Know The Major Types of Truck Accidents

Virginia (VA) Truck Accident Injury Lawyers
Offices in VA Beach, Hampton & Elizabeth City, NC

Trucks accidents differ from car accidents on a number of levels. Trucks are harder to maneuver. Trucks weigh more. Truck drivers are employees of trucking companies. All of these factors lead to serious injury, multi-vehicle accidents, and significantly higher rates of fatalities. It is important for all drivers to understand the different kinds and different causes of truck accidents and how they can be identified.

Truck jackknifing: Especially when trucks are empty, they can be prone to losing control due to bad weather, wind, or faulty equipment. When a truck loses control, it is not uncommon for the cab of the truck to fold in toward the trailer of the truck, much like the knife it is named after. Jackknifing causes the cab of the truck to face traffic in the wrong direction and can often take up multiple lanes of traffic. More technically, jackknifing occurs when the truck's drive axel brakes lock up, causing the truck driver to lose directional control of this vehicle. Some, but not all, jackknifing cases are due to truck driver negligence.

See also these related Virginia truck crash articles:
Faulty Brakes May Have Caused Fatal Truck Wreck

Firm Attorney Secures $3.5 Million Truck Accident Settlement

Truck blind spot accidents: Because of the size and length of 18-wheelers, they have large blind spots both behind them and to their sides. If either the truck driver or the drivers around them are not vigilant, blind spot errors such as changing lanes, making turns, and breaking too quickly can lead to serious injuries and deaths. Drivers of non-commercial vehicles can stay safe by giving truck more room and by knowing when their car or small truck is in a semi's blind spot. Truck drivers can prevent accidents by checking their mirrors often and by using their turn signals correctly.

Truck rollovers: Due to their weight distribution and build, big rigs roll very easily. Unlike with smaller vehicles, trucks do not have to be making sudden movements or traveling at dangerous speeds in order to flip - tractor trailers have been known to tip over going as slow as five miles per hour. Trucks are particularly prone to flipping over when going around curves and corners or when the road changes consistency. Watch for rollovers when trucks are re-entering a highway or interstate.

Truck break malfunctions and downhill break failure: Semis carry heavy loads and, because of this, need their breaks checked and changed much more often than lighter cars and motorcycles. Break malfunctions can occur whenever the breaks are overused or overheated - a full stop from 60 MPH causes truck breaks to reach a staggering 600 degrees. Anything over that temperature could lead to faulty breaks and serious accidents. Truck break failure most often occurs on long and steep inclines on mountain interstates and highways. Break failures and malfunctions increase when the trailers are carrying too much weight or when the truck's load is off balance or improperly packed.

About the Editors: Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton is a Virginia injury law firm whose attorneys focus on personal injury and accident law and have experience handling truck wreck cases. Check out our truck accident case results and our free consumer guide on what to do if you get involved in an accident with a commercial truck.

We have offices in Virginia Beach and Hampton, VA, but we're ready to come to you anywhere in Virginia, including Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Suffolk and Newport News, VA, if you've been seriously hurt by someone else's carelessness.

Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been named to the National Million Dollar Advocates Forum since 2009 and included among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. Jim and Rick have been named Virginia Super Lawyers for Personal Injury Law since 2010. Fewer than 5 percent of practicing lawyers receive this honor.

In addition, our VA injury law firm was the first in the commonwealth to join Primerus, a select group of highly ethical and respected law firms, and we have the highest rating of AV from Martindale-Hubbell, a national lawyer ranking organization. The rating indicates we have a reputation for preeminent legal skill.

While not every injury case meets our criteria, we offer a free initial confidential consultations. Call us toll free at (800) 752-0042. If you cannot get through due to high call volume, please leave a message so we can get back to you.

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Know The Major Types of Truck Accidents