While any type of commercial truck can be dangerous if certain factors are present, one type of truck presents an increased risk of catastrophic injuries in the event of a crash. Flatbed trucks can cause of a variety of different types of crashes. If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident with a flatbed truck, contact a Virginia truck accident attorney to find out what legal options you may have.
Flatbed Truck Cargo
The larger and heavier a vehicle is, the more time and more distance it will take for that vehicle to slow down or come to a complete stop when the brakes are used. Since flatbed trucks have nothing enclosing the trailer – no walls or ceiling – they are often piled up with heavy and oversized pieces of cargo. If you drive down the highway, you will often see flatbed trucks hauling large pieces of equipment or machinery, motor vehicles, and huge loads of lumber and other building materials. Flatbeds are even used to transport houses.
But hauling heavy cargo also creates challenging and dangerous situations for truck drivers, especially when it comes to slowing or stopping the flatbed. If a driver does not have a lot of experience operating a flatbed style truck, or has not been properly trained, they may not allow enough time or distance to stop or slow down the vehicle. The outcome can be devastating, resulting in override accidents or rear-end crashes.
Hauling heavy cargo also increases the risk that the coupling that connects the trailer to the cab of the truck can fail. If this happens, the trailer can swing perpendicular to the cab and the road. This is referred to as a jackknife accident. As the trailer swings out, it can crash into many vehicles that are in its path. There is also a high risk of the truck driver losing control of the vehicle. Imagine a runaway truck and the devastating damage it can cause.
The injuries in crash victims can suffer in a flatbed truck accident are often catastrophic, if not fatal. Some of the more common injuries include brain injuries, burns, dismemberment, spinal injuries, and more.
There is also a high risk of falling cargo from flatbed trucks because there is nothing surrounding the load that contains it and prevents the load from falling onto the roadway or onto other vehicles should the load become loose, especially if the load has not been properly secured. If the truck driver is forced to suddenly brake or begins a quick acceleration, this can cause the load of cargo to shift and fall off the truck and onto the road. A sharp turn can also cause the cargo to fall off the truck and onto a nearby vehicle or on the road in the path of an oncoming car.
Any of these scenarios can end up causing horrific injuries to one or multiple vehicles and victims. Victims of truck accidents can pursue a truck accident lawsuit to obtain compensation for the terrible losses that truck accident injuries often cause in the victim’s life. If the victim does not survive their injuries, then their family can pursue a wrongful death lawsuit against those parties responsible for the crash and death of their loved one.
Contact a Virginia Truck Accident Attorney for Help
If you have been injured in any type of truck accident, contact a Virginia truck accident attorney to discuss what legal recourse you may have. Truck accident cases can be complex, and it is not uncommon for there to be multiple at-fault parties who are responsible for the payment of financial damages you may be entitled to for your injuries.
The legal team at Shapiro, Appleton & Washburn has successfully represented many injured victims and their families and we are happy to meet with you and offer legal guidance on what the best options may be for your circumstances. Call our office today to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation.
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