A truck accident can be devastating and can lead to severe effects such as long-term injuries that could lead to disability and severe traumas. Such accidents can also lead to increased medical bills, affecting your income levels and financial challenges in the future. There are various aspects of truck accidents in St. Louis to figure out the following action to take should you be involved in any.
Understanding various aspects of truck accidents is necessary for you to take preventive measures to avoid being one of the victims of such accidents. The knowledge is also critical for you to understand the next action in case of an accident. It will also help you know some of the conditions to understand the rise in truck accidents in St. Louis.
Who is liable for a truck crash?
When you are involved in an accident with a truck, you need to establish who is liable for the damages. You also need to establish liabilities for the accidents that include underride or rear ends which occur when you knock the trailer from behind. The liability can fall on either party. The investigations can reveal something else. You need a lawyer who has experience investigating truck accidents to help you establish who is liable for the damages. You can learn more here about the benefits of having truck accident lawyers when you contact them.
Types of truck accidents
There are various types of truck accidents you need to understand. These accidents arise due to multiple issues and challenges. Here are some types of truck accidents:
Jackknife: This occurs when the trailer stops suddenly due to various causes such as tire locks, sudden braking of the trailer wheels, or electrical disconnection. When the trailer stops suddenly, the trick swings around and may cross from one lane to another. The truck can topple over and roll over other cars and block the road.
Construction zone: Trucks have challenges when breaking, especially when moving through dangerous and vulnerable areas such as construction zones. The conditions within the construction zones can affect the status of the road and cause the truck to over speed. Rollovers: Trucks are susceptible to rollovers due to height and the nature of their goods. They can easily roll over at sharp bends, road intersections, or turning.
Tire Blowouts: Due to the weight of the goods they carry, truck tires can easily blow, leading to sudden accidents. The tires can also blow out due to the distance these trucks cover, especially those that howl goods between states. The other accident is wide turns. Due to their heights, trucks require a wide area to turn around to avoid jackknifing. This can be a challenge at roundabouts or major turn intersections or when they have to cross to new lanes.
When trucks brake suddenly, smaller cars such as sedans can easily get underneath or knock them from behind. The trailer can then drag the car resulting in subsequent damage. Other truck accidents include unsecured cargo, head-on, and T-bone when the truck fails to brake and slams into other cars.
Causes of truck accidents in St. Louis
Various factors can lead to truck accidents commonly witnessed on the road. These factors include human error and driver illnesses, fatigue, poor judgment, and negligence. Other human factors include failure to observe traffic rules and the use of drugs while driving. The accidents can also occur due to the truck structure; the length can make it difficult to turn and cause accidents. The size can also cause jackknifing or braking difficulties.
Road users also need to understand that the trucks are prone to mechanical failures such as electrical failures on the trailer section, brake failures, tire bursts, and engine failure due to overheating and long-distance driving. Road status, traffic conditions, weather changes, overload, or poorly loaded trailers can also contribute to truck accidents. These factors should remind you to drive cautiously and be alert whenever you are close to a truck.
Who can be sued for truck accidents
After establishing that the truck is liable for the accidents and the leading cause, you need to understand the parties responsible for compensating the damages. The potential parties to sue to include the driver, truck and trailer owner, the company leasing or owning the truck and trailer, the truck manufacturers, and the loaders.
All these parties can be responsible for negligence. You cannot sue all of them once; you will have to select the person directly involved in the accident, who can be the driver, company, or truck owner. You cannot sue the loader or the manufacturers since that is the company’s duty or the truck owner to sue for the recovery.
The accident can lead to internal injuries, disability, increased medical bills, etc. Your car also suffers from trauma due to the nature of the accident. Therefore, you need a lawyer who will establish the damages, who is at fault, and hold them accountable and liable for the damages.
Conclusion
The lawyer will represent you in the negligence cases and ensure you receive maximum awards for the damages. Due to their experience, they can investigate the accident, help you increase the compensation, and advise you on how to approach the problem. You also need a lawyer to defend you in case of any lawsuit.