Truck Driver Negligence Cause Colorado Jackknife Accidents

Truck Driver Negligence

Written by Jeremy D. Earle, JD

March 13, 2023

Semi-truck jackknife accidents are caused by a variety of factors

During the year 2012, over 100,000 individuals were injured in accidents involving heavy cars. While semi-trucks and other big commercial vehicles are important to our economy, they also offer a major danger of catastrophic harm to other drivers.

Jackknife collisions are among the most deadly types of semi-truck collisions, often inflicting extensive damage to other cars as well as major physical harm to car passengers. In many instances, these injuries result in significant medical bills and prevent patients from working for months or even years.

Anyone who has been wounded in a semi-truck jackknife accident should speak with an experienced Colorado Springs truck accident lawyer as soon as possible.

An 18-wheeler jackknifed and collided with your or a loved one’s car. You’re now dealing with the fallout after a major truck collision. Even worse, you may be gravely hurt and unable to work for weeks, months, or even longer.

It might be difficult to know what to do in such a circumstance. You may be under pressure from insurance firms to accept a settlement offer. It’s possible that the trucking firm for whom the driver works may not answer your calls. And all you want to do now is get back on your feet or cope with the consequences of a loved one’s injury.

Don’t feel rushed into making vital choices in the aftermath of your accident. To discover more about your legal options, contact an experienced truck accident lawyer, John R. Solis, Attorney at Law, as soon as possible. We can assist you every step of the way after your accident.

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What is the definition of a jackknife accident?

In a jackknife truck accident, the trailer part of a tractor-trailer folds in at a 90-degree angle toward the cab, producing the shape of a folding pocketknife. This happens when a semi-cab truck’s slides and the trailer pushes it from behind. The V-shaped gap between the truck and the trailer might crush smaller cars.

What causes jackknifing in trucks?

Poorly maintained brakes, driving too quickly for the circumstances (e.g., in the rain), or an uneven load may all cause jackknifing. Jackknifing may happen in any case when a truck driver slams on the brakes, such as when the truck is following at a hazardous distance, or when the driver is distracted or falls asleep at the wheel for a small period of time.

What is the best way to stop a jackknife?

By gently rotating the steering wheel in the direction of the skid, an experienced and alert truck driver may be able to pull out of a jackknife. A trucker who is not trained or experienced in dealing with this circumstance, or who is weary, preoccupied, or under the influence of drugs or alcohol, may panic or overcorrect, resulting in a crash.

Is a jackknife accident the fault of the trucking company?

A trucking business may be held accountable for a jackknife accident if the accident was caused by the firm’s carelessness. For example, the trucking business may have recruited an unskilled driver on purpose or neglected to maintain the truck’s brakes correctly.

Alternatively, the trucking business may have exerted pressure on the driver to work through rest times, forcing the driver to fall asleep at the wheel and cause a collision.

How might a jackknife accident lawyer assist you?

In a jackknife accident lawsuit, proving negligence is a fact-intensive procedure that requires a comprehensive investigation. To establish carelessness, an attorney may examine the truck’s “black box data,” get the trucking company’s employment and supervision records, interview witnesses, and examine physical evidence from the collision site. An attorney can also fight for the full amount of monetary compensation to which you are lawfully entitled.

Often, these accidentss are exceedingly catastrophic, and even deaths might occur. Following a jackknife truck accident, you and your family may face a number of complicated legal challenges, including:

The truck driver claims he had nothing to do with your collision.

The truck driver accuses you or someone else of being to responsible for the accident.

Following the accident, the trucking firm refuses to disclose records and other crucial documentation.

The insurance company for the truck driver presses you to accept a low-ball settlement offer.

Your jackknife truck accident claim is denied by the insurance company.

The official police accident record includes information regarding your accident that is incorrect.

After a jackknife truck accident, you have a slew of legal concerns to deal with. One of them should not be choosing the correct lawyer to defend you.

What exactly is a jackknife accident, and how does it happen?

When a truck’s trailer swings out from behind the cab, like the movement of a folding knife, a jackknife accident occurs. While some jackknife accidents are inevitable, truck driver irresponsibility may cause one in a variety of ways. The following are a few of the most common:

Speeding

When a truck accelerates around a corner, the trailer is more likely to jackknife.

Sudden braking

When a truck driver abruptly applies the brakes, the wheels may lock up. A jackknife accident may occur as a consequence of this.

Ignoring inclement weather

Inclement weather, such as rain, snow, or ice, may have a significant influence on road conditions. If a truck driver fails to account for these factors, his or her car may easily slide, resulting in a jackknife catastrophe.

Improper cargo loading and securement

When a truck driver fails to correctly load or secure his or her goods, it may lead to balance concerns, increasing the risk of a jackknife disaster.

Following a jackknife accident, your attorney will undertake a detailed investigation into how the accident happened in order to unearth any evidence of carelessness. It’s vital for victims to remember that the Colorado tort statute of limitations stipulates that personal injury claims must be filed within a particular timeframe, so any delay might damage your ability to sue.

What types of injuries may jackknife accidents cause?

Jackknife accidents, like other motor car accidents, may result in significant injuries that can lead to long-term medical issues. The most prevalent ones are listed below.

Spinal cord injuries (SCIs)

SCIs are caused by physical injury to the spinal cord, which may affect a person’s sensory, motor, or autonomic function. They may be total, in which case the sufferer loses all function below the site of damage, or partial, in which case the victim retains some function and sensation below the site of injury.

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)

A traumatic brain injury, often known as a TBI, occurs when a mechanical impact to the head causes a disturbance in normal brain function. While some TBIs heal on their own and need minimal medical attention, others may necessitate major surgery and rehabilitation. Victims in the most severe instances may be unable to care for themselves or do basic duties.

Bone fractures – A bone fracture occurs when enough force or pressure is applied to induce a break in the bone’s continuity. They may be excruciatingly painful, need major surgery to cure, and if the bone fails to mend properly, they can result in unattractive scars and mobility issues.

Accidents with a jackknife do a lot of damage.

These and other injuries may result in medical expenditures in the hundreds of thousands of dollars and the inability to work for victims of jackknife accidents. Furthermore, accident victims may suffer considerable property damage to their cars, putting them deeper into debt.

Jackknife injuries also keep individuals in the hospital for lengthy periods of time, preventing them from working and causing them to lose money that they badly need to pay off other debts. The injuries sustained in a semi-truck collision may have long-term consequences that affect a person’s capacity to work or just live a regular life.

A semi-truck jackknife accident may also result in a variety of non-economic consequences. A serious jackknife accident injury is certain to cause pain and suffering. When these injuries occur in an accident, they may cause immediate and severe agony, as well as chronic discomfort that lasts the rest of a person’s life.

There’s also the psychological trauma that comes with a serious jackknife accident injury, which causes pain and suffering. People who have been in a semi-truck collision have been known to acquire a variety of psychiatric illnesses, including post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression.

To book a free consultation with a Colorado Springs truck accident lawyer, call now.

Warrior Truck Accident Lawyers’ skilled personal injury lawyers are committed to assisting those who have been wounded in truck accidents in obtaining financial security via the civil court system. We handle all of our personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis, which means that we don’t get paid until we get our clients a settlement or award. Call our office immediately at 719-300-1100 or fill out an online contact form to book a free consultation with one of our lawyers.

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