Large truck accidents cause thousands of deaths and injuries each year in the United States. Because of the size and weight of these vehicles, injuries sustained from large truck accidents can be traumatic and life-threatening. Roughly three-fourths of the individuals killed in large truck accidents are occupants of other vehicles, bicyclists, or pedestrians. While weather and road conditions may be factors in some truck accidents, many commercial vehicle accidents are caused by negligent, error, or other wrongdoing.
Five Types of Large Truck Accidents
These five large truck accidents can cause traumatic injuries and result in significant financial damages for the accident victims and their families.
Rear-End Truck Accidents
Trucks cannot stop as quickly as other vehicles. If a truck driver is distracted or speeding, it can be impossible for the driver to stop the truck when an emergency arises or traffic changes. Poor weather conditions can add to the problem by making it more difficult to stop in a short distance. When a truck rear-ends another vehicle, the force of the impact can shove the rear end of the vehicle into the front seat. The truck can also ride over the vehicle crushing everyone inside.
Head-On Collisions
Head-on collisions are some of the most dangerous types of car crashes. In many cases, a head-on collision carries a high risk for fatalities. When a very large, heavy truck is added to the equation, the risk of devastating injuries and death increases dramatically.
Cargo-Related Accidents
The cargo must be carefully loaded and secured inside a trailer to ensure that the cargo does not shift during transit. Improperly loaded cargo or cargo that is too heavy can cause the trailer to become impossible or difficult to control, thereby causing the driver to lose control over the vehicle. When this happens, the result can be a serious truck accident.
Jackknife Accidents
The cab and trailer of a truck are separate moving parts. The parts can move in different directions. When the trailer pivots on the hitch, the trailer and tractor can “fold together” much like folding a jackknife together. If a vehicle is caught in between the two sections, the results can be catastrophic.
Side-Impact Accidents
A side-impact accident or T-bone accident occurs when a vehicle strikes another vehicle on the side. It occurs most often when a vehicle is turning left in front of another vehicle, like at an intersection or a road. This type of accident can occur when the truck strikes another vehicle, or other vehicle strikes the truck. In both cases, the results can be severe. Because there is very little protection from the doors on the side of a vehicle, passengers in a car can sustain life-threatening injuries during a side-impact truck crash.
Contact a New Orleans Truck Accident Attorney for More Information
If you or a family member is injured in a truck accident, it is imperative that you seek immediate medical attention for your injuries and experienced legal counsel regarding your personal injury claim. Truck accident cases are handled much different from accidents involving passenger vehicles. Trucking companies and their insurance providers aggressively investigate these cases to mitigate their liability for a truck accident.
Contact Attorney Fred Olinde or one of our other New Orleans truck accident attorneys at The Olinde Firm for a free case review. Call (504) 587-1440 or 1-800-587-1889 to schedule a free consultation with one of our Louisiana truck accident lawyers.