Accidents with Commercial Vehicles in Florida

As discussed on our semi-truck accidents page, collisions with large trucks often involve many special issues. At the Bodiford Law Group, our lawyers have decades of experience helping victims of accidents with commercial vehicles through complex legal matters.

There are special considerations in regard to accidents with commercial vehicles.

The Commercial Vehicles' Stopping Capability:

Most cars, vans, pick-up trucks, and other passenger vehicles can brake relatively quickly, because all four tires will brake at once and the car will skid to a stop. But commercial vehicles, including big rigs, 18-wheelers, etc., often take twice as long to skid to a stop. This is in part due to the vehicle's sheer size, and in part due to the tires, which provide only about 75 to 80% of the stopping force of passenger vehicles.

Essentially, drivers of commercial vehicles must take extra caution to leave room for a sudden stop. Any time a commercial vehicle driver "tailgates" or drives too fast, he or she is endangering others on the road. In cases involving accidents with commercial vehicles, Attorney Raymond Bodiford uses many sophisticated techniques to reconstruct accidents and discover whether commercial drivers drove irresponsibly.

Maintenance of Brakes:

Related to a commercial vehicle's stopping capability is the maintenance of its brakes. Most commercial vehicles use air brake systems, which require routine maintenance. Brake linings on commercial vehicles wear thinner with each application, and require manual adjustments.

The Bodiford Law Group knows how to examine the brakes on commercial vehicles after an accident to see if regular maintenance was achieved. We can document the brake adjustment levels and compute the individual braking force for each brake. We work with professional investigators and reconstructionists, who can determine whether the brake conditions contributed to or caused the accident.

Our attorneys can meet with you free of charge if you or a loved one has suffered from an accident with a commercial vehicle in Florida. If we takes your case, we will do all work on a contingency basis, charging no attorneys' fees until you get a settlement or verdict.

If you have been in an accident with a commercial vehicle, contact an attorney soon. Trucking companies must keep records of maintenance and other matters, but they can destroy such records after a certain amount of time. If contacted early enough, an experienced lawyer can obtain all the records he /she needs to make a strong case for your situation.

Our personal injury attorneys are available to serve clients throughout Florida,and the entire United States, including California, Texas, Illinois, New York, Georgia, and other states.