Truck accidents can be devastating and leave all parties with heavy damages. If you’ve been in a wreck with a truck in a wide right turn accident, fault takes effort to determine. You will first rely on evidence found in investigations and the police report, and if the fault is still unclear, the case may need to be settled in court through mediation or trial.
Whether a truck or a car accident, motor vehicle accidents follow a comparative fault law, where each party is responsible for paying the portion of damages that they’ve caused. You can only file a legal claim if you are less than 50% responsible for the accident. If you receive a settlement offer in court, your amount will be reduced by the percentage you are found responsible for the accident.
Whether you have questions or want to meet top Atlanta truck accident lawyer Mike Rafi in a complimentary consultation, call 404-948-3311 or send our team a message now – we are ready to help.
What is a wide turn?
When a commercial truck makes a wide turn, all vehicles around the truck must be aware. Sometimes, drivers need to pause to wait for the turn to be complete before moving forward. Other times, it may be best for a driver to pull the car aside or pull forward to make room for a truck driver in the middle of a wide turn.
Commercial trucks cannot make turns at the same sharp degree as other motor vehicles. Large commercial truck drivers are often forced to make wide turns, which also forces other cars to move or make space for the trucker.
How a Wide Right Turn Accident Works
When truck drivers make wide right turns, they can cause accidents. Accidents can happen during a wide right turn in multiple ways. A vehicle may get wedged in between the cab and the trailer, or a vehicle sitting at a traffic light may be hit by the truck.
Determining Wide Right Turn Accident Fault
When you’re at an intersection with a truck, wide right turn accidents can be caused by:
- Another driver in the truck’s blind spot
- Another driver failing to yield to the truck driver who had the right-of-way
- The truck driver making an improper turn
- Another driver trying to pass the truck in an unsafe or reckless manner
When deciding who is at fault during a wide right turn truck accident, all factors and details will be considered and thorough investigations will be done.
How a Wide Right Turn Truck Accident Investigation Works
Investigations are the most important factor in deciding who is at fault and how much each party is at fault for the accident. Many investigative parties may be involved in on-scene investigations, including police, insurance adjusters, and more. A truck accident lawyer like Mike Rafi can also come to the scene to investigate on your behalf.
Truck accident investigations are different from car accidents because commercial trucks and their trucking companies are involved. This makes them much more complex, especially when fault is not clear. More parties can also be held liable for the damages that were caused by the accident, including the truck driver, trucking company, and more.
The truck driver is likely an employee of the trucking company who owns the truck, and the truck driver’s history, work records, and more may be used for investigational purposes. The truck’s black box or electronic control module (ECM) will be reviewed, showing the truck’s GPS location, speed right before the accident, communications, brake pressure, and more, which will help to determine the fault of the accident, along with details provided by parties involved and witnesses.
Negotiations and Settlements in a Wide Right Turn Truck Accident
Using information found in investigations, police will fill out a report and finalize it, sharing it with each party’s insurance company, which will begin the negotiation and settlement process. The trucking company’s insurance adjuster will likely contact you to offer a low truck accident settlement to keep the case outside of court. They may also pressure you to settle quickly. It’s best to not negotiate with the adjuster and get legal help to negotiate on your behalf.
It’s possible that your damages may not be covered with settlement offers outside of court and you may need to take legal action to get the compensation you deserve. To file a legal claim, you must file it within a specific time set by the statute of limitations on filing a truck accident case, and you cannot be at-fault for 50% or more of the accident.
When filing a legal claim, you’ll need strong evidence of the negligence that caused your actual damages to get compensation through a lawsuit. A truck accident lawyer may cite regulations and standards when proving the negligence and fault of the truck driver and/or trucking company, in addition to other evidence that is found.
Get in Touch With Atlanta Truck Accident Lawyer Mike Rafi Today
Get your wide right turn truck accident questions answered and find the best path forward for your case by meeting with Mike Rafi in a free, no-obligation consultation – call 404-948-3311 or contact us today to schedule your case evaluation. You don’t pay until we win.