Florida Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog

According to Brainline.org, an American suffers a traumatic brain injury every 21 seconds. One-third of these injuries are caused by falls while 17.3% are caused by traffic accidents. Truck accidents are a common cause of Miami Beach brain injuries, since the size and force of a commercial truck can easily cause serious damage to a smaller vehicle, causing serious injuries for everyone inside the vehicle. There are many ways to prevent serious injuries caused by a Miami Beach truck accident:

1) Wear your seat belt. A seatbelt is one of the simplest and best ways to prevent a Miami Beach brain injury after a traffic accident. Your seatbelt keeps you in place and prevents your head from coming into sharp contact with your dashboard or other objects inside the car. A seatbelt also prevents you from being ejected from the vehicle, preventing serious injury. If you're traveling with a child, make sure that the child is seated in the back and is using an age-appropriate child safety restraint.

2) Keep your car in good condition. Make sure that your car is in good condition so that it responds correctly if you need to move suddenly in order to avoid a Miami Beach traffic accident. Make sure that airbags and other safety systems work correctly. These safety systems are designed to help prevent serious injuries in the event of an accident.

3) Buy the best quality car you can afford, with the best safety features. The safety performance of cars varies widely. Buy the best quality of car that you can afford, and be sure to ask about safety features as well safety performance extensively before making a final purchase. A quality car with good safety features can help keep you a little safer in a car accident.

4) Give trucks more room. Trucks require more room to stop and some types of trucks – including delivery trucks and waste disposal trucks – make frequent stops. Giving trucks additional room ensures that if the truck brakes suddenly you have room to stop. Trucks also take longer to break, which is another reason why you want to give trucks a little more distance. Another important reason for giving trucks more space is because drivers of commercial vehicles often have multiple blind spots. They may simply not be able to see you if you follow too closely.

5) Hone your driving skills. Taking defensive driving classes or refreshing your driving skills periodically helps ensure that you have the best driving skills possible so that you can avert an accident and drive safely in all sorts of conditions. In many cases, additional training may be able to ensure a better insurance rate as well.

6) Drive defensively.

7) Stay focused on driving. Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of Miami Beach car accidents, and is also one of the most preventable reasons for car accidents. Put away mobile devices whenever you step in your car and keep your entire focus on driving. This helps keep everyone on the roads safer.

If you are in a Miami Beach car accident involving a truck, your first priority should be to get medical attention. If you have hit your head, especially, you will want to get prompt medical attention. Even if you have no immediate symptoms, some brain injuries – even serious and fatal injuries – to not immediately manifest symptoms. It is always better to err on the side of caution and get a medical evaluation if you have hit your head. If you have lost consciousness, have a serious headache, or have vision problems, call emergency personnel. The sooner you can get a proper diagnosis and treatment, the better your chances of recovery are.

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According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), motorcycles are among the most dangerous modes of transportation on the roadways, with motorcyclists comprising 13% of all traffic deaths. Since motorcyclists have fewer barriers of protection, they are more vulnerable in a North Miami traffic accident. In fact, according to the NHTSA, motorcyclists are 25 times more likely to die and 5 times more likely to be injured in a car accident than occupants of a passenger vehicle. Motorcyclists involved in a North Miami truck accident are especially vulnerable to injuries and fatalities, as the sheer size and force of a truck can easily crush a motorcycle and motorcyclist. Despite the dangers, motorcyclists still have a passionate love of bikes. In the US, there were 8 million registered motorcycles in 2009, and the number is growing.

Statistics show that in 2009, about one in two motorcycle accidents involved another vehicle. In about 40% of cases, these accidents took place when a vehicle turned left and crashed into a motorcycle that was passing or headed straight. In about 27% of cases, the accidents look place when both the vehicle and motorcycle were traveling straight.

According to experts, the main reason behind motorcycle accidents is related to visibility. In many cases, motorcyclists are not visible to other drivers or other drivers are simply not on the lookout for motorcyclists. While motorcyclists can take steps to be more visible, truck drivers and passenger car drivers also need to be more cautious about keeping an eye out for motorcycles. To encourage this, the NHTSA has teamed up with local law enforcement as part of its “Share the Road” initiative. As part of the program, the NHTSA is reminding all motorcyclists and car and truck drivers that:

1) Motorcycles should be given a full lane at all times. Sharing the lane, even when there seems to be enough room to do so, is extremely dangerous and prevents a motorcyclist from having the room to maneuver safely. Not allowing motorcyclists enough room is a common cause of North Miami motorcycle accidents.

