Even the smallest tractor-trailer is multiple times wider, taller, and longer than the biggest commuter car, and all that extra mass can make it difficult for long-haul truckers to see other vehicles around them while in motion. Truck drivers are supposed to use their extra-large mirrors and other safety features like collision detection systems to ensure they do not collide with anyone in the “blind spots” around their truck—but unfortunately, not all of them consistently do.
Blind spot truck accidents in Wesley Chapel can make for deceptively complex legal proceedings, even if it seems obvious that you are not the one to blame for a semi-truck crashing into you. Support from a Wesley Chapel truck crash attorney at Distasio Law Firm could be key not just to strengthening your claim against a negligent trucker or trucking company, but also to getting the compensation you deserve.
How Do Blind Spot Truck Wrecks Happen?
Every motor vehicle has “blind spots” immediately around the body of the vehicle where the driver cannot easily see nearby people and vehicles. For a typical commuter car, the blind spots are located immediately beyond the front and rear bumpers, directly below the driver’s side door, and along the passenger side of the car.
Commercial trucks have blind spots in essentially the same spots, but because semis are so much bigger than commuter cars, their blind spots are much bigger too—big enough for an entire vehicle to be hidden from the driver’s view in front of and to the left of their truck, and for multiple vehicles at once to be hidden on the right side and behind the trailer. Because of this, truck drivers have an especially substantial “duty of care” compared to typical drivers which requires them to carefully check their blind spots before making any movements on the road.
Even a sideswipe from a tractor-trailer at highway speeds can have devastating consequences, and being rear-ended or pushed into a barrier by one very often has life-changing effects. No matter what type of blind spot truck wreck you were involved in, guidance from qualified legal counsel in Wesley Chapel like Scott Distasio could be essential to protecting your future prospects and interests.
Taking Effective Legal Action in Wesley Chapel
Any truck driver who hits another car because they—the truck driver—did not check their blind spots before turning, merging, or switching lanes has violated the duty they had to drive responsibly and in line with state and federal traffic laws. If someone suffers a physical injury requiring professional medical care as a direct consequence of that wreck, the driver is legally “negligent” and may be held liable—potentially alongside their employer and certain other third parties—for all ensuing losses.
However, people injured in Wesley Chapel blind spot truck collisions can sometimes be found partially liable for their own damages, most commonly because a court believes they remained inside a truck’s blind spot for an unreasonable amount of time. In situations like this, Florida Statutes §768.81 may allow that court to reduce the total amount of compensation available to a truck crash victim in proportion to their share of total fault.
Speak with a Wesley Chapel Attorney About Blind Spot Truck Accident Litigation
Commercial truck drivers who fail to check their blind spots cause devastating harm to far too many Floridians every year. If you have found yourself in this this situation, taking prompt and proactive legal action could be key to ensuring you can have a high quality of life moving forward despite the harm unjustly done to you.
Representation from an experienced Wesley Chapel accident lawyer unafraid to fight in court on your behalf could be critical to achieving a fair result from your case. Call today to discuss your options with one of the knowledgeable legal professionals at Distasio Law Firm after a blind spot truck accident in Wesley Chapel.
