The Types of Accidents Trucks Can Cause

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The Types of Accidents Trucks Can Cause

truck accident attorney

The sheer mass of most large trucks often translates to serious bodily injuries and extensive property damage during a crash. Analyzing the most common truck accident scenarios can help explain the circumstances behind the accident and help predict how a personal injury claim may proceed.

By working with an experienced Atlanta truck accident lawyer, you’ll be in a better position to get the justice and compensation you deserve. To schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with an experienced truck accident lawyer in Atlanta, call the Rafi Law Firm at 404-800-1156 or contact us online today.

The following are the most common types of truck accidents seen on America’s roads, according to 2017 data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

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Collisions with Other Vehicles

The vast majority of truck accidents involve a collision with another vehicle. Statistics from the FMCSA confirm that 75 percent of all big truck and bus crashes in 2017 involved some sort of direct collision as the “most harmful event.”

Other less likely truck accident scenarios include:

  • Fixed object (10.7% of truck crashes)
  • Pedestrian (less than 0.05%)
  • Parked motor vehicle (5.5%)
  • Bicycle or other personal conveyance (less than 0.05%)
  • Train (0.1%)
  • Animal (1.6%)
  • “Other object” (3.4%)

A rear-end collision where the truck driver is at fault almost always involves the truck plowing into the back of a vehicle after being unable to react or brake in time. Many of these crashes are caused by truck driver mistakes, such as following too closely, speeding, or not paying attention to the road.

Trucks have massive blind spots that can potentially engulf multiple vehicles. Truck drivers are required to pay attention to their surroundings and to be cautious about making maneuvers when someone could be in their blind spot.

When a truck changes lanes or begins to make a turn without accounting for their blind spot, they can collide side-to-side with another vehicle, causing a spinout or either vehicle to run off the road.

Trucks often need to take really wide turns. Turning right is particularly tough since it has to be done in an arc that can drag the trailer smoothly and safely. Some trucks misjudge the amount of space they have to make a turn, causing a sideswipe accident or a T-bone collision (explained below) with another vehicle and their trailer.

Perhaps the deadliest type of truck-to-vehicle accident, a head-on collision involves the front end of a truck striking the front end of another vehicle. This situation usually occurs when the truck crosses the median of a divided highway. Even at low speeds, this type of accident often proves fatal.

When the front end of one vehicle strikes the side of another, this is called a perpendicular impact – or a “T-bone” accident, in common terms.

T-bone accidents involving trucks are less common than those with regular vehicles, but they still happen. Most often, they occur in intersections as the result of someone ignoring traffic signals, failing to yield, or driving too fast for conditions.

A carriage underride accident happens when a small car or SUV makes impact with the truck driver’s trailer and happens to slide underneath the trailer’s undercarriage.

These accidents are incredibly dangerous.

They often crush the canopy of the underriding vehicle and can result in the occupants getting trapped, killed, or severely injured.

Trucks are supposed to have rear underride guards to prevent this type of accident from happening when a vehicle strikes a trailer’s rear end. However, many of these guards are in disrepair and violate regulations.

A U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report found that more road fatalities could be prevented if trailer operators kept their guards up to date, in repair, and in compliance with current federal standards.

A “jackknife” accident happens when a semi-truck trailer pivots at an extreme angle from the cab, causing both parts to lose control. Most often, this scenario happens because the trailer brakes were not functioning properly, and the heavy weight of cargo causes the trailer to careen towards the front cab.

These accidents are extremely dangerous but are fortunately in decline since federal standards required anti-lock brakes on all trailers.

According to FMCSA data, 0.4% of all truck accidents for which “most harmful event” data was recorded involved jackknifing.

This type of accident happens when the truck trailer and/or cab flips over onto its side. It is especially common when a truck is hauling an empty trailer, which is known in the industry as “deadheading.” Truck trailers have a high center of gravity, so when they are unloaded they can lose control in certain accident scenarios, particularly when high winds are involved.

