Monterey Truck Accident Lawyers

Types of Truck Accidents

Most truck accidents can be divided into a few main categories, as described below:

• Head-on collisions are the most destructive type of accident because two vehicles colliding at 60 mph is like one vehicle hitting a tree at 120 mph. Most such accidents involve fatalities.
• Rear-end accidents occur because heavy trucks have long stopping distances and because many truckers like to “tailgate” the drivers ahead of them. A truck can ride over the top of an automobile this way.
• An underride accident occurs when a vehicle with a low center of gravity rear-ends a larger vehicle and keeps going. The rear vehicle ends up under the front vehicle.
• A jackknife accident occurs when a truck’s trailer swings perpendicular to its cab. A jackknife accident can block off an entire highway and cause accidents in other lanes.
• A rollover accident occurs when the truck capsizes. A truck in a rollover accident can crush nearby vehicles.

If someone dies in a truck accident, it is appropriate to file a wrongful death claim, not a personal injury claim.

Common Causes of Truck Accidents

It is possible to identify hundreds of conditions or events that have caused truck accidents at one point or another. Most, however, can be grouped into a few distinct categories:

• A substance abuse accident occurs when a driver uses alcohol, amphetamines, a prescription drug, or another substance that affects driving ability.
• A driver fatigue accident occurs when a driver dozes off or falls asleep at the wheel. Truckers often work long hours, and nothing is more dangerous than a big rig truck with a sleeping driver at the wheel.
• Overloaded cargo can result in a high center of gravity and a rollover accident. Rollover accidents combined with cargo spills often result in massive vehicle pileups.
• A tire blowout can cause an accident. A blowout may or may not be the driver’s fault, depending on whether the tire was defective and who was responsible for truck maintenance.
• A speeding accident occurs when a trucker with a busy schedule exceeds the posted speed limit or drives too fast for the conditions. The driver may then lose control of the truck, resulting in an accident.

In many cases, you can trace the cause of an accident to the violation of trucking regulations.

Truck Accident Common Injuries

Truck accident injuries tend to be serious, and the death rate is very high. Following are some of the most common types of injuries caused by truck accidents:

• Back and neck injuries can be difficult to prove if they are less serious, and they can be debilitating if they are more serious.
• Spinal cord injuries frequently cause lifelong paralysis.
•  Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can result in lifelong disability and difficult-to-predict medical expenses.
• Internal injuries are difficult to detect and treat.
• Broken bones occur frequently in truck accidents because of the overwhelming momentum of a speeding truck.

Seek medical attention immediately after a truck accident, even if you do not believe you were injured. Some injuries take time to manifest symptoms, and any delay in seeking medical attention could jeopardize your claim.

Time Is Your Enemy Unless You Act Decisively

The Monterey truck accident attorneys at Silva Injury Law, Inc. are compassionate toward our clients and tough on opponents who think they can take advantage of them. Our history of success in litigation convinces most insurance companies to settle out of court.

Our experienced legal team also handles other types of injury cases, including:

• Auto Vehicle Accident
• Motorcycle Accident
• Dog Attack
• Premises Liability
• Sexual Harassment
• Wrongful Death
• Pedestrian Accident
• Drunk Driving Accident
• Distracted Driving Accident
• Bicycle Accident

Contact our Monterey truck accident attorney today to schedule a free case consultation by calling or by contacting us online.