the attorneys working at Steinger, Greene & Feiner worked for car insurance companies for years before working for our law firm.
We understand this personal injury and we know exactly how insurance companies work. When you call us, you get a truck accident attorney in St. Petersburg that understands that local city and state laws, the workers’ compensation laws. We represent people who have been hit by truck drivers but we are more than lawyers who represent those who were involved in truck accidents. Call for a free consultation: (727) 346-6039.
Contact Steinger, Greene & Feiner
When you are ready to talk to experience St. Petersburg truck accident attorneys, call us directly (727) 346-6039 or visit our offices at 360 Central Ave, Suite 800, St. Petersburg, FL 33701. Our lawyers have spent over 20 years honing their skills to ensure that we are here to get you the compensation you deserve. Every one of our clients is important to use and we can to make sure that you are treated with the respect and dignity you deserve. Find a St. Petersburg Truck Accident Attorney you can trust right here!