2) Distraction is a danger, whether you are a driver, motorcyclist, bicyclist, or pedestrian. Distracted drivers and riders are less likely to notice motorcyclists and other traffic situations that require attention. Putting mobile devices away and putting all focus on the road is the safest way to share the road.

3) Motorcyclists have the same privileges, rights, and responsibilities as all other vehicles on the road.

4) Use signals. Truck drivers, car drivers, motorcyclists, and bicyclists need to signal when merging or changing lanes to let other vehicles know their intention. Signaling lets other vehicles around you adjust their driving as needed.

5) At intersections and when entering or leaving a lane, check your mirrors and blind spots. Motorcyclists, pedestrians, and bicyclists may not be noticeable because they are in a blind spot.

6) Give motorcycles and trucks more room. Trucks make frequent stops while motorcyclists change speeds more often or adjust position in a lane due to weather or road conditions. Motorcycles can also stop more quickly than cars. Giving trucks and motorcycles more room is the safest way to adjust for these differences.

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Miramar brain injury victims often sustain their injuries in sport accidents, falls, or in Miramar truck accidents and car accidents. Victims of concussions and other traumatic brain injuries may suffer headache, dizziness, nausea while victims of even more serious brain injuries may suffer memory loss, loss of consciousness, loss of motor functions, and even fatalities. In each case, these injuries occur because the head slams against a hard surface or is shaken inside the skull, causing the soft brain tissue to bounce against the inside of the skull. When this occurs, the brain gets bruised or even severely damages. In a serious Miramar brain injury, there may be extensive tissue damage, bleeding, or swelling.

According to psychiatrist Dr. Shree Bhalerao, however, one issue that is often not explored is the emotional and psychological impact of brain injuries. According to Dr. Bhalerao, the emotional trauma of a serious brain injury is often under-estimated and under-recognized, even though victims can suffer from severe trauma that affects every aspect of their lives for months and even years after their brain injury.

According to some Miramar brain injury patients, a serious brain injury after a truck accident can cause debilitating emotional upset and even serious personality changes. Some Miramar truck accident survivors living with brain injuries may experience anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, impaired thinking, and other symptoms. In rarer cases, Dr. Bhalerao reports, victims may experience psychosis or paranoia. Dr. Bhalerao and other experts have been arguing for more awareness of the issue and more resources for brain injury patients who need help.

The challenge for Miramar truck accident victims who have suffered a head injury is that access to resources may vary widely. Victims and their doctors may not be aware of all the possible risks and challenges that brain injury victims safe. As well, psychological counseling and therapy is expensive, so access to these services varies. In many cases, since the emotional trauma of brain injury has not been widely studied or recognized, counseling and therapy may be seen as an “optional” treatment for Miramar brain injury patients, and may therefore not be covered by medical insurance or car insurance after a truck accident. This is the case even if a Miramar truck accident victim legitimately requires counseling after their accident to recover fully.

For this reason, it is important to consult with a Miramar personal injury attorney if you have suffered a brain injury after a truck accident. A good attorney can offer advice about legal options. In the event that the accident was caused by someone’s negligence or recklessness, the victim can pursue compensation for their injuries. This compensation can help pay for counseling and for other necessary treatment services, ensuring that the victim has the best possible chance of recovery. Even if a victim is not sure they wish to pursue a legal case, speaking with a Miramar personal injury attorney is a good idea. A Florida attorney can help provide an accurate sense of the strength of a case and its value. An experienced attorney can also help a truck accident survivor understand all options and can even help negotiate with insurance carriers.

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Florida truck accidents are one cause of brain injuries – and brain injuries are a serious problem across the country. According to statistics, one million people seek medical attention in the US every year due to a head injury. Up to 100 000 of these patients have severe and prolonged problems that will affect their lives for a long time. In Florida car accidents and truck accidents, there are a number of ways that the brain can be injured:

1) Bleeding. Even with a low-speed and low impact accident, a collision causes a person's brain to impact against the hard skull. This can occur even if the person does not hit their head on a hard surface. The soft tissue of the brain is pushed violently against the skull, possibly tearing blood vessels and releasing blood into the brain. Since there is no room for the blood, the blood can press against brain tissue, causing areas of the brain to cease working correctly. Critical areas of the brain can be affected, affecting the heart or breathing. One of the most insidious things about this type of injury is that it does not present symptoms right away. A Florida brain injury patient may feel fine after their accident or may assume that they are uninjured because their head did not hit any hard object. However, within hours or minutes, symptoms can manifest rapidly. If the patient does not get help in time, death often occurs.

