No More "TV Tears" For Florida Truck-Accident Lawyers

The Florida Bar is cracking down on scores of personal injury lawyers who are using unethical practices to advertise their services through dramatized "testimonials" from personal injury accident victims. The Florida Bar prohibits the use of these types of emotional-based testimonials and even considers any clients gained through this type of promotion to be a violation of their ethical code.

While the use of this type of advertising has not been limited to Florida attorneys in the past, the Florida Bar is leading the way to protect its citizens from this type of "ambulance chasing." The trauma associated with motor vehicle injuries makes these types of clients especially vulnerable to these types of emotional appeals.

A major category within these types of personal injury claims come from accidents involving commercial trucks. Florida truck-accident lawyers know the trauma that truck accidents can inflict on the families, friends and loved ones of victims of these types of incidents. Accidents involving trucks pose a unique set of challenges and complexities that are not present in the majority of other types of vehicle crashes. It is important, therefore, that you work with an attorney that has experience in handling these types of cases.

While many trucking accidents occur at high speeds on the highway, even low-speed trucking accidents can have devastating results. Because of their size and weight, the consequences of a trucking accident are typically much more damaging than those involving smaller vehicles. A large commercial truck can weigh more than 80,000 pounds and can go up to 75 feet in length. Accidents involving trucks cause more serious injuries and fatalities than any other type of motor vehicle collision.

Twelve percent of all motor vehicle fatalities in the United States are caused by truck accidents. Accidents involving tractor trailer trucks are especially dangerous. Ninety-eight percent of the fatalities involving trucks are the passengers or driver in the other vehicle as opposed those in the truck. According to a 2006 Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration report, there are approximately 141,000 accidents involving trucks every year. The report also noted that over 50% of these accidents were caused directly by the truck driver.

A decision to enlist the legal services of a Florida truck accident lawyer should be based on the reputation and experience of the attorney and not on the emotional-based appeals of 'testimonial' advertising. It is important that the lawyer or firm you choose to represent your case is familiar and experienced in dealing with the unique complexities that truck accidents involve.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations require trucking companies to keep a variety of documents or items following an accident involving one of their trucks. As a result, most trucking companies will often have a company representative or investigator at the scene of the accident within hours, sometimes even while the involved vehicles are still at the scene of the accident and possibly even before law enforcement officials arrive at the accident location. Thus, it is very important for the victim of a truck accident to contact a qualified attorney immediately following an accident involving a tractor-trailer or any other type of commercial motor vehicle. If you are a Florida resident or if the accident occurred in the state of Florida, a qualified Florida truck-accident lawyer will be able to provide you with the legal guidance you need to protect your rights as a victim.

As our highways become more and more congested, the number of serious accidents involving trucks is almost certain to rise. In the unfortunate occurrence that you or a loved one are ever involved in an accident involving a tractor trailer or commercial motor vehicle in the state of Florida, it is highly recommended that you contact a reputable Florida truck-accident lawyer immediately.

Florida is leading the way on keeping the ethical practices of truck-accident lawyers in check. The Florida Bar has taken action against at least 34 lawyers across Florida that it found had accepted referrals from testimonial-based advertising sources.

Tim Wright - http://floridatruckaccidentlawyer.info

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