Wide Turning Truck Accident Lawyer

Making a wide turn in a large commercial truck requires skill, training, and experience ─ something all truck drivers should have before operating such a large motor vehicle. Unfortunately, there are times when truck drivers make mistakes. They get distracted. They miscalculate distances. They get overconfident and forget to take the necessary precautions.

When truck drivers are negligent in making wide turns, those who are sharing the road with them pay the price. People in smaller passenger cars are often the ones who suffer most in wide-turn truck accidents. If you have been hurt in a crash with a negligent truck driver, you should not be forced to pay for their mistake.

Please contact The Law Offices of Hilda Sibrian™ now to learn about your legal right to compensation.

Causes of Wide-Turn Truck Accidents

A number of factors may contribute to a wide-turn truck accident. A few of the most common causes of these accidents include:

• The driver moves too far to the left before attempting a right turn: When truck drivers need to make a right turn, they have to move farther left so they have enough room to make that turn. Truckers must watch to make sure that there are not vehicles beside any portion of their truck before moving farther to the left so they can make the turn. When truck drivers fail to do this, they can crash into the vehicles beside them.
• The driver miscalculates the turn: Truck drivers must have knowledge about how much room they need to make the turn, as well as where outside objects are. When they miscalculate any of these factors, a crash is likely to ensue.
• The driver attempts a turn when there is not enough space: Truckers need a lot of room to make a turn, and sometimes they simply do not have the space. This is particularly true in busy cities such as Houston. When drivers do not have this space, they should find another route rather than trying to make the turn and causing an accident.
• The driver fails to check blind spots: A failure to check blind spots while making a wide turn can result in a crash.
• The driver fails to signal: All motorists are required to use their signals when turning so that other drivers can anticipate their movements. When trucks fail to use their turn signals, other motorists do not know to get out of the way, or do not expect the truck to turn when they do.
• The driver is under the influence of alcohol or drugs: It is a sad fact that truck drivers sometimes drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol. This causes issues with their perception, reaction time, and does not allow them to accurately calculate how much room they need to make a turn. It could also easily result in a failure to check their blind spots. All of these can cause an accident on the road.

If you have been hurt by a trucker making a dangerous wide turn, you need to learn about your legal rights. You may be able to recover compensation for your medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering and other damages. Contact a wide turning truck accident lawyer from our firm to learn how we can help with your case.

Types of Wide-Turn Truck Accidents

There are three main types of wide turns that trucks make, and all of them have the potential to be dangerous. These include:

• Left-hand turn accidents: When trucks have to make left-hand turns, the trailer they are transporting makes a wide swing to the right. Truck drivers who do not ensure the trailer has the space required to do this can cause an accident with smaller vehicles that are in the path of the turning trailer.
• Right-hand turn accidents: Truckers who make right-hand turns must veer out further into the left lane, or the space beside their truck. Truck drivers who do not check their blind spots, ensure they have enough room to make the turn, or otherwise fail to make sure the turn is safe can easily cause a crash that harms the individuals in the smaller vehicles beside them.
• U-turn accidents: U-turns are generally considered dangerous for any motorist on the road. Other drivers cannot predict this move, and the driver making the U-turn does not always see other drivers who are heading in the opposite direction. When truck drivers make these dangerous turns, it is extremely risky. In addition to the same dangers that passenger cars face when making U-turns, truck drivers can also cause a trailer to roll over or cause the truck to jackknife.

All drivers should remain extra vigilant when they see trucks making a turn, but truck drivers must practice the highest caution.

Pursuing Compensation for a Trucking Wide-Turn Collision

When truck drivers are negligent before, during, or after making a turn, and that negligence results in an accident, victims of the crash can hold them liable for paying compensation. In a personal injury claim, this compensation is known as damages, which refers to the losses the accident victim endured as a result of the crash. Some of the most common damages include:

• Medical expenses (past, current, and future)
• Wage loss
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress and mental anguish
• Permanent disability
• Permanent disfigurement
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Loss of earning capacity

After reviewing the facts of a specific case, a wide turning truck accident lawyer from our firm can advise on all of the damages available and the next steps for pursing compensation.

Need Legal Assistance? Contact The Law Offices of Hilda Sibrian™

If you or a loved one has been injured in a wide-turn truck accident, it is important that you speak to a Houston personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. At The Law Offices of Hilda Sibrian™, we know how to conduct a thorough investigation to determine liability for your crash, and we will fight for the full compensation you deserve.

Contact us so we can review your case free of charge and advise on your claim.