If you’ve been hurt in a truck accident in Canton, Van Zandt, Mt. Pleasant, Paris, or Marshall, Texas, the Cooper Law Firm are truck accident lawyers who may be able to help you seek damages for your medical costs, lost wages, rehabilitation costs, and pain and suffering damages. Truck accidents can be far more serious than passenger vehicle accidents. Not only do trucks carry heavier loads, but truck accidents can also involve unique accident types specific to trucks. The Cooper Law Firm are truck accident lawyers in Texas who may be able to help you file a claim with insurance companies or seek damages from negligent truck companies if you’ve been seriously hurt in a truck accident. What are some crash types specific to truck accidents that victims sometimes face?
Carriage Underride Accidents in Texas
Trucks weighing more than 10,000 pounds are required to have rear underride guards installed in the back of the truck. Carriage underride guards are steel bars placed on the rear or the side of the truck to prevent passenger vehicles from sliding under the truck during an accident. Yet, many researchers and lawmakers think that rear-impact underride guards are not enough to prevent deadly accidents. Side-impact collisions can result in passenger vehicles riding under a tractor trailer, with devastating and deadly results. According to the Journal of Traffic Injury Prevention, between the years of 2006 and 2008, 1,600 passenger vehicle occupants died in truck side-impact crashes. In 2016 alone, 238 passengers were killed when a passenger vehicle hit the rear-end of a truck. Another 298 passenger vehicle occupants died when their vehicles hit the side of a semi-truck. When passenger vehicles impact the side of a truck or the rear of a truck, the risk of injury is far greater because the passenger vehicle can slide under the truck, crushing the driver or passengers. Truck underride guards can prevent some of these serious accidents, but not all trucks have side underride guards, making side-impact underride accidents among the most deadly and serious accidents passenger vehicle riders and drivers can experience. Researchers writing for the Journal of Traffic Injury and Prevention found that in three-fourths of the accidents researchers studied, that side-impact underride guards might have reduced the seriousness of the accident or prevented serious injury or death. Hundreds of people are crushed, killed, or seriously injured due to carriage underride accidents across the country. Lawmakers are in the process of trying to push through laws that would require truck companies to put side underride guards on all trucks that would be rated to withstand collisions of at least 35 miles per hour. Many truck companies are aware of the risk, and some have voluntarily installed side-impact guards on their trucks. However, many trucks continue to not have these guards. If you or a loved one were seriously injured in a truck accident involving carriage underride, consider speaking to the Cooper Law Firm today. Our truck accident attorneys in Canton, Van Zandt, Mt. Pleasant, Jefferson, Paris, and Marshall, Texas may be able to help you seek compensation for your medical costs, lost wages, rehabilitation expenses, and pain and suffering.
Jackknife Truck Accidents in Texas
Semi-truck design means that there is always a risk that a truck can jackknife. When a truck jackknifes, the trailer might swing to the side, or the trailer might fold up next to the truck cabin, like a folded pocket knife. Truck jackknife accidents are particularly deadly, because they can cause the truck’s trailer to sweep across multiple lanes of traffic, hitting many passenger vehicles and even resulting in carriage underride accidents. Why do jackknife accidents occur?
- Brake Failure
- Speeding
- Sharp Turns
- Icy or Slippery Roads
- Driver Fatigue
- Driver Inexperience
Any of these factors can lead to a truck jackknifing. If the brakes on a truck aren’t working properly, a truck driver may need to intentionally jackknife the truck to bring it to a stop. If the front brakes are operating differently than a truck’s rear brakes, the truck can also jackknife. Sudden sharp turns or inexperienced drivers on sharp turns can result in a truck jackknifing. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a truck jackknifing accident in Canton, Van Zandt, Mt. Pleasant, Jefferson, Paris, or Marshall, Texas, consider speaking to the Cooper Law Firm, truck accident lawyers today. Our firm may be able to help you seek damages from the negligent truck company or from insurance companies.
Rollover Crashes in Texas
Another type of truck accident that can be particularly deadly when it involves a semi-truck is a rollover crash. According to the Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine, rollover crashes most commonly occurred when drivers failed to slow down during curves or sharp turns. Other causes of truck rollover crashes include brake failure or brake problems and improperly secured loads. Overloaded trucks might also be at risk of rollover crashes in Texas. When trucks roll over, they can crush passenger vehicles and the people inside. Vehicles can collide with the rolled over truck, or items might spill onto the road, causing a hazard to road users. If you or a loved one were hurt in a truck rollover crash, consider speaking to the Cooper Law Firm, Texas truck accident lawyers today.
Wide Turn Crashes in Texas
Trucks need more space to make a turn. If a truck driver misjudges how much space he or she will need to make a wide turn, the driver can accidentally hit other vehicles or pedestrians. Wide turn accidents can be particularly deadly in urban areas or cities when trucks are trying to navigate intersections and traffic. If you or a loved one was hurt in a wide turn truck accident, consider speaking to the Cooper Law Firm, a truck accident lawyer in Texas today.
Truck Blind Spot Accidents
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, large trucks have blind spots all around them. If you are 20 feet in front of a truck or 30 feet behind a truck, you might be in the truck’s blind spot. Passenger vehicles one lane to the left side of a truck and two lanes to the right side of a truck are also within the truck’s blind spot. Driver experience, training, and alertness can all play a role in truck blind spot accidents. Everyone on the road has a responsibility when it comes to avoiding these kinds of crashes. If you or a loved one was seriously injured in a truck blind spot accident in Canton, Van Zandt, Mt. Pleasant, Jefferson, Paris, or Marshall, Texas, the Cooper Law Firm are truck accident attorneys who may be able to evaluate the circumstances of the crash, determine who may have been at fault, and fight to seek justice for you or your loved ones.
Lost Load Truck Accidents in Texas
Trucks carry large loads, and it is important that drivers and companies make an effort to secure these loads. When drivers or truck companies fail to secure their loads, serious accidents can happen. Road debris can cause serious injuries for other drivers. If you were hurt due to an unsecured semi-truck’s load or due to road debris from a truck, contact the Cooper Law Firm, truck accident lawyers in Texas today.
Seek Justice for Truck Accident Injuries in Texas
You may only have a limited amount of time to make a claim for your serious truck accident injuries in Texas. The Cooper Law Firm are truck accident lawyers in Canton, Van Zandt, Mt. Pleasant, Jefferson, Paris, or Marshall, Texas who can take the time to evaluate your case, estimate the value of your claim, and fight to help you make a claim with negligent truck companies, drivers, or insurance companies. Protect your rights. Contact the Cooper Law Firm for a free initial consultation today.
