Underride and Side-Impact Truck Collisions: Why These Cases Turn Severe Fast and What Victims Should Document
Truck accidents always have the potential to be dangerous, but underride and side-impact crashes are particularly devastating. These crashes involve a standard passenger vehicle colliding with the back or side of a much larger truck, and the force of that impact can cause catastrophic or fatal injuries. Rather than the front or side of the car absorbing the impact, the upper part of the vehicle may slide under the truck and crush the vehicle occupants. In the aftermath of one of these accidents, families are left dealing with medical care, insurance calls, damaged or totaled vehicles, and uncertainty about what comes next. That’s when it’s important to bring in a truck accident attorney who can advocate for you.
The team at the Law Offices of Robin D. Perry & Associates has helped many California clients fight for fair compensation after a truck accident. With his focus on auto and pedestrian accidents, attorney Salvador Sanchez is committed to helping victims hold negligent truck drivers accountable. To discuss your case with our California truck accident law firm, call us at 562-216-2944.
Common Causes of Underride and Side-Impact Truck Collisions
There are several factors that can contribute to underride and side-impact accidents. Accidents may happen when a truck stops abruptly in traffic, and a rear driver cannot stop in time. Other accidents occur when a truck changes lanes without noticing a vehicle in their blind spot, makes a wide turn when a vehicle is on their driver’s side, merges unsafely, or stops on the shoulder without making sure they are visible to other drivers.
Driver behavior often plays a role in these collisions, so your truck accident lawyer will likely look at evidence of the truck driver’s actions immediately prior to the collision. Drivers who are speeding, distracted, fatigued, or generally reckless can play a role in serious truck accidents.
However, there are parties beyond the drivers who may be liable for the accident. Poor maintenance, unsafe loading, and inadequate company safety practices may all play a part.
Outside forces may also cause or worsen collisions. Fog, heavy rain, poor lighting, and limited visibility can all make it much harder to avoid these accidents.
Truck Equipment and Safety Features That May Matter
Truck equipment can be a key issue in these types of accidents. Many features aim to make trucks as visible as possible, including reflective tape, obvious brake lights, bright hazard lights, and side lighting. Rear underride guards are required on most tractor-trailers and semi-trucks, but side guards are not yet mandated. Numerous safety organizations, including the Truck Safety Coalition, have called for federal requirements for front and side underride guards.
A lack of important safety features or safety features that are not working can cause serious accidents. If a truck’s lights aren’t working, other drivers may not know that they are braking or stopped. By the time they realize, it may be too late. Reflective tape that is damaged or dirty can leave a truck nearly impossible to see at night. A rear underride guard that is defective or damaged may fail to protect the occupants of a smaller rear vehicle.
Injuries in Severe Accidents
These are some of the most serious types of truck accidents, so injuries vary widely. Victims may suffer traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, amputations, crush injuries, internal bleeding, burns, and deep lacerations. In some cases, these crashes are fatal.
Because proving the extent of injuries can be challenging, it’s important to provide medical reports, diagnostic scans, and medical bills to your truck accident attorney.
Evidence the Trucking Company May Have
In addition to the evidence you may use in any other vehicle crash—photos, crash reports, dashcam footage, and witness reports—truck accidents often have additional forms of evidence. Electronic logging devices, cab camera footage, inspection reports, maintenance records, dispatch communications, and load documents can all help your truck accident lawyer piece together what happened and who is at fault.
Choose the Law Offices of Robin D. Perry & Associates for Your California Truck Crash Claim
If you or someone you love has been injured in an underride or side-impact truck accident, our truck accident law firm is here to support you as you seek justice. Call us at 562-216-2944 or contact us online to learn more about your next steps.
Attorney Robin D. Perry has been part of the Long Beach Community for over 25 years handling business litigation, employment litigation and advising, criminal defense, personal injury and code enforcement defense for businesses.
