Savannah, the oldest city in Georgia, is the county seat of Chatham County and attracts millions of visitors each year. With its busy downtown historic district, 22 park squares, and many suburban neighborhoods, Savannah roads are heavily trafficked with all kinds of vehicles, including commercial trucks. These large vehicles can put Savannah drivers at risk for being involved in dangerous truck crush resulting in serious injuries.
Truck accidents are the top cause of severe traffic injuries and deaths across the United States. Occupants of other vehicles involved in a truck accident are most at risk for suffering severe or fatal injuries. If you or someone you love has been harmed in a truck accident, our Savannah truck accident lawyers have the resources and knowledge to successfully pursue your claim against insurance companies and big corporations.
What Are Different Types of Truck Accidents?
Large commercial trucks – also called semis, 18-wheelers, and big rigs – have the potential to be dangerous for everyone sharing the road. Because large trucks are taller and heavier, they require a higher level of concentration to operate safely. Unfortunately, when truck drivers and trucking companies are negligent, innocent drivers and their passengers are exposed to hazardous situations.
There are many different types of truck accidents, including:
- Blind spots: Truck drivers must contend with bigger blind spots than drivers of smaller vehicles. When truck drivers are unable to see other vehicles, it puts motorists at risk for getting crushed or forced off the road.
- Head-on collisions: Head-on collisions can be the most catastrophic kinds of crashes. When a large truck crashes head-on with a car that weighs significantly less, it inevitably leads to devastating injuries. These types of accidents are often due to a truck drivers’ fatigue, being under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or poor visibility.
- Jackknife accidents: Jackknife accidents can happen when a truck’s trailer swings out to form an acute angle with the cab. Jackknifing is often the result of a truck driver braking and turning too quickly and can cause the truck’s trailer to crash into other vehicles in oncoming traffic or cause a dangerous multiple-vehicle collision.
- Rear-end accidents: Rear-end accidents are common and known to cause injuries such as whiplash, when involving standard-sized vehicles. When a large commercial truck rear-ends a car, it can lead to much more serious injuries to the car’s occupants due to the truck’s size and weight.
- Rollover accidents: When truck drivers speed, brake suddenly, or take sharp turns, they can lose control of their large trucks. This can cause trucks to rollover and slide down the road, often dragging smaller vehicles down with them.
- T-bone accidents: These accidents occur when two vehicles crash perpendicularly. When a truck driver runs a red light or fails to obey other traffic laws, it leaves occupants of the smaller vehicle involved in the crash vulnerable to severe impact.
- Tire blowouts: Tire blowouts can cause truck drivers to completely lose control of their large vehicles. Truck tire blowouts can cause rollover accidents, flying road debris, and hazardous loosened loads.
- Underride accidents: Underride accidents occur when a passenger vehicle gets caught underneath the body of a large truck. While trucking companies are supposed to follow safety regulations, many of their vehicles have yet to be equipped with safety measures to prevent an underride accident.
What Are Common Causes of Truck Accidents?
Sometimes truck accidents happen for reasons out of anyone’s control, such as bad weather or poor road conditions. The majority of truck accidents, however, are preventable and the result of negligent truck drivers and other entities.
Some of the most common causes of truck accidents include:
- Crossing lanes: When a truck crosses over lanes, or off the road entirely, it is hazardous for all others on the road. Drifting over lanes often occurs when a truck driver is fatigued, distracted, or under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
- Driver performance: Despite regulations on the number of hours commercial truckers are allowed to drive, truck drivers still get behind the wheel while drowsy or impaired. This is a significant issue that leads to thousands of traffic accidents each year.
- Improper loading: Improper loading can cause heavy freight to fall off commercial trucks, putting nearby drivers at risk. Overweight 18-wheelers and big rigs can become unstable and cause many dangerous truck accidents and injuries.
- Inadequate truck maintenance: Parties in charge of safely maintaining large commercial trucks are required to do so on a routine basis. Otherwise, problems with brakes, tires, transmissions, and steering wheels can all contribute to catastrophic truck crashes. Defective truck components and faulty parts can also cause life-changing injuries.
- Speeding: Speeding is a top cause of all fatal traffic accidents, with truck accidents being no exception. Speeding truck drivers are more likely to lose control of their vehicles, and the ability to brake in time to avoid a serious accident.
What Are Common Types of Truck Accident Injuries?
Anyone involved in a truck accident is susceptible to a wide range of injuries. Truck accident injuries tend to be more severe than those resulting from a car accident.
The most common types of truck accident injuries include the following:
- Broken bones and fractures
- Burns
- Cuts and lacerations
- Head trauma
- Neck and back injuries
- Spinal cord damage
- Traumatic Brain Injuries
When a truck accident causes a tragic death, a dedicated attorney can help the victim’s family members recover compensation for their emotional suffering and financial losses through a wrongful death lawsuit.
What Should I Do If I Am Involved in a Truck Accident?
The first thing you should do after being involved in a truck accident is seek immediate medical attention. It is important to get documentation of the medical treatment you received, as well as copies of any police reports and eyewitness statements, and contact information of all parties involved in the accident.
The next essential step is to consult with an experienced truck accident lawyer. Both the claims process and legal procedure involved after a truck accident is typically complex and requires the expertise of a truck accident lawyer. Trucking industry regulations and specific laws, along with multiple other factors, can all play a part in your truck accident case. This makes truck accidents cases more complicated, often involving multiple defendants, but an experienced truck accident lawyer will be fully familiar with the evidence required to prove negligence and liability.
Savannah Truck Accident Lawyers at Childers & McCain, LLC Help Innocent Individuals and Families Harmed in a Truck Accident
If you or someone you love has been seriously injured in a truck accident, our dedicated Savannah truck accident lawyers at Childers & McCain, LLC are here to help. Our legal team prioritizes personal attention and compassionate while providing top-notch legal representation. We will fight to obtain the maximum compensation you deserve after being involved in a truck accident. To schedule a free initial consultation, call us at 478-254-2007 or fill out our online form. Conveniently located in Macon, Georgia, we also serve clients in Savannah, Albany, Atlanta, and throughout the state.
