Any truck accident has the potential to result in serious bodily injury, as you are on the receiving end of force from a massive vehicle that drastically outweighs your car. The force of the accident can result in severe damage to your vehicle, which cannot withstand the impact of such a large commercial truck.
When you have suffered an injury in a truck accident, you may deserve substantial financial compensation after a lengthy and complicated legal process, where you will first need to show that the truck driver or the trucking company was negligent. Your attorney will then need to negotiate compensation with the insurance company, and you may even need to file a lawsuit against the trucking company if you cannot reach a settlement agreement. An experienced truck accident lawyer in McLean, VA can handle your case from start to finish, fighting to get every dollar you deserve.
Rollover
Driving a truck requires perfection at all times. The truck driver needs to know how to steer their vehicle correctly because a sudden mistake that results in over or understeering can cause the driver to lose control. In addition, improper cargo loading can shift the truck’s center of gravity, leading to a rollover accident. When you are near these crashes, you may have little opportunity to avoid a truck on its side on the roadway in front of you.
Jackknife
In a jackknife truck accident, the cab and the trailer fold in at a certain point. The truck can spin horizontally, forcing it across multiple lanes of traffic, and can strike many vehicles while it jackknifes. You may be unable to stop in time or make your way around the truck to avoid hitting it. Or, you may strike the broadside of the truck, causing an underride accident. Driver error or equipment failures are common causes of jackknife accidents. The truck driver can over or understeer, and the improper loading of cargo can also cause the vehicle to jackknife when the center of gravity is off.
Sideswipe
Truck drivers must carefully check their blind spots before they may make a turn. There are significant blind spots on the sides of trucks, where drivers may struggle to see. For example, the largest blind spot is along the truck’s right side, and the driver may not have seen you when they began a lane change maneuver. Alternatively, the truck driver may drift out of their lane and into yours because they cannot adequately control their own vehicle. Sideswipe accidents may cause you to lose control of your car or force you into another lane of traffic, and you can have a collision with a passing vehicle.
Rear-end
The truck driver has a large blindspot in front of their vehicle, and they may only see a driver in front of them in traffic once it is too late. Even if the truck driver can spot a driver, they may be unable to stop in time to avoid an accident. It takes nearly 500 feet to bring a tractor-trailer to a complete stop when it travels 55 miles per hour, and distracted drivers may miss their cue to stop. Rear-end truck accidents unleash a tremendous amount of force on the car, leading to severe head and neck injuries for passenger vehicle occupants.
Wide-Turn Accidents
Trucks always need to swing out when they make a turn, and the danger is even more pronounced when it has to turn right. The truck has a large blindspot on the right side, which prevents the driver from seeing vehicles before turning, and they may occult two lanes. Truck drivers might pin the vehicle between the tractor-trailer and the curb when they do not see a car. The vehicle is trapped beneath the truck, causing a dangerous underride accident.
Underride Accidents
An underride accident is when a passenger car driver ends up under the side or back of the truck. These are hazardous accidents with a very high fatality rate. The passenger car occupants can suffer serious head and neck injuries, including decapitation.
Most trucks will have rear underride guards, although these devices may fail without proper inspection. However, the trucking industry has resisted regulations that require side underride guards, and these accidents happen far too often.
Tire Blowouts
A tractor-trailer has 18 tires, which must be intact for the vehicle to operate safely. These tires are expensive, costing up to $1,000 to replace. Some trucking companies must be vigilant about changing tires and err on the side of caution. However, other trucking companies are often very conscious of the cost and may not replace the tires because they want to save money.
Truck tire blowouts are extremely dangerous because they happen suddenly and without warning, and the truck driver must react in a split-second to pull the vehicle to safety. Even experienced truck drivers struggle to control a vehicle that has suddenly lost a tire, and they can quickly lose control at high speed, leading to a severe accident.
Contact a Truck Accident Attorney as Soon as Possible
When you hire an experienced truck accident lawyer, they will gather the details about the accident to determine its cause. Then, the attorney will compile the evidence to show that the truck driver was to blame for the accident. Do not assume that the fact the accident happened in the first place is enough to prove liability. Insurance companies may still deny responsibility, or they may even try to blame you. The time to call the attorney is right after the crash because that is when they will be the most effective at gathering evidence and doing their job.
One common misconception is that hiring an attorney will add more expenses to a challenging situation. However, truck accident attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you won’t have to pay anything out of pocket. They will only collect a fee if they successfully resolve your case and secure compensation on your behalf.
Consult with a truck accident attorney as soon as possible to protect your rights and increase your chances of receiving fair compensation for your injuries, damages, and losses. Remember, hiring a personal injury attorney will cost you nothing out of pocket, but it can make a significant difference in the outcome of your case.