As an Irving personal injury lawyer, I have helped many critically injured victims of commercial truck wrecks throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex since 1991. Due to the sheer size and weight of 18 wheeler trucks and other big rigs, any motorist or passenger of a car, motorcycle or pickup – along with pedestrians and cyclists – is almost certainly guaranteed to suffer extremely severe bodily injuries often requiring emergency medical treatment which typically costs tens of thousands of dollars at a minimum.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association (FMCSA) estimates that approximately 87 percent of CDL vehicle crashes are the result of driver. This is hardly surprising considering that truckers typically spend 11 consecutive hours a day behind the wheel, often traveling a total of 4,000 in any given week. Even though they are professional drivers who make their living hauling massive vehicles, it is inevitable that mistakes will be made. Accidents will happen. Over the years, I’ve seen several collision scenarios repeat themselves. Here are some of the most common semi-truck accident types I’ve encountered as a Texas truck wreck attorney:
Jackknife Collisions
Poor road conditions, faulty equipment and bad driving (usually improper braking) can all lead to a jackknife accident. This is when a truck comes to a stop with the cab facing in one direction and the trailer facing another. Jackknife accidents pose a hazard to traffic going in both directions as the truck will often come to a stop across multiple lanes of the roadway, creating a very real danger of multiple head-on collisions. The property damage resulting from jackknife crashes alone is often enormous as in most cases all vehicles involved are usually totaled.
Rollover Accidents
An out-of-control 18 wheeler weighing in at 80,000 pounds can do massive amounts of damage if it rolls over. There is no telling when it will come to a stop and the only thing you can count on is that it will cause tremendous property damage and injuries. There are a number of reasons why a truck rollover accident may occur: most commonly, rollovers happen on steep inclines where there are either bad roadway conditions or if the driver catches his truck’s wheels on the curb or other stationary object. Rollover crashes can also happen when a trucker attempts to navigate a turn too quickly.
Tire Blowouts
We’ve all seen huge big rig tires on the side of the freeway – imagine the harm they could cause if they blew out while you were driving alongside them. When a tire unexpectedly explodes underneath a moving 18 wheeler, it can cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle, meaning the potential for a multi-vehicle collision is huge. Truck drivers are supposed to thoroughly inspect their rig before heading out and failure to properly maintain tires is a leading cause of blowout accidents, as is the over inflation or under inflation of tires. If you or someone you love has been hurt in an auto accident involving a commercial motor vehicle, then it is important that you consult with a board certified personal injury and wrongful death lawyer as soon as possible to ensure that you are fully aware of your legal rights and responsibilities to make sure that your right to the full and fair compensation you are entitled to under Texas law is protected. Call the Anderson Law Firm today toll free at 800-354-6275 or locally in Irving at 214-327-8000. Other Articles You Might Be Interested In: Crashes Caused By Commercial Trucks Entering Road Why Inexperienced Attorneys Get Stumped By Texas Truck Accident Cases Getting the Evidence: How Find Out If the Truck Driver was On Their Cell Phone or On-Board Computer at the Time of Your Accident Why do I have to pay back my health insurance company? A Step-By-Step Guide: What You Should Do After a Car Crash
15 Mistakes That Will Wreck Your Texas Accident Case!
One wreck is enough! If someone's carelessness causes you to be seriously injured in a Texas Accident, you must make sure you don't make mistakes that could WRECK your own claim. Any mistakes you make could end up being very costly for you.
15 Mistakes That Will Wreck Your Texas Accident Case!
