Have you been injured in a falling debris or poorly loaded cargo accident in St. Petersburg, Florida? Graves Thomas Rotunda Injury Law Group can help when you call (772) 569-8155. We offer a free consultation with a St. Petersburg truck accident lawyer, and you won’t pay unless we recover compensation on your behalf.
Truck accidents don’t always involve vehicle-to-vehicle collisions. Cargo can spill, debris can strike your car, or an unsecured load can force you into another vehicle or roadside object. These accidents often cause severe or even fatal injuries, and getting legal support is essential to holding negligent trucking companies and shippers accountable. Contact us today!
How Graves Thomas Rotunda Injury Law Group Can Help After A Falling Debris/Poorly Loaded Cargo Accident In St. Petersburg, FL
Graves Thomas Rotunda Injury Law Group has built a strong reputation for representing accident victims in St. Petersburg, FL. With decades of combined experience and a record of substantial recoveries, our team is dedicated to achieving justice for those who have been harmed.
Injured Floridians choose us because:
- Our attorneys bring more than 50 years of combined legal experience to every case we handle.
- Our founding attorney is a Florida Bar Board-Certified Civil Trial Attorney, a distinction held by only a small percentage of lawyers in the state.
- Our firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in compensation for clients injured in serious accidents.
- We have earned the trust of injured individuals and families throughout Florida by providing skilled and compassionate legal representation.
These results reflect our commitment to standing up for those injured through negligence and fighting for the outcomes they deserve. If you need experienced advocacy, call today to schedule a free consultation with a St. Petersburg personal injury attorney.
Types of Cargo-Related Accidents in St. Petersburg
Cargo-related accidents are not common. However, thousands of crashes happen in Florida annually due to cargo problems.
According to the Florida Crash Facts report, the state had 638 crashes caused by cargo loss or shift and 1,552 crashes caused by collisions with falling or shifting cargo in 2023. These crashes did not cause any fatalities. However, 178 of them caused at least one injury.
Certain categories broadly describe cargo-related crashes. However, several crash types fit into each of these categories. Shifting, loose, or flying cargo can cause accidents in the following ways.
Struck by Flying Objects
Debris or cargo can fly from the truck and strike your vehicle. For example, many people fail to cover loose loads like soil or branches with a tarp before driving. Air pressure can lift debris from the truck bed, causing it to fly out behind the vehicle.
The impact of the debris on your vehicle might injure you. It might also cause you to react by swerving away from the truck. You may roll over, run off the road, or collide with something.
Strike a Dropped Load
A truck might drop objects onto the road. You might suffer an injury when you strike the object. Alternatively, your vehicle might suffer damage in a collision, such as a blown tire, causing you to lose control of your vehicle and collide with the truck or something else.
Strike Something While Avoiding a Dropped Load
You might react quickly enough to avoid an object dropped from a truck. However, you may strike something else during your emergency maneuver. For example, you might swerve and hit a car in the lane next to you.
Load Shift
A shifting load can cause a truck driver to lose control of their vehicle. Specifically, the shifting load may throw the truck off balance or damage it. The cargo truck may collide with you while trying to stop the vehicle.
Rollover Accidents
In an extreme situation, load shift may cause the trailer or truck-trailer combination to roll over. This is more likely when the load is tall and heavy. For example, a truck transporting a large concrete pipe might roll over if the pipe rolls off-center.
Causes of Cargo-Related Truck Accidents in St. Petersburg
Cargo-related truck accidents can happen for the following reasons:
- Improperly secured load
- Broken tie-downs or anchor points
- Unbalanced load
- Uncovered load
These problems can arise from the truck driver’s failure to inspect the load, a trucking company’s error in loading the truck, or a shipper’s error in measuring or loading the cargo.
Liability for Crashes Caused by Poorly Loaded or Secured Cargo
The liability for truck crashes typically falls on the trucking company. The company is liable for employee negligence under a doctrine called respondeat superior. Thus, the company is liable if a truck driver fails to anchor the tie-downs before driving. Companies are also liable for their own negligence in loading the cargo.
Fortunately, federal law requires trucking companies to carry hundreds of thousands of dollars in insurance policies and surety bonds. You can pursue compensation from these sources by proving that the trucking company’s negligence injured you.
Contact Our St. Petersburg, FL, Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation
Your traffic crash injuries may have resulted in significant physical disabilities and financial losses in St. Petersburg, Florida. Contact Graves Thomas Rotunda Injury Law Group for a free consultation with a St. Petersburg truck accident lawyer to discuss your options for pursuing claims against the trucking company for your injuries.
