Types of Truck Accidents
Truck accidents can have many different causes, but all of them can lead to catastrophic consequences if you are the victim. Given that the vast majority of fatal and serious injuries affect the occupants of passenger vehicles and not the truck, it is especially important to realize that many trucking accidents are caused by errors on the part of the driver.
You need a New Jersey trucking accident lawyer to assist you if you have recently suffered in an accident or lost a loved one in a preventable trucking incident.
Your truck accident lawyer should be dedicated to doing everything possible in full pursuit of a fair settlement or verdict award. While there are other types of trucking accidents such as those caused by defective vehicle parts or those caused by motorists themselves, the vast majority of trucking accidents are caused by negligence or careless behavior on the part of the driver. What follows are several of the most common types of trucking accidents in New Jersey. All of these highlight the importance of liability and negligence and require a personal injury attorney to file a claim promptly.
- Roll Overs
A truck can tip over onto its roof or side. The factors that can contribute to this include steep declines and inclines, excess speed, jackknifing or top heavy overloads.
- Underride or Rear End Collision
A truck requires more time than a traditional passenger vehicle to come to stop, and excess speed can lead to an accident in which another vehicle gets pinned underneath the tractor trailer.
- Side and Head Impact Accidents
Many big rig accidents occur on undivided, two-lane highways with severe injuries associated with side swipes or head on collisions.
- Tire Blowout
A truck's tires need to be carefully monitored by the driver and the trucking company to identify problems early on and have them properly treated by a mechanic. When a truck experiences a tire blowout, the driver can lose control of the vehicle with no opportunity to recover.
- Runaway Truck
If the brakes on a truck fail, the driver is unable to stop the vehicle. These catastrophic accidents can involve numerous vehicles.
- Cargo Loads
A truck's cargo needs to be properly secured and of appropriate size. If it is not, deadly objects can fall out of or off the truck leading to an accident. Overloaded trucks can also impact the center of gravity for a vehicle as well as the driver's ability to steer. This can end up in a roll-over accident.
If you or someone you know has been hurt in such an incident, you need help from a personal injury lawyer who has a track record of pursuing full and fair compensation for accident victims. Your attorney should be dispatched to the scene as soon as possible to gather the relevant evidence to prepare for your injury claim, be it a settlement or litigation. The right truck accident lawyer in New Jersey can significantly influence the money that you receive to support you moving on with your life.