Truck Accident Attorney in Sarasota, FL

Our Core Values

We change lives for the better.
We do what we say we will do.
We listen. We care. We serve.
We practice open and real communication.
We face challenges with optimism.
We check our ego at the door.
We innovate and constantly improve.
We don’t treat people like a case number.
We do the right thing.

Schedule A
Consultation

Standing By Victims Through Truck Accident Injury Cases

The city of Sarasota is no stranger to commercial truck traffic. It’s situated just off Interstate 75 on its path from one of the biggest cargo ports in Miami and the nation all the way to the Canadian border, linking with every cross-country highway on the way. Although vital to the U.S. economy, semi-trucks pose risks of serious injury or death for passengers of vehicles with whom they share the road in traffic accidents. In 2017, the state of Florida saw 275 fatal truck crashes along with thousands of injury accidents.

Tragically, more and more truck accidents happen every year, and the vast majority of them are preventable. Distracted driving, lax hiring and training practices by trucking companies, and pressure on drivers from the industry combined increase the likelihood of serious truck accidents in and around Sarasota.

Attorney Patrick Hale and his staff at Hale Law are committed to holding truckers and trucking companies accountable for their negligence and misconduct. At the same time, they help victims get the medical care and compensation they need to recover to the fullest extent after truck accidents in Sarasota. Call Hale Law if you or a family member has been injured in a truck crash in the area, and we’ll work right away to get you the care and compensation you deserve.

WHAT CAUSES TRUCK ACCIDENTS IN SARASOTA?

Truck driver negligence is a leading cause of truck accidents in Sarasota, and it comes in many forms. Some of these negligent driving behaviors include:

Speeding
Distracted Driving
Drinking and Driving
Use/Abuse of Stimulants
Drowsy or Fatigued Driving

Additionally, trucking companies themselves make mistakes that lead to often fatal crashes. For instance, a truck carrying an unbalanced or too much load is more likely to suffer a mechanical failure or cause the driver to lose control of the big rig at a critical moment. Poor truck maintenance is also responsible for putting thousands of unsafe 18-wheelers on the road with tire and brake issues and other mechanical problems. Annual roadside truck inspections routinely pull from service around 20% of the trucks they inspect, finding them too dangerous to spend one more mile or minute on the road.

How Long Can Truckers Stay Behind The Wheel Without A Break?

The hours of service for commercial truck drivers in the United States are regulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Services Administration (FMCSA). Unfortunately, the transportation lobby has been extremely influential in writing these regulations, so the rules for truckers authorize them to drive beyond what may be safe. FMCSA regulations allow a trucker’s workday to be 14 hours long, including 11 hours driving.

Additionally, their workweeks can be seven or eight days long, and they can lawfully be on duty up to 60 hours in a seven-day week or 70 hours in an eight-day “week.” The “weekend” for a truck driver can be as short as 34 hours (less than a day and a half) before the clock starts all over again. Based on safety research, the government recently tried to modify the 34-hour “restart” rule by mandating that the period include two periods between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. for nighttime rest. Still, that change in the rule was indefinitely suspended before it had a chance to take effect.

Even with these liberal rules, truckers still violate FMCSA regulations and drive beyond the FMCSA hours of service limits. Some even falsify their records and logs to hide their noncompliance. Annual roadside inspections uncover these violations and pull as many as one in 20 truckers from service for licensing issues, hours of service violations, and other flaws.

Why Seek Help From A Local Truck Accident Attorney

Helping victims of motor vehicle accidents in Sarasota is the driving force at Hale Law. We go to great lengths to identify the cause/s of a truck accident and build a strong case that proves the truck driver’s or trucking company’s negligence. Our aggressive approach to dealing with insurance companies lets them know how seriously we take your case and how hard we’ll fight to get a full and fair amount of compensation.

If you’ve been injured in a truck accident, call Hale Law for a free consultation with an experienced and successful Sarasota truck accident lawyer. There’s no fee until after we recover compensation for you, and if we can’t help you, we won’t charge you a dime.

Let Us Fight For Your Rights As You Recover

Hale Law is located at 2803 Fruitville Road, Suite 240, Sarasota, FL, 34237. Our office is open 24/7. For additional questions, you can call us at (800)-800-1414 or find us on Yelp.