Filing a Personal Injury Claim for a Commercial Truck Accident
About The Author
Steven J. Gordon
Houston, TX
Practice Areas: Trucking Accident
Other Articles by the Author
Every year,people are seriously injured in vehicle accidents. In 2007, large truckaccidents accounted for 3% of injury crashes. If you, or a loved one, haverecently suffered a personal injury due to a trucking accident, you shouldcontact an experienced truck accident attorney as soon as possible. A skilled attorney will help file apersonal injury claim and fight the trucking company to recover damages formedical treatment, loss of income, and vehicle repairs.
Truck Accidents Involve Serious Injury
Commoninjuries sustained in a large truck accident include broken bones, head trauma,spinal cord injuries and burns. You mayneed to receive extensive medical treatment in order to get back on your feetagain. Depending on your injuries, rehabilitation and physical therapy maybe necessary to learn how to complete day-to-day tasks again after yourtrucking accident.
Why do truckaccidents lead to such life-altering injuries? A large truck’s length and widthmake it difficult to navigate, even in ideal conditions. If the road conditionsare bad, the truck is not maintained properly, or there is driver error, it canlead to serious consequences. The averagelarge truck, such as an 18-wheeler or tractor trailer, can weigh in excess of80,000 pounds, while an average passenger car weighs approximately 3,000pounds. Clearly, a passenger car is no match when involved in a large truckcollision.
Types of Trucking Accidents
The following are common types oftruck accidents that can lead to serious personal injury or even death:
Wide-Turn Truck Accidents
A wide turn accident occurs when a truck swings the front of the vehicle out in order to turn in the opposite direction. In doing so, the truck driver may hit another vehicle or push it off of the road or into a lane with oncoming traffic.
Truck Brake Failure
Brake failure may occur if a truck is driving downhill and the brakes are not in good working order. If the load is unbalanced, or the truck driver is not familiar with how to properly use the brakes, it can lead to a trucking accident.
Blind Spot Accidents
A blind spot accident happens because it is sometimes difficult for a truck driver to see vehicles driving right beside the truck.
Jack-Knife Accidents
A jack-knife accident happens if a large truck skids on wet or icy roads and the trailer swings out into a 90-degree angle to the front cab. This type of truck accident can lead to multiple car pile-ups when it occurs on a busy roadway.
It is important to hire an experienced truck accident attorney as soon as possible after your trucking accident. Your attorney can help you file a personal injury claim in order to receive compensation for your injuries. Contact the law offices of Gordon & Elias, L.L.P. Our truck accident lawyers will discuss your legal options. Contact us today by filling out the Free Case Evaluation Form or calling TOLL FREE: 800 - 773 - 6770 to make sure you are fairly compensated to the full extent allowed by law.