Northern California Truck Underride Collision Attorneys
Truck Underride Collisions
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 296,000 large truck accidents nationwide in 2009. Of these, 3,215 were fatal crashes, 53,000 were injury crashes and 239,000 were property-damage-only crashes. The large size, heavy weight, and tall road-chassis height of large trucks make them dangerous in any crash. However, a truck underride collision involving a passenger vehicle, which is the third largest cause of fatalities behind extreme severity truck crashes, is especially dangerous. Drivers and passengers can be seriously injured and may suffer permanent disability as a result of an underride trailer crash. Speaking to a knowledgeable Northern California underride truck accident attorney about legal options can help injured victims through such a difficult time.
Common Semi-Truck Underride Accident Injuries
The injuries most often associated with an underride semi-truck accident are cuts and lacerations, bone fractures, head and brain injuries, and spinal cord injuries. The last three are especially prevalent due to the location of impact in an underride accident: the top half of a passenger vehicle.
Often, underride injury truck accidents are the result of antiquated, substandard, or absent truck underride guards and improper or inoperative truck trailer lights. In the case of truck manufacturing or maintenance, the company responsible for those areas can be held liable for injuries sustained in a crash. Experienced Northern California truck underride accident lawyers can help determine the best course of legal action in such a case.
Types of Underride Collisions
A truck underride collision occurs when a passenger vehicle hits a straight truck (all axles attached to a single frame) or an articulated truck (truck-tractor, semi-trailer), and travels under the truck. There are two types of underride collisions: side underride collisions and rear underride collisions.
Truck side underride collisions usually occur at night and when a truck driver is attempting to cross or turn onto a street or highway, attempting a U-turn, or attempting to back-up across traffic. Although very large, if a truck is missing lights or has broken or inoperative lights on the trailer's side, a driver would have a very difficult time determining where the trailer is in the darkness of night. Also, if the truck is moving very slowly, especially if across traffic, it poses a safety hazard.
Truck rear underride collisions, which also tend to occur at night, take place when a passenger vehicle runs and/or gets stuck under the rear of a truck. Aside from typical rear-end accident circumstances, a rear underride most often occurs because of an improperly marked or lit truck or trailer that is slowly entering or exiting the road. A truck driver failing to use emergency lights when moving at excessively slow speeds can also cause a rear underride collision.
How Our Truck Underride Accident Attorneys Can Help
Any type of underride collision can cause drivers and passengers serious injury, which begins a long, medically, emotionally, and financially burdensome recovery process. If you or a loved one was injured in a Northern California underride collision as the result of reckless truck driver operation, negligent truck maintenance or faulty manufacturing, the company responsible can be held liable for your losses. The dedicated Northern California underride truck accident lawyers at Estey Bomberger have years of experience representing victims of underride accidents and will work diligently toward recovering the financial compensation you deserve. Call us any time, any day, to find out more about your legal options at (800) 890-6722.