2) Bruising. Just as with bleeding, this type of injury can occur in a Florida truck accident, even if there is no impact. When the head is whipped back and forth during a truck collision, the brain tissue impacts against the skull, and this can cause bruising to take place. In fact, if the head is thrown back and forth, the Florida brain injury patient may have two bruises – one where the brain impacts the front of the skull and one bruise where the brain tissue impacts against the back of the skull. This is known as a "contra coup" brain injury. As with bleeding, bruising can injure critical areas of the brain.

3) Tearing. The impact of a Florida truck accident can cause tears in the tissues of the brain, especially if the head impacts with a hard object. This can disrupt signals in the brain, leading to serious and permanent injuries or fatalities. Tearing can also be difficult to diagnose, as this type of injury often takes place on a microscopic level. Even CT Scans and MRIs may not necessarily be able to detect small tears in the brain, even though these tears can have a significant impact on a Florida brain injury patient's life for a lifetime.

4) Swelling. If the brain is bruised or injured, it can swell, just like any injured part of the body. Unfortunately, since the brain is encased in the skull, there is no room for swelling. Swelling of brain tissue can create a life-threatening emergency, since the brain tissue will eventually push up against the skull, building pressure and destroying vital areas of the brain. Doctors can install an IC or intra-cranial pressure monitor to relieve pressure caused by swelling.

5) Open injuries. Swelling, bruising, and bleeding are closed-head injuries. They occur even if the skull itself is protected. In some Florida truck accidents, however, the impact is great enough to fracture the skull. With the skull fractured, objects can become imbedded in brain tissue and the tissue can become damaged because the skull is no longer protecting the area.

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Many Florida brain injury patients sustain their injury in truck accidents and traffic accidents on Florida roads. Unfortunately, Florida truck accidents are more likely than other types of traffic accidents to lead to fatal and permanent brain injuries. The force of a large truck can effectively crush a passenger vehicle and the occupants inside, leading to devastating losses. Common brain injuries in Florida truck accidents include:

1) Whiplash. Whiplash can occur when the head and neck area is injured due to sudden, rapid movement. In a truck accident, this can often occur when a car collides with a truck and comes to an abrupt stop. Whiplash is hard to detect in MRIs and other scans, making it difficult to diagnose. Unfortunately, this condition can also leave a patient unable to work and unable to resume everyday activities for months.

2) Traumatic brain injury. Brain injury can also occur when the brain pushes or slams up against the inside of the skull, usually in response to a head injury where the victim's head collides with a hard surface (such as a dashboard). When this happens, the brain may swell, bruise, or even bleed, potentially leading to brain damage. This type of injury may be permanent or may take years to heal. Some patients are unable to resume their jobs or everyday tasks. In some cases, such injuries are fatal.

3) Puncture injuries. In a truck accident, objects in a car can easily become airborne and can easily become lodged in the skull due to the impact of the crash. When an object punctures the skull, it typically causes widespread trauma which is often fatal. In cases where a patient survives this type of injury, the brain damage caused may be permanent.

If you have sustained a brain injury in a Florida truck accident, it is important to contact a qualified Florida personal injury attorney. Brain injuries are hard to diagnose and difficult to treat. Florida brain injury patients often spend years and in some cases a lifetime trying to recover from their injuries. Good recovery requires considerable resources, as the treatment options for these types of injuries are expensive. A good attorney can help you pursue a settlement or compensation, so that you are able to afford the treatment options you deserve.

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Florida truck accidents can cause many types of injuries, including brain injuries. Florida brain injuries caused by traffic accidents are especially tragic because they can literally change an entire life in just an instant. A serious brain injury can leave a patient with difficulty remembering, speaking, moving, and performing everyday tasks. Florida brain injuries are also a leading cause of death in traffic accidents.

Brain injuries in traffic accidents can be caused by a number of situations. When a car impacts with a truck, the passengers in the passenger car are generally thrown about. If the head comes into contact with any hard surface, the soft mass of the brain is thrown against the inside of the skull, causing damage as well as bruising. In some cases, the impact of the head is so hard that the surface of the skull actually cracks, causing injury to the brain. In other accidents, the skull is punctured by a sharp object during the accident, causing immense trauma to the brain inside.

Injuries to the brain can cause the brain to bleed, bruise, or swell, all of which can be life-threatening. When a Florida brain injury patient is rushed to the hospital after a truck accident, the first aim of emergency personnel is often to stabilize the patient as much as possible and to find out the extent of the brain injury. Scans are often used to determine where and how the brain has been injured. In cases where swelling is occurring, steps need to be taken to bring down the swelling in order to relieve pressure on the brain.

