A truck accident can cause a tremendous amount of destruction. Because large commercial trucks are so massive, it is very likely that accidents involving those vehicles will result in serious injuries to the occupants of ordinary motor vehicles like vans, sedans, SUVS, and even pickup trucks. Moreover, injuries victims of truck accidents suffer can be incredibly expensive to treat, and such treatment can often take a long time.
If you are injured in a truck accident and need legal assistance, look no further than our office. We have built up a knowledge base of how to handle truck accident cases by addressing the legal needs of countless plaintiffs injured in motor vehicle accidents of all kinds, so rest assured that your case will be in experienced, professional hands.
For a free review of your claim by our truck accident attorneys, call The Martello Law Firm at (914) 685-6950.
Types of Truck Accidents in Spring Valley, NY
Truck accidents can happen in a lot of different ways. While it may appear that spending time classifying the type of truck accident you were injured in is not helpful to your case, the opposite is actually true. Our truck accident lawyers can get a lot of information that helps your case by simply figuring out what kind of truck accident you experienced. First, we can get a better idea of what exactly caused your truck accident. This is important because you can only successfully sue parties that caused your injuries. So, for example, if you sue a trucker when the accident was actually caused by a mechanical failure, your lawsuit will not be as effective as it would be if you included the relevant manufacturer in your claim. Second, it paints a clearer picture of the accident in your legal argument, which makes your case hold more merit in the eyes of the judge and jury.
Head-On Collisions
Head-on collisions involve two vehicles moving toward each other and colliding. On one hand, many vehicles have safety features tailored specifically to frontal impacts. On the other, head-on collisions still often cause serious injuries because the driver is very likely to suffer a direct impact, and, in the case of truck accidents, the mass of an oncoming big-rig vehicle can simply overpower the capabilities of any safety feature built into a regular motor vehicle.
Fishtail Accidents
When an articulated vehicle’s rear section begins moving from side to side in a way that is not in full control of the driver, it is known as “fishtailing” because the movement resembles a fish’s tailfin moving back and forth. Fishtailing can lead to accidents because the rear wheels have lost traction with the road, making it hard to predict where the fishtailing vehicle is going to move. As a result, a fishtailing truck may suddenly strike another vehicle and seriously injure its occupants.
Jackknife Accidents
A jackknife accident is when an articulated truck folds in on itself at the linking point as if it were a pocket knife. These accidents can cause extremely serious crashes, as a jackknifing truck is likely to hit multiple vehicles as it careens down the road. In severe cases, the trailer may even separate from the cab at the point of linkage and start hurdling down the road of its own accord.
Underride Accidents
An underride accident occurs when a vehicle collides with a truck and partially slides under its trailer. These accidents are some of the worst kinds of truck accidents because they often bypass safety features by impacting the windshield of the smaller vehicle, resulting in occupants being directly hit by the truck trailer. In fact, underride accidents are often fatal.
Because underride accidents are so dangerous, safety features have been built into some trucks to combat them. Namely, many trucks have “Mansfield bars” attached that are meant to prevent a vehicle from sliding underneath the trailer. However, not all trucks will have this safety feature and the trucks that do often only have bars on the rear of the trailer, so an underride accident is still possible on the sides of the truck.
Damages in Spring Valley, NY Truck Accident Lawsuits
Your objective when you try to sue for a truck accident in court is to get damages to cover the effects of the accident. Damages are the way that courts try to put the plaintiff in as close a position as possible to where they were before they got injured. Of course, the nature of a plaintiff’s injuries may make it so that literally doing that is impossible, so financial compensation is used as a substitute.
First, you can get damages for things that have obvious economic value. This includes medical expenses, lost wages, lost opportunities to earn future income, and property damage, like a totaled car.
Second, you can be awarded damages for things that do not have bills, receipts, or other things to prove their value. For example, you can be awarded financial compensation for the pain and suffering, mental anguish, and emotional distress you experienced as a result of your truck accident. Because there is not a piece of paper you can point to that shows the value of these things, you will have to prove their worth with the help of our truck accident lawyers.
Finally, you may be able to get punitive damages in some circumstances. Punitive damages are awarded when the defendant does something particularly egregious and the court believes it is worth punishing them financially. However, courts will not always give out these damages, so you should discuss whether seeking them makes sense in your case with our attorneys.
Talk to Our Spring Valley, NY Truck Accident Lawyers Today
The Martello Law Firm’s truck accident lawyers can be reached at (914) 685-6950 for free case reviews.
