Trucks and 18-wheelers are crucial in society for ground shipping, ensuring shelves are stocked, and that people’s packages are delivered on time. However, due to their size and mass, they can be extremely dangerous and damaging if an accident takes place. Continue reading to learn about the types of truck accidents that most commonly occur and reach out to a San Mateo County, California truck accident lawyer to learn more about your legal options after a collision.
What Are the Most Commonly Occurring Types of Truck Accidents?
Any type of accident that can occur between two passenger vehicles can occur with a truck. With that being said, the most common types of accidents that involve a large truck or 18-wheeler include the following.
- Rollover, where excessive speeds, obstacles on the road, or sharp turns cause the truck to tip and fall over.
- Jackknife accidents when the trailer falls out of line behind the cab and swings out to one side or the other.
- Wide turns can cause collisions if a passenger vehicle attempts to pass or the trailer veers into neighboring lanes.
- T-bone accidents are serious and result from truckers or other drivers attempting to run a yellow or red light, causing a collision with the side of the other vehicle.
- Rear-end accidents are one of the most common types for all vehicles and occur when the car ahead brakes suddenly or the driver behind is not paying attention and hits the back of the car. This is common with trucks as they need greater distances to come to a complete stop than smaller cars.
- Head-on collisions are all too common and cause devastating damage, injuries, and even death.
- Tire blowouts can occur due to overinflation of the tire, underinflation, wear, heavy loads, etc., and will result in the driver losing control and being forced in different directions.
Any type of truck accident can be deadly due to the vehicle’s size but it can benefit you to understand what the most common types of accidents are as well as the different damages you can be awarded after a crash.
What Damages Can I Collect After a Truck Accident?
If you were injured in a truck accident as a truck driver, passenger vehicle driver, pedestrian, or other, you can take legal action to pursue compensation and damages for your injuries and expenses.
In general, any financial expense that you incur due to the accident can be covered. This includes medical costs like surgeries, hospital stays, medication, physical therapy, etc. as well as the cost to repair property damage, lost wages, and more. Noneconomic damages can also be considered. You can be reimbursed for pain and suffering, disability, loss of enjoyment of life, the development of mental disorders, and more depending on the details of your circumstances.
If you were injured in a truck accident it is important that you understand your rights and options. Work with an experienced attorney at the Law Offices of Allister R. Liao for skilled representation.