Long-term, a Florida brain injury patient may need rehabilitation in order to regain use of mobility, speech, and other necessary functions. In many cases, patients with severe brain injuries have suffered permanent injuries and may not return to work. They may always need help for everyday tasks such as getting dressed or getting prepared for their day. In such cases, counseling or some form of therapy is often required in order to help patients deal with the frustration of their new level of ability. In such cases, recovering from a brain injury is a lifelong process.

In less severe cases, Florida brain injury patients may eventually return to their everyday lives. They may, however, still need therapy and long-term care in order to deal with any aftereffects of their injury. In all cases, once a Florida brain injury patient has sustained an injury, any further concussions or injuries to the brain area may be more severe. Therefore, careful monitoring of any other head injury becomes very important.

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If you have been in a Florida truck accident and do not appear to be seriously injured, you may think yourself lucky to walk away from an accident. It's true -- given the size difference between passenger vehicles and trucks, surviving any Florida car accident involving a truck is often a cause for celebration. However, many people who are fortunate enough to walk way from Florida truck accidents do not bother getting medical help. This can be an expensive and dangerous mistake.

The truth is, if you have been in a Florida truck accident you need to seek emergency medical help immediately. Even if you think that you are not injured, you may have sustained in internal injuries and other injuries which may not show up immediately. For example, injuries such as whiplash and some brain injuries may not present immediate symptoms. Nevertheless, brain injuries can the fatal if not treated, even if you seem fine at first. Seeking immediate medical help ensures that there is no problem that can endanger your life and your health.

Another excellent reason to visit a medical professional or emergency room after a Florida truck accident is to start the documentation process. If you do need to file a claim with your insurer or if you do find that you have been injured and didn't realize it, getting immediate help ensures that there is an emergency room file about your condition. This can help you file a claim later on if you decide to do so.

Unfortunately, many Florida truck accident victims find that they are left with the entire bill or much of the bill of their medical costs after an accident. Insurance companies do not usually rush to pay out the full claim in any accident. If they did so, they would lose money. As well, it can be difficult to prove an injury has occurred from a specific accident. Getting help immediately can save your life, and it can also help prove that any injure you have sustained was in fact caused by the accident.

Going to the emergency room may be frightening, it may cost money, and it could take some time. However, it can also help save your life and could help provide you with the documentation you need to pursue any claim. It is always better to be safe than sorry. When visiting the emergency room, it is also a good idea to get a copy of your medical file before you leave. Again, if you need this information to prove a claim, it will be handy to have this information at your fingertips.

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According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA), commercial truck drivers are using safety belts more than ever before – an important precaution that can help prevent Florida workers compensation suits as well as fatal Florida truck accidents. According to the FMCSA 2009 Safety Belt Usage by Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) Drivers Survey, 74% of surveyed commercial truck drivers used seat belts on 2009. This represents a 9% increase over the 2007-2009 period.

According to the survey, passengers and other occupants of commercial trucks have a 61% usage rate when it comes to seat belts. The FMCSA 2009 Safety Belt Usage by Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) Drivers Survey surveyed 20,818 commercial drivers and 1,628 occupants of commercial vehicles across 827 sites across the US. According to the findings, safety belt use is higher in states that enforce primary belt use laws. States with secondary belt use laws have a seat belt usage of 67% among CMV drivers while states with primary belt use laws have a usage rate of 78%. Further, the FMCSA 2009 Safety Belt Usage by Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) Drivers Survey found that seat belt use among drivers and occupants with national or regional fleets is higher than the rates among independent owner-operators.

According to the FMCSA 2009 Safety Belt Usage by Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) Drivers Survey, there are also regional differences in the way seat belts are used. The survey found that commercial drivers and passengers were most likely to wear seat belts in the West, where usage rates were 79%, compared with just 64% in the Northeast. Southern states had a 75% usage rate while the Midwest had a 68% rate.

Safety belt use is a major concern for the FMCSA. The organization hosts contests and encourages awareness programs to ensure that drivers buckle up. In many cases, seat belt use can help prevent a fatal Florida truck accident. Without a seat belt, a driver in an accident can be thrown from the vehicle or may be tossed about inside the truck. Without a seat belt, these injuries are likely to result in serious Florida brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and potentially fatalities. Seat belts restrain the driver in the event of an accident and help to protect the driver from impact.

