If you’re facing serious injuries in or Texas due to another person’s or corporation’s negligence, recklessness, dangerous actions, car or truck accident, or faulty products, it’s crucial to get legal representation from Dunham & Jones, the Trusted Texas Personal Injury Attorneys. Dunham & Jones can help you recover compensation for medical costs, income losses, pain, suffering, and other damages through a meticulously crafted personal injury or wrongful death claim in Texas. Call 888-222-9746 now for your free injury case review and discuss your case in detail.
Texas Truck Underride Accident Lawyer
It seems that almost every week, there is a newspaper article or television news story about a traffic accident involving a tractor-trailer rig and an automobile where the automobile struck the rear of the trailer, killing everyone in the automobile. These accidents, called “underride accidents,” are among the most horrific scenes first responders such as law enforcement and EMS personnel will encounter during their careers. If you or a loved one have been involved in such a crash, our Texas truck underride accident lawyer can help.
Understanding Underride Accidents
Underride accidents almost always involve the tearing away of the roof of the striking vehicle. As the roof is sheared away, the driver and any passengers receive such devastating injuries that it is common for no one to survive the accident. Many times, the victims in underride accidents are members of the same family. Traffic accident research has shown that the most common location for underride accidents is on an Interstate Highway and in areas where a tractor-trailer rig is moving more slowly than other traffic, such as on and off-ramps at rest areas and near truck stops.
Causes of Underride Accidents
There are a number of situations that can occur in these locations that have led to underride accidents, such as:
- Sudden Braking
- Unsafe or Improper Turns
- Improper Maintenance:
There are also other locations that, although they are not near on and off-ramps, are likely to be the scenes of underride accidents. These areas include:
- Highway Upgrades: Stretches of highway containing upgrades that cause a tractor-trailer to slow down while climbing.
- Fogbound Areas: Areas that are known to become fogbound under certain weather conditions.
- Highway Construction Zones: Zones with abrupt lane shifts and/or lane narrowing.
Despite these high-risk areas and possible contributing factors, accident research has shown that the most common cause of an underride accident is the driver of the striking vehicle not being aware that the tractor-trailer rig was about to make an abrupt lane change or was moving considerably slower than the rest of the traffic flow.
Call Dunham & Jones today at 888-222-9746 to schedule a free consultation with a Texas Truck Underride Accident lawyer. Truck Underride Accident cases need an experienced injury law firm such as Dunham & Jones. Dunham & Jones was established in 1989 and is dedicated to helping it’s clients get the best results.
Get Legal Help for YourUnderride Accident
If human error played a factor in the crash, our Texas distracted truck driver accident attorney is ready to take on your case. We can help you by:
- Investigating the Accident
- Collecting Evidence
- Navigating Insurance Claims
- Pursuing Legal Action
It is evident that many underride accidents could have been prevented if proper precautions had been taken by tractor-trailer drivers. Here are several ways these tragic accidents could have been avoided:
- Proper use of flashing warning lights to alert other drivers. Tractor-trailer drivers should use their flashing warning lights to alert other drivers when they have reduced speed. This simple action can give other motorists ample warning to slow down or change lanes, preventing a potential underride accident.
- Moving to the Right Lane or Emergency Lane. Drivers should move into the right lane or even the emergency lane when slowing down. This reduces the likelihood of being rear-ended by faster-moving vehicles and minimizes the risk of an underride accident.
- Addressing Vehicle Malfunctions Promptly. Responding to Malfunctioning Signals or Brake Lights: Drivers should pull off the road as soon as they become aware that their turn signals or brake lights have malfunctioned. Operating a vehicle with faulty signals or brake lights greatly increases the risk of an accident.
- Increased Caution When Changing Lanes. Drivers should exercise a greater degree of caution when changing lanes, especially if their vehicle is experiencing any mechanical issues. Proper signaling and ensuring that the lane is clear before making a move can prevent many accidents.
- Regular maintenance checks to ensure that all lights, signals, and brakes are functioning properly can prevent many of these accidents. Trucking companies should enforce strict maintenance schedules to minimize the risk of mechanical failures on the road.
Call a Texas Truck Underride Accident Lawyer at Dunham & Jones, Attorneys at Law
Many underride accidents could have been prevented if the company that owned the truck had performed proper maintenance, if the driver had been more careful in his driving, or if the driver had taken the proper actions when encountering adverse weather or road conditions. If you have been involved in an underride truck accident or have lost a family member in such an accident, you should call the Texas truck accident lawyers at Dunham & Jones, Attorneys at Law at 888-222-9746, to learn if your accident may have been preventable. Our experienced truck accident injury lawyers can help determine if your accident might result in a claim against the driver, the driver’s employer, or both.
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