Truck drivers are on the roads every hour of the day, moving goods and products in and out of Florida. While the number of hours they can spend on the road is limited by federal regulations, these limits are not always respected. Overly fatigued truck drivers can have trouble making the many decisions needed to safely operate their vehicles.
Florida truck accident lawyers can help with understanding the role of fatigue in truck accidents in Florida. If you or a loved one was injured in a truck accident caused by driver fatigue, you could be entitled to compensation for your injuries and related expenses and losses. Most local law firms will offer a free claim review so you can learn more about your right to financial recovery.
How Driver Fatigue Leads to Truck Accident Claims in Florida
Truck drivers routinely work long hours, drive for lengthy stretches, and drive at irregular times. All these factors together can cause erratic sleep patterns and lead to fatigue when drivers need to be alert. The consequences of drivers experiencing fatigue can include:
- Decreased reaction times: Drowsy or overly tired drivers can lack the mental alertness required to deal with unexpected or unusual traffic situations. Lack of alertness can lead to an increased risk of sideswipe and rear-end collisions.
- Increased indiscretion: Drivers who are not sufficiently alert can drift in and out of their lane, leading to head-on collisions. They can also cross into intersections, leading to dangerous T-bone accidents.
- Diminished awareness: Large trucks require longer braking distances and stopping times than passenger vehicles. Fatigued commercial truck drivers can face challenges, including collisions caused by sudden stops and changes in the flow of traffic.
Fatigue can affet truck drivers in a plethora of other ways, all of which are potentially dangerous. Driver fatigue can constitute a form of negligence that allows you to seek compensation if you were injured in an accident.
Understanding the Legal Ramifications of Driver Fatigue-Related Truck Accidents
Truck accident claims depend on proving the trucker or another party’s negligence caused the accident. That means establishing the legal elements that constitute negligence, including:
- Duty of care: The truck driver’s obligation to drive cautiously and obey the laws of the road
- Breach of duty: The truck driver’s inattention or falling asleep behind the wheel of their vehicle
- Causation: The direct correlation between the truck driver’s fatigue and the resulting collision
- Damages: The economic and non-economic damages you experience because of the accident
On your own, it can be hard to prove the trucker’s state at the time of the accident. A lawyer can help you document these elements with robust evidence. The evidence can include witness statements, accident reconstruction reports, and expert testimonials.
Factors That Contribute to Truck Driver Fatigue
Truck drivers often make lengthy road trips, which can lead to truck driver fatigue in Florida. Driving, especially driving a large commercial truck, requires focus and concentration. A fatigued driver is impaired and may not be able to make the myriad number of fast decisions needed.
With adequate rest and strict adherence to trucking industry laws, regulations, and guidelines, many of the commonly reported causes of drowsy driving can be avoided.
Inadequate Restful Sleep Habits
Sleep deprivation can lead to chronic exhaustion, yawning, and drifting off, which limits mental acuity and decision-making abilities. Insufficient sleep and long-term poor sleeping habits can lead to a lack of impulse control and irritability that impair driving ability
Insufficient Breaks From Driving
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) guidelines require truck drivers to take breaks at regular intervals, limit the hours they can drive between breaks, and define the length of each break. Drivers who commit hours-of-service violations can lead to driver fatigue and accidents.
Medications and Health Issues
Some medical conditions and medication side effects could lead to sleep disturbances that impair the ability to drive a large truck safely. Allergy and other medications that cause drowsiness and conditions like sleep apnea should be carefully monitored.
Pressure to Meet Deadlines
Truckers often face delivery deadlines and other time-sensitive issues that might lead to prolonged hours on the road. Tiredness combined with the monotony of long road trips can lead to inattention and accidents.
Understanding Who Can Be Liable for Fatigue-Related Truck Accidents
If you or a loved one was injured in a collision caused by an overtired driver in a commercial vehicle, you need to understand the role of fatigue in accidents. Financial liability could fall to:
- The truck driver, particularly if the driver is an owner/operator
- The trucking company, if they fail to properly vet or monitor the driver
- Trucking company dispatchers who do not properly manage driver schedules
A Florida accident lawyer can help you prove your accident was caused by Florida truck accident fatigue. They can also collect evidence that builds a strong case for financial compensation, deal with the insurance company, and maximize your financial recovery.
Damages You Can Recover From a Fatigue-Related Florida Truck Accident
The injured party should not experience financial hardship for a negligence-based accident. Financial recovery can include:
- Past and future medical bills
- Rehabilitation and therapies
- Disability and disfigurement
- Physical pain and suffering
- Mental and emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Past and future losses of income
- Loss of future earning potential
- Property damage or total loss
- Diminished property value
- Wrongful death damages, if applicable
Track your expenses and losses right from the start. A lawyer can help you prove their financial value and file your lawsuit on time and in the appropriate court. However, time is limited. Per Florida Statutes § 95.11, you typically have two years to file a lawsuit.
Call (954) 633-8270 for a Free Review of a Fatigue-Related Truck Accident
If you or a loved one was injured in a truck accident caused by a drowsy driver, you could have the basis of a personal injury insurance claim or lawsuit. Get help understanding the role of fatigue in truck accidents in Florida and fighting for financial compensation.
Contact our consultation team at the Law Offices of Wolf & Pravato for your free case evaluation.
