With the high number of commercial trucks on the highway at any given time, it is no surprise that thousands of trucking accidents occur each year. If you or one of your loved ones are ever caught in a truck accident, proving liability and pursuing compensation will depend in part on the type of truck accident that occurred. There are a number of recognized types of truck accidents, and many occur for unique reasons.
Some of the most common types of trucking accidents include:
- Brake failure: The brakes on a commercial truck are under a massive amount of stress each time the trucker wants to bring it to a slow. Defective or poorly maintained brakes may fail unexpectedly, causing an accident. Brake failure can often be determined in rear-end truck accidents. As such, the brake manufacturer could be partially liable for the accident.
- Jackknife: When the trailer swings forward and surpasses the tractor of a big rig, it is known as a jackknife accident. The end result looks like a folding jackknife. A jackknife accident is devastating, as the trailer swings widely into all lanes, sometimes even into opposite traffic. Liability in a jackknife accident may be connected to a failure to properly load the trailer, or due to a trucker’s own failure to apply the brakes appropriately to come to a stop.
- Loose cargo: Drivers on the highway may be struck by loose cargo that falls off or out of a commercial truck if the cargo is not loaded safely. Cargo crews, or their parent companies, are likely accountable for such trucking accidents.
- Rollover: Big rigs that rollover and onto adjacent lanes, crushing smaller vehicles, may do so due to a load failure. A reckless turn can also cause a rollover. Trying to cut a corner too sharply and at too high a speed can topple the entire truck. Sometimes even high wind hitting the broad side of a trailer can push it over. Truckers should always avoid driving in high wind areas.
- Tire blowout: There are few things more devastating to a commercial truck than a tire blowout. Losing just one of their many tires can compromise the stability and control of the entire vehicle. Tire blowouts are attributed to either defectively designed tires, or poor maintenance routines of the truck owner or company.
Attorney Wes Pittman of The Pittman Firm, P.A. has 30+ years of experience handling complex injury claims, including truck accident cases. He has the insight and skills needed to investigate your case and figure out liability, wherever it may lie. When you want a trial-tested attorney in your corner, you want to call (850) 764-0383 for Attorney Pittman. Contact his firm now to begin.