Multi-Vehicle Crash Involving Tractor-Trailer Shuts Down I-95

In mid-April 2024, a crash involving “multiple vehicles,” including a tractor-trailer, closed southbound I-95 around Boca Raton for hours, with multiple injuries being reported, though specifics were not disclosed to the media. Emergency personnel were present on scene, however, implying at least some degree of serious harm to the drivers involved. Tractor-trailer accident cases cause disproportionately serious injuries, but they can be even more serious (or instead resort in fatality) more often in multi-vehicle crashes. If you have been through this scenario, contacting an attorney about your legal options is generally a good idea.

Injuries & Fatalities More Likely In These Crashes

Statistics from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) estimate that almost 5,000 large trucks and buses were involved in crashes in 2020 (the most recent available data), with a 31 percent increase in fatal crashes involving these vehicles from 2010 to 2020. Since tractor-trailers are so much larger and heavier than most vehicles on the road, it stands to reason that crashes where they play a role would lead to more injuries and fatalities. However, not all accidents involving tractor-trailers involve negligence on the part of the driver.

This goes double when multiple vehicles are involved in a tractor-trailer crash. Multi-car accidents happen so fast, with so many different factors at play, that it can be more difficult to establish negligence on the part of any one specific driver. Reasons for multi-vehicle pile-ups can range from speeding to driving under the influence to bad weather, and the interplay of all of them can make establishing liability difficult (though not usually impossible).

How To Seek Compensation?

Florida has a no-fault auto insurance system, which means that if you are injured in a road accident, you can seek compensation by submitting a claim for damages with your personal injury protection (PIP) coverage – all Florida drivers are required to carry this coverage, and it covers 80 percent of “all reasonable expenses for medically necessary [care].” However, if your injuries are “significant and permanent,” as is likely in both multi-vehicle crashes and tractor-trailer accident cases, you can file suit against the allegedly negligent actors.

In a multi-vehicle accident, it may be possible to file suit against multiple defendants if you and your attorney believe that more than one actor’s negligence caused your injuries, but a tractor-trailer driver and company should be at the top of the list. Filing suit against a tractor-trailer driver is an option, but in many cases, it may be possible to file suit against the driver’s employer instead. A driver is very often judgment-proof, meaning that they could not cover a jury award if found liable. A trucking company, however, can; if it can be shown that they bear some liability for your injuries.

Call A Tampa Tractor-Trailer Accident Attorney

Being involved in a tractor-trailer accident can be a terrifying experience. If the accident involved multiple vehicles, the accident was likely even worse, and the injuries more serious. A Tampa tractor-trailer accident attorney from the Rinaldo Law Group can help you determine your path forward. Call our office today for a free consultation.

Source:

hoodline.com/2024/04/multi-vehicle-crash-involving-tractor-trailer-snarls-traffic-on-i-95-in-boca-raton/