At McElyea, Santos & Barnard, P.A., our Orlando and Central Florida truck and bus accident attorneys have decades of collective experience and provide legal representation for injury victims statewide. We help truck and bus accident victims hold reckless parties accountable for their actions. If you have been injured, our accident attorneys will file a personal injury lawsuit on your behalf and pursue fair compensation on your behalf.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 5,212 people were killed and 114,000 injured in trucking accidents in 2005. Due to their immense size and weight, truck accidents are inherently dangerous and commonly result in catastrophic personal injuries including brain or spinal cord injury.
Despite accounting for just 3 percent of all registered motor vehicles, truck accidents account for 12 percent of all traffic deaths (76 percent of which involved occupants of other vehicles). If you have lost a loved one due to a truck driver's negligence, our Orlando and Central Florida truck accident and wrongful death attorneys will file a lawsuit on your behalf. The immediate family members of the deceased (surviving spouses, children, and sometimes parents) may be entitled to compensation.
Due to their large size, trucks have certain speed, visibility, turning, and braking limitations that other drivers need to be aware of. Often, accidents are a product of these limitations. Additionally, other common truck accident causes include:
To ensure our clients achieve fair compensation for their injuries, our Orlando and Central Florida truck accident attorneys will identify as many potential defendants as possible for your claim. Possible liable parties include:
If a truck driver is employed by a trucking or shipping company, then that company may be held responsible for the driver’s negligence. Establishing the liability of third parties in a truck accident can be difficult if, as is often the case, the driver is an independent contractor of a larger company.
There are certain unique dangers that are often involved in truck accidents. These include:
If you are involved in a truck accident, McElyea, Santos & Barnard, P.A., can help you maximize the return on your claim. Our Orlando and Central Florida truck accident attorneys will help you obtain justice and hold negligent, reckless, or careless truck drivers liable for your injuries. Contact our auto accident lawyers to schedule a case consultation.
As traffic congestion and the price of gasoline increases, more and more people are turning to mass transportation. Buses serve as a convenient means of transportation for thousands of Central Florida residents every day. Tragically, each year bus accidents cause serious personal injury, including wrongful death, to hundreds of people. The U.S. Department of Transportation reported that in 2003 there were over 440 fatal bus accidents. At McElyea, Santos & Barnard, P.A., our Orlando, Central Florida bus accident attorneys can help injury victims obtain fair compensation for their injuries.
Bus drivers and bus companies have a legal responsibility to their passengers. Legally recognized as "common carriers," these individuals and businesses have a greater duty to provide their passengers with safety and protection than the makers of ordinary cars. However, despite this higher level of responsibility, some bus drivers do not always drive safely, and some are not provided adequate training by their employer. As a result, innocent people are sometimes injured.
Given the immense size and weight of buses, a bus accident can cause severe injury to those involved. Additionally, many buses are not equipped with seatbelts or safety restraints. If you or a loved on has been injured in a bus accident, you should strongly consider contacting an attorney at our firm. We can help you obtain the compensation to which you are entitled.
If you are the victim of a bus accident, it is very important that you contact experienced attorneys and begin an investigation right away. Local governments and bus companies will rigorously defend their drivers. If you have been involved in a bus accident you should take the following steps:
Each day, 450,000 American children are transported to and from school by bus. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that school bus accidents cause an average of 137 fatalities and send an additional 17,000 students to the emergency room each year. When parents entrust school bus drivers with their children's safety, drivers must abide by all transportation laws and exercise an especially high level of care. Schoolchildren are seen to have a special status in the eyes of the law, and they deserve more than ordinary protection.
According to the National Coalition for School Bus Safety, Florida is one of five states that have implemented varying safety belt requirements for school buses. In a 2002 report to Congress, the NHTSA recommended against lap-only belts in school buses because they can be dangerous, especially for small children; by restraining them high on the abdomen, lap-only seatbelts can cause internal injury during a crash.
Claims for damages against a public or governmental entity are complex and have strict time limitations; they also vary greatly depending on the circumstances surrounding the accident. Bus accident victims should therefore obtain an experienced lawyer to present their claim. Contact the Orlando, Central Florida bus accident attorneys at McElyea, Santos & Barnard, P.A.,. to schedule a consultation.
Contact McElyea, Santos & Barnard, P.A., and schedule a case consultation if you or a loved one has been harmed as a result of a truck or bus accident. We have obtained substantial personal injury verdicts and settlements on behalf of our clients, and we can help you too. Our Orlando and Central Florida truck and bus accident attorneys can help you obtain just compensation for your claim.
Contact our Orlando and Central Florida truck and bus accident attorneys to schedule a case consultation.
McElyea, Santos & Barnard, P.A.