The FMCSA has faced a number of challenges over the years in trying to enforce seat belt use. There are many myths about seat belts among commercial drivers. For example, some drivers erroneously believe that in the event of a Florida truck rollover, a safety belt can prevent them from escaping the truck and can actually contribute to fatalities. Statistics have proven that it is not the case. The safest place for a truck driver in most accidents is in the cabin, securely fastened by a safety belt.

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According to a research study published in Accident Analysis & Prevention journal, our love affair with light trucks may be causing more Florida car accidents and pedestrian accidents – and more traffic accidents nationwide. The research was completed by researchers at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Rowan University.

Researchers at Rowan University used the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), the Pedestrian Crash Data Study (PCDS), and the General Estimates System (GES) to gather information about crash statistics. Researchers compared injuries and accidents involving SUVs (sport utility vehicles), light trucks, pickup trucks, vans, and passenger vehicles.

The researchers concluded that passenger vehicles are shifting. More customers are purchasing vans and lights trucks, rather than the smaller cars which have traditionally made up the bulk of passenger cars. However, vans and light trucks are designed differently. They are more blunt, stiffer, and heavier. Their load is distributed differently. Researchers concluded that these differences make these vehicles more likely to cause serious Florida pedestrian accidents and Florida vehicle rollovers – as well as pedestrian accidents and rollovers across the country.

Researchers also found that passengers hit by a van or a light truck are two to three times as likely to sustain fatal injuries as pedestrians hit by a passenger vehicle. As well, pedestrians involved in an accident with a truck or van are significantly more likely to sustain a serous brain injury or thoracic injury when compared with pedestrians struck by a car. This substantiates common emergency room findings, where doctors report that more victims of Florida truck accidents sustain serious injuries to the head region. The fact that the front of trucks are higher and blunter can help account for this.

Florida currently has one of the highest fatality rates among pedestrians, and a love of the truck may be one reason, according to the Rowan university study and others like it. Of course, we cannot give up trucks. After all, they do help the economy and people often use trucks and light vans for work or for recreation. Ironically, many people may be purchasing trucks because they believe that trucks and larger vehicles are safer. Indeed, truck manufacturers often tout the safety ratings of light trucks and cars over smaller economy cars.

Many Florida car accidents and truck accidents result in brain injuries. This is because the force of a collision can push a passenger’s head against a solid object (such as a dashboard) or can cause the head to shake so violently that this causes a brain injury. Due to the greater force of truck accidents, these collisions are far more likely to cause serious or even fatal injuries.

To understand Florida brain injuries caused by truck accidents, it is important to understand the brain. The brain is protected by the scalp, which is made of connective tissues, skin, hair, and muscle. It is 5-7 mm thick. Below this is the skull, which provides even more protection for the brain. The skull is actually made up of eight bones and is between 4-7 mm thick in various places. The skull allows nerves and arteries to enter and leave the brain and at the base of the spine is the brain stem as well as the start of the spinal cord. Many Florida spinal cord injuries caused by trucking accidents are in fact caused by injury to this part of the head.

Inside the skull, the brain is even more protected by membranes. There are in fact three layers of these membranes. The meninges support the nerves and blood vessels carrying oxygen and other necessities to the brain. They also separate the bone of the skull from the brain. The meninges further help protect the brain because they are lubricated by a nutrient-rich cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which is also found in the spaces within the brain.

Although the brain is obviously well protected, it simply cannot protect itself from the force and impact of a Florida trucking accident. When a head injury occurs as a result of a traffic accident, two types of brain injuries can take place: focal or diffuse injuries. Focal injuries are localized injuries, such as bruising on one or two areas of the brain. Diffuse injuries affect the entire brain or a large amount of the brain. Concussions and swelling of the brain due to brain trauma are examples of diffuse brain injuries. About three quarters of brain injuries caused by traffic accidents are diffuse injuries.

Concussions after a Florida trucking accident are quite common and can range from very mild cases requiring almost no treatment to very severe concussions that include skull fracture as well as bruising of the brain. If a patient does not regain consciousness within the first 24 hours, the prognosis is generally poor. In one out of five such patients, a good recovery can still occur and fatalities can affect up to 7% of such cases.

In cases where a Florida truck accident results in burn injuries to the face, multiple skull fractures, penetration of the skull by a foreign object, or cerebral contusion, the diagnosis and prognosis can be even more grim. Many patients with these complications face severe nervous tissue damage. The fatality rate is high and patients who recover may not be able to recover all their mobility, memory, or speech functions. Some patients who recover may require care for the rest of their lives.