The FMCSA reports that 2.4% of all recorded truck accidents involved a rollover.

Semi-trailer doors can swing open. Tarps and bungies can fly off. Loose loads, like tree lumber, can come spilling out of a cargo trailer for any number of reasons.

Lost loads can cause major accidents, especially if they happen on a busy interstate or freeway. The sudden weight transfer can cause the truck to wreck. The debris itself can cause a chain reaction of accidents behind the trailer.

The FMCSA reports that 0.1% of recorded truck accidents involved a lost load, loss of equipment (such as a breakaway tire), or an unexpected load shift.

Case Results

Our mission is to help you get the full compensation you deserve. Some of Mike Rafi’s recent cases include
$3,900,000
Settlement as co-counsel for client shot at Gwinnett hotel
$3,013,000
Jury verdict as part of trial team in wrongful death tractor-trailer crash on I-285
$2,000,000
Settlement (policy limits) for client who injured hand in defective machine
$1,850,000
1,700,000.00 jury verdict against gas station operator
$1,600,000
Settlement (policy limits) for client hit by car while walking his dog
$1,250,000
Settlement for client injured at convenience store
$1,100,000
Settlement (policy limits) for client injured at factory
$1,100,000
Settlement (policy limits) for client shot at Brookhaven apartment complex
$1,100,000
Settlement for client injured at gas station in Tucker
$1,000,000
Settlement (policy limits) for client shot at Brookhaven apartment
$1,000,000
Settlement (policy limits) for client hit while driving motorcycle
$800,000
Settlement in medical malpractice case
$637,500
Settlement ($100,000.00 policy limits) for client injured while passenger in car
$700,000
Settlement for client injured at construction site
$575,000
Settlement for client shot at Decatur apartment complex
$500,000
Settlement for client injured at Decatur apartment complex
$500,000
Settlement ($25,000.00 policy limits) for client in car crash
$475,000
Settlement for client who crashed in unmarked section of road work
$475,000
Settlement for client injured at Atlanta apartment complex
$460,000
Settlement for client rear-ended on I-285
$450,000
Settlement for client who fell from 2nd floor balcony due to defective railing
$450,000
Settlement for client injured in head-on crash
$450,000
Settlement before closing arguments in dog bite case
$414,000
Settlement for client injured in backseat of police car
$400,000.00
Settlement for client injured in car wreck
$400,000
Settlement for client injured near Lenox Mall
$375,000
Settlement for client injured in truck crash on I-285
$375,000
Settlement for client shot at Lithonia apartment complex
$350,000
Settlement for client shot at College Park apartment complex
$350,000
Settlement for client rear-ended by 18-wheeler
$333,333
Settlement for client injured at trailer park
$325,000
Settlement for client injured at Atlanta apartment complex
$315,000
Settlement for client injured in car crash
$300,000
Settlement as co-counsel for client injured in car crash on I-20
$300,000
Settlement for client shot at College Park apartment complex
$300,000
Settlement (policy limits) for client injured in head-on crash
$300,000
Settlement for client injured by police officer who ran red light
$300,000
Settlement for client injured when tire flew off his car after faulty tire installation
$300,000
Settlement for client who fell because of greasy floor mat at big box store
$275,000
Settlement for client who fell at restaurant
$260,000
Settlement (policy limits) for client injured in 3-car crash
$250,000
Settlement for client shot at College Park shopping center
$210,000
Jury verdict for clients hit by car while walking on sidewalk (highest offer by defense was $62,500.00)

Work with an Experienced Atlanta Truck Accident Attorney

Every truck accident scenario can disrupt the lives of accident victims. They will have losses from hospital bills, lost wages, vehicle repairs, property damage, and their pain and suffering.

The Rafi Law Firm can provide legal representation to victims after any type of accident. We investigate the cause of your accident and document all of your losses to help you seek the maximum amount of compensation available.

Discuss your case and the next steps you can take to file a claim when you call 404-800-1156 or contact us online to schedule a free, no-obligation case review now.

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