What Makes 18-Wheeler Truck Accidents Dangerous?
Since commercial trucks are much heavier and larger, they are more challenging to operate than traditional vehicles. With the massive force involved in such a collision, they can also produce fatal injuries.
The truck’s size and weight will impact the extent of the damages caused in a collision. Other factors like loose cargo, hazardous materials, or a truck driver’s failure to maintain sufficient stopping distance can also affect the outcome of an accident.
Big rig trucks can lead to unique types of accidents as well, such as jackknife accidents, where the truck’s trailer swings around in front of the truck, sweeping across multiple lanes of traffic.
Who’s At Fault in an 18-Wheeler Truck Accident?
There are multiple parties who could share blame after you have been involved in an 18-wheeler truck accident. How your accident occurred determines who is to blame. Here are some of the parties frequently sued for truck accident damages based on the cause of the accident:
- When negligent or careless operation of an 18-wheeler contributes to your accident, you might be able to sue the negligent truck driver, the trucking company, dram shops, social hosts, and other third parties
- When defective or malfunctioning tractor-trailers cause your accident, you could sue safety inspectors, maintenance technicians, the owner of the 18-wheeler, the trucking company, auto parts designers and manufacturers, and others
- When hazardous conditions on the roads cause your collision, you might have the right to sue the city of Odessa, the Texas Department of Transportation, other government authorities, construction workers, contractors and subcontractors, safety inspectors, and other parties
