Ohio Injury Lawyers Explain The Common Types Of Truck Accidents

Truck accidents happen in different ways and to different degrees than automobile crashes. Drivers of any type of truck have to worry about the way the truck handles, the center of gravity of the truck, the ability to steer and turn the truck, and the equipment on the truck. Truck drivers tend to drive for much longer periods of time than passenger car drivers, which makes accidents more likely due to fatigue.

At Crandall & Pera Law, our attorneys have handled enough of these cases to understand how truck accidents happen. We use this understanding to prove what could have been done to prevent the accident, why the accident caused such harm and to determine who is responsible for the accident. We work with traffic reconstruction experts when necessary to further show how the accident occurred. Traffic engineers are especially helpful when multiple vehicles are involved.

We have obtained substantial verdicts and settlements in truck accident cases for our Ohio clients. You can rely on Crandall & Pera Law to get results.

Common Types Of Truck Accidents

Truck accidents happen for a variety of reasons, including driver error, poor maintenance, excessive loads and pushing to meet deadlines. Here are some of the most common ways truck accidents occur:

• Rollover/tip over accidents. A truck or tractor-trailer rolls, which can kill or injure the truck driver and affect any nearby vehicles. Trucks roll over because they are going too fast, there are steep inclines, there is debris on the road or poor weather.
• Jackknife accidents. The trailer and the tractor end up at right angles to each other when the trailer’s drive axle brakes lock. This can lead to a roll over crash.
• Multicar collisions. Trucks that rollover or jackknife often cause vehicles in both directions of traffic to collide with the truck. The same is true for trucks that lose some or all of their cargo. These cases are very complicated because it can be hard to determine exactly who was at fault.
• Explosions. Truck explosions can happen when a gas tank explodes or when hazardous or inflammable material ignites. Truck explosions take accidents to a whole new level of hazard because the fire can quickly spread, making it impossible for other vehicles to see or for emergency vehicles to get through to render first aid.
• Road construction accidents. Trucks have a tougher time reacting to work zones and road construction because of their size and weight. If a truck cannot stop in time or cannot navigate around the construction area, other motorists and pedestrian workers can be killed or severely injured.
• Rear-end accidents. When a truck driver hits a passenger vehicle at any speed, the results can be catastrophic — as evidenced by the tragic case involving a Walmart truck colliding with comedian Tracy Morgan’s limo bus, which left him with traumatic brain injuries and broken bones, and led to the death of another passenger.
• Running off the side of the road. Truck drivers who misgauge how far they are from sidewalk curbs, drift over “rumble strips” into the far-right lane or swerve onto sidewalks for any reason pose serious dangers to pedestrians. They can also cause tremendous property damage in cases where they hit a building or a stationary object, and could cause people within those buildings or objects (like a parked car, or while sitting on a bench) to sustain serious injuries.

When truck accidents happen, Crandall & Pera Law attorneys make sure the right parties are held responsible. Often, this means much more than suing the truck driver. We may also file claims against:

• The owner of the truck
• Any company or person who did maintenance on the truck
• The manufacturer, distributor or seller of any defective part
• The company that owned or stored the cargo, especially if combustible materials were involved
• The city, state or U.S. government if a road hazard contributed to the accident

Contact Us Today

Please feel free to call us at 855-444-6651 for a free consultation or complete our contact form. We see clients in Chagrin Falls, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Chesterland and throughout Ohio.