Semi truck Accident Case: Causes, Types, and How to Settle Quickly
Several aspects require to be considered while trying to settle an accident case that involves a semi-truck. The major questions asked are whether the driver of the semi-truck has caused the accident? Who all and how many drivers are responsible for the accident? What is the major reason behind the accident? Many other similar reasons affect the time it will take to settle a semi-truck accident issue.
Check out our article to help you on how to drive safely and avoid accidents with 18 wheelers.
Causes of Semi-Truck Accidents
In the US, custom semi truck accidents are quite common, and a number of such incidents occur on a daily basis. The major determinants that cause these accidents are carelessness on the part of the driver, the influence of drugs and alcohol, and other negligent practices. Semi-truck accidents create severe damages that may be both physical and financial in nature.
Types of Semi-Truck Accidents
Generally, the cargo laden semi-trucks weigh more than eighty thousand pounds. On the other hand, the normal passenger car will weigh around four thousand pounds. Accidents that involve a collision with semi-trucks cause more destruction than a normal car accident. Semi-truck accidents are generally of the following types:
1. Jack-Knife Accidents
Such accidents occur whenever the semi-truck drivers suddenly step on the brakes, and that causes the brakes to get jammed up. In jack-knife accidents, the trailer goes out of control and creates a perpendicular angle with the truck. This results in the trailer blocking the entire road. Because of this reason, the driver loses all control of the semi-truck. The result of such an accident can be immensely destructive and can affect both life and property.
2. Wide-Turn Collisions
This commonly happens due to disbalance as trucks tend to get inclined in the left direction before making a sharp right turn. Other drivers notice this change in the movement; they tend to get confused, and this leads to a collision. This problem also occurs when the semi-truck makes hard left-hand turns and sharp u-turns.
3. Rollover Crashes
The accidents caused due to rolling over of the semi-trucks are one of the most common instances in some areas. In this kind of an accident, the truck rolls over from sideways or gets upturned. Such collisions occur whenever the truck suddenly puts a brake and gets deflected all of a sudden to prevent a direct crash with the vehicle in front.
4. Direct Accidents
Head-on collisions are common when it comes to semi-trucks due to several reasons. A truck will collide head-on with other vehicles whenever there is a problem with the brakes. Such accidents also happen when traffic signs are ignored, or either of the drivers tries to overtake the other vehicle in an erroneous manner. It is highly probable for both the vehicles to be speeding, which leads to the heads on collision.
5. T-Bone Collisions
The T-bone collisions occur when a driver is moving at high speed or breaking the traffic rules. Being on the phone while driving can also lead to this kind of collision. What happens here is that the truck collides into the side area of the other vehicle due to a number of distractions. T-bone accidents are also called side-impact accidents, and it may cause grave damage to life and property.
6. Rear-End Crashes
The size of semi-trucks is larger than the other passenger vehicles, and therefore they require a good amount of stopping space. Sometimes the truck driver does not slow down on time to maintain a distance between the cars in front. This leads to a rear-end crash with the vehicle on the front.
Semi-truck accidents like these might occur due to the negligence of the truck driver. It may even occur when the car in front decides to press brakes all of a sudden, causing the truck to run into the vehicle in front due to lack of time to balance it.
7. Underride Accidents
In the case of underride accidents, a semi-truck goes out of control and runs over another vehicle. Consequentially the passenger car gets crushed under the semi-truck and leads to a considerable amount of destruction and loss of money. This entire process happens as a result of a disturbance in the existing momentum, which leads to the accident.semi-trailer truck
8. Bad Weather Accidents
Snow and rain lead to the formation of sludgy roadways that often results in difficulty in the maneuvering of the truck. The lack of friction on the road further leads to a lack of control and bad weather accidents. The slippery road aggravates the destruction caused by the semi-truck accident as the vehicles seem to slide helter-skelter and cause serious devastation.
9. Accidents Due To The Defects In The Truck
Accidents occur when the truck has problematic tires and other defective automotive parts or is overloaded with cargo. Such problems result in the disbalance of the truck during sharp turns and swift movements. Other vehicles around the truck get impacted, or the truck may simply get off the road and cause serious problems.
How To Settle A Semi-Truck Accident Quickly?
Gather all the evidence
It may take several weeks or months to settle a semi-truck accident. If you wish to settle your accident quickly, then try and gather all the evidence found in the scene of the accident. The quicker you are in this exercise, the details of the accident will be preserved. This will ensure that the evidence does not get altered, and the facts remain untouched. If you are unable to collect evidence on time, then the blame may come upon you, and you may get framed for an accident without any fault of yours. This will cause you to settle for lower compensation. Other important elements that affect the settlement time of a semi-truck accident are ambiguous liability, long nature of negotiations, and injuries.
Consult A Specialized Attorney
Check out our page regarding trucking accident lawyers to find out more about accidents involving 18-wheelers and legal representation.
The kind of attorney you select for your case will impact how long does it take to settle a semi-truck accident. Having a trained attorney by your side is of immense importance. A qualified lawyer will help you in gathering the most important evidence to fetch you the compensation that your case deserves. Disputed cases such as these require expert representation at the court. If your case remains underrepresented or lacks valuable points, then the insurance companies will not offer a high settlement. A qualified attorney will help you create a customized plan and execute a professional negotiation to acquire the optimum compensation for your loss.
In the event that you or a loved one have been involved in a car accident and the airbags deployed causing injury, you should not only consult with a physician, but also an experienced car accident attorney. Call to speak with an attorney at our Law Firm for a free consultation. (713) 364-1439