Wrongful Death Lawyer Near Me

There is nothing more devastating to a family than losing a loved one in a tragic accident. When the fatal accident was caused by another party’s negligence, Florida law allows families of victims to pursue wrongful death lawsuits against the at-fault party. If your loved one has been killed, you may be asking, “Who is an experienced wrongful death lawyer near me?” The legal team at Jeff Murphy Law can help.

Fatal Truck Accidents

While a victim can die from injuries they sustain in any type of accident, truck accidents are one of the most common. This is because the injuries that occupants in the other vehicles suffer are usually catastrophic due to the massive weight and size of commercial trucks and tractor-trailers.

A wrongful death lawyer knows that many truck accidents in Tampa, FL, and across the country are avoidable if trucking companies would do their due diligence in hiring truck drivers. There are too many drivers who are behind the wheel of these huge vehicles that have poor driving records, are inexperienced, lack proper training, or have a documented history of alcohol and/or drug abuse.

One horrific example that made national headlines of how poorly trucking companies screen their truck drivers happened several years ago in New Jersey. The fatal crash killed one 24-year-old man and left several other victims seriously injured. 

The deadly incident began when the truck driver, who was operating his tractor-trailer erratically, hit a vehicle. The driver of the vehicle tried to get the truck driver to stop, but he refused. An off-duty police officer, who had witnessed the accident, also tried to get the driver to stop. During this attempt, the officer fired one shot from his service revolver.

The truck driver sped away in the massive vehicle, hitting several vehicles – both moving and parked. Several streets away, the driver plowed right through a police barricade that had been put up to stop him. Two more officers shot at the driver, striking him, but he again just sped off, still driving erratically. 

Approximately one-half mile away from the barricade, the driver drove the truck head-on into an oncoming vehicle. Witnesses described the sound of that collision as a loud explosion and described shattered pieces of cars everywhere, along with mangled and twisted up chunks of metal. One occupant in the car was killed instantly in the crash, his lifeless body sprawled in the middle of the road. Police say that the dead victim was just two blocks from his home when he was killed.

When the police were finally able to apprehend the truck driver, they discovered that he had 55 prior arrests, at least 10 aliases, eight Social Security cards, and several parole violations on his record. He also reeked of alcohol.

The driver was charged with first-degree aggravated manslaughter, second-degree vehicular homicide, two counts of second-degree aggravated assault, four counts of second-degree eluding police, and a single count of third-degree aggravated assault.

It is incomprehensible to think that a trucking company would hire someone who has the extensive criminal record this driver has, handing the responsibility of a vehicle that in the wrong or inexperienced hands can do so much damage and destruction. Because the company failed to fully investigate just who they were turning the truck keys over to, and a family lost their son.

Let Our Firm Help

While there is no amount of money that can ever make up for the death of a loved one, sometimes a wrongful death lawsuit is the only avenue for the family to obtain any kind of justice. If you have lost a family member in a fatal truck accident or any other type of accident and would are asking, “Is there a skilled wrongful death lawyer near me,” contact Jeff Murphy Law to schedule a free consultation.