8 Types of Truck Accidents - Jones Law Group - Your Lawyers for Life

8 Types of Truck Accidents

Truck accidents don’t just lead to catastrophic injuries, they also lead to incredibly high expenses. Some people get so worried about their medical bills, they will make the mistake of settling long before they even know the extent of their injuries. The types of injury that a victim suffers will often depend on the type of truck accidents they’re in. There are actually several different ways this kind of collision occurs – you’ll learn about the eight most common types of truck accidents in this article.

If you’ve suffered an injury in an accident caused by a negligent truck driver, trucking company or some other entity, you need to get in touch with an attorney as fast as you can. The earlier you do so, the earlier your legal representative can investigate the wreck, and gather the evidence needed to help you obtain maximum compensation.

The attorneys with the Jones Law Group have a great deal of experience with these kinds of cases. Not only do we know how to investigate them, we know how to deal with aggressive insurance companies and trucking operations. We’ll do everything we can to help you get the money you deserve. Contact us online or call (727) 571-1333 for a free consultation.

1. Rollovers

A rollover is one of the most devastating truck accidents, because when they happen, the truck demolishes everything in its path. If a driver is going too fast on a rainy road, or otherwise not driving to the weather conditions, a rollover can easily occur.

However, a rollover can also happen if the cargo is negligently loaded. If that cargo shifts during transit, that can make the truck impossible to control.

2. Rear-End

A rear-end collision between two passenger vehicles is dangerous enough. When a truck slams into a vehicle, that can lead to a disaster. Truck drivers will often operate their vehicles in direct violation of federal regulations. They may, for instance, be distracted due to smartphone use, or they might even drive while impaired. When they lose focus, they won’t be able to react quickly enough if the cars in front of them have to stop.

3. Head-On

Head-on collisions are one of the most devastating types of truck accidents and is oftentimes fatal. Trucks are so much larger than the typical vehicle, when they collide, the passenger vehicle always comes out second-best. If the two collide head on at a high speed, a tragedy will almost be inevitable.

4. T-Bone

T-bone accidents get their name from the fact that the two vehicles involved form a “T” shape at the moment of impact. This could happen when a truck driver isn’t paying attention, and plows into the side of a car after running a stop sign or a red light. Anyone on the side of the vehicle that is hit will almost assuredly suffer a severe injury – or even worse.

The truck driver can also cause a T-bone accident by making an improper turn across multiple lanes of traffic, causing the passenger car to slam into the side of the truck.

5. Sideswipes

A sideswipe collision is somewhat similar to a T-bone collision. The difference is that the truck and the car are moving in the same direction when they collide. The main reason sideswipe accidents occur is that drivers fail to check their blind spot before trying to change lanes. If they’re distracted or impaired, however, they can drift into a lane and hit the side of a vehicle.

This is obviously an incredibly dangerous situation for a motorist. The car that’s sideswiped could be forced to move sideways, and move into other lanes of oncoming traffic. The resulting multi-vehicle accident can result in several people being seriously hurt, or even killed.

6. Underride

An underride accident is also terrible, because it can shear off the top of a passenger car. It happens when the smaller vehicle slams into the back of the truck, or the side of the rig.

Trucks are supposed to be outfitted with underride guards to prevent this kind of accident from occurring. However, in many instances, these guards are poorly made or improperly maintained. When they fail, the results can be horrific.

7. Wide Turn

Truckers have to use extreme caution when turning – especially when there is traffic nearby. They will sometimes have to swing the cab far to the left in order to make a right-hand turn. This can obviously be incredibly risky, because the cab can slam into other vehicles. In some cases, a vehicle can even become caught underneath the truck.

Drivers need to have a great deal of skill in order to make this maneuver safely. Unfortunately, there’s a severe shortage of qualified truck drivers. But deliveries still need to be made, and deadlines still have to be met. As a result, trucking companies will often hire people who have no business being behind the wheel of an 80,000-pound machine. When they do, and that driver causes a wreck, the trucking company could be held liable.

8. Jackknife

These types of truck accidents take place when the cab and the trailer meet at an angle that is similar to an open jackknife. It can happen when a driver tries to make an improper turn, or slams on the brakes. In either instance, a jackknife accident will often cause the driver to lose complete control, and the truck will destroy any passenger car in the way.

Jones Law Group is Here to Help You. Contact us if You’ve Been Involved in a Truck Accident

The Jones Law Group has a team of skilled truck accident attorneys who have the experience, resources and knowledge to help you obtain every penny you deserve. If you’ve been seriously hurt in one of the above types of accidents, we will work to determine all liable parties, and help you obtain full and fair compensation.

Please don’t hesitate to give us a call at (727) 571-1333 or use our online contact form if you would like to schedule a free evaluation of your case.