Wide Turns
Truck Accident Attorney Serving Massachusetts Residents
Injury victims who are involved in accidents with trucks that are making wide turns can experience devastating injuries, long-term disabilities, or even fatalities. Truck drivers and trucking companies are governed by strict regulations intended to ensure that drivers operate these massive vehicles safely, and do not overload their vehicles, engage in fatigued driving, or take other risks. However, some companies try to cut corners, fail to enforce these strict standards, or choose to look the other way for the sake of more profit. A compassionate Massachusetts truck accident lawyer at our firm has experience representing victims of collisions with tractor-trailers, which means we understand exactly how devastating this experience is for you and your loved ones. You deserve diligent legal counsel to assist you with this situation and to ensure that you are being treated fairly.
Trucks & Wide Turns
Driving a tractor-trailer or 18-wheeler safely and effectively takes quite a bit of training and experience. That is why most drivers of these vehicles have to obtain a commercial drivers’ license to show that they have obtained the appropriate training. Making a turn with these long, often heavy vehicles can be difficult because the driver usually has to swing much wider than a regular passenger vehicle or smaller sized truck does. If the truck driver fails to ensure that the roadway is clear before engaging in a wide turn, he or she may strike other motorists, bicyclists, or pedestrians when entering the intersection or area where the turn is being made.
In some instances, a truck driver engaging in a wide turn may have to enter the adjacent lane to travel through the intersection appropriately. This can crush the vehicle between the truck and the curb in what is referred to as a squeeze accident. In other cases, the truck can underride or override other vehicles in the vicinity. Underriding means the truck slides underneath another car, while an override accident involves the truck traveling over another vehicle. Blind spots play a huge role in wide turn accidents, because a truck driver cannot see whether these spots are clear of other vehicles or pedestrians.
Other causes of wide turn accidents include driver fatigue, distracted driving, and poor driver training. It is not uncommon for a truck driver to engage in lengthy 11-hour driving shifts or to become distracted behind the wheel with things like texting, surfing the web, eating, or adjusting the radio.
Seeking Compensation after a Truck Accident
A wide turn collision is a type of personal injury accident. In a legal case arising from this kind of crash, you will be required to show that the other driver failed to use adequate care and skill when operating the truck, similar to how a reasonable and prudent truck driver would have acted. You may also have a claim against a trucking company or employer who retained the driver for the driving services, assuming an employment relationship existed. Under the vicarious liability theory, employers are vicariously liable for the tortious acts that their employees commit during the course and scope of employment. Some of the state and federal regulations that govern trucking operations may help you show that the defendants did not act appropriately. A knowledgeable truck accident lawyer can help you ensure that you gather as much evidence as possible to support your claim.
You will also be asked to provide documentation supporting the amount of compensation that you are seeking in the lawsuit. There are different categories of damages that an injury victim in a truck accident is entitled to receive. This includes past and future estimated medical expenses, lost earnings, reduced earning capacity, and pain and suffering. In the unfortunate situation that someone loses their life in a truck accident, the decedent’s estate can bring a wrongful death claim to recover for expenses related to the crash as well as damages for the surviving loved ones’ loss of companionship, love, and support.
Meet with a Committed Truck Accident Lawyer in Massachusetts
If you or your loved one were injured in a truck accident in Massachusetts, you can speak to a personal injury attorney about asserting your right to compensation. We are available to serve clients in areas around Boston, Cambridge, Newton, Somerville, Waltham, Lowell, Quincy, Norwood, Brookline, Dedham, and Peabody. To schedule your appointment, call us as soon as possible at (800) 262-9200 or contact us online.
