Common Types of Truck Accidents in Virginia Beach
It is estimated that truck drivers drive 140 billion miles each year, and a single semi-truck travels an average of 45,000 miles per year. Many tractor-trailers go many more miles than the average.
In Virginia, commercial trucks are a constant presence on the major roads and highways. While these vehicles are a vital part of the economy, they also pose a serious threat to the safety of others on the road. If a commercial truck – which can weigh up to 80,000 pounds – collides with a car, truck, motorcycle, cyclist, or pedestrian, the resulting injuries could be catastrophic or life-threatening.
Negligence on the part of the truck driver, the company that hired them, or another party involved in the maintenance or loading part of the shipping process causes a significant number of accidents each year. Determining fault can be challenging, however, since the cause of the accident is not always immediately apparent. Rigorous investigation may be required to determine who bears responsibility for the crash.
The attorneys at Ruloff, Swain, Haddad, Morecock, Talbert & Woodward, P.C. represent people who’ve been hurt in commercial truck collisions in Virginia Beach and surrounding areas. Call us or contact us online to schedule a free consultation today.
Types of Truck Accidents in Virginia Beach
Some of the most common causes of these devastating accidents include:
- T-Bone Accidents – These accidents occur when a truck collides with the side of a vehicle. T-bone collisions almost always occur at intersections, and usually are due to a driver ignoring a traffic light or stop sign.
- Jackknife Accidents – A tractor-trailer jackknifes when the truck skids and the trailer swings out at a 90-degree angle similar to the way a jackknife folds.
- Head-On Collisions – When a commercial truck strikes another vehicle in a head-to-head collision, the chances of fatal injuries are greatly increased.
- Rollover Accidents – Some commercial trucks are at risk of rolling on to their sides in certain collisions or possibly even turning over completely, potentially crushing another vehicle.
- Lost Load Accidents – When cargo is not properly secured on a trailer, it is at risk of possibly falling off the vehicle and onto other vehicles or into the road and causing other crashes.
- Tire Blowouts – Commercial trucks can lose control and be involved in accidents when a tire blows out, possibly because of failure to maintain the tires or defective tires.
- Underride and Override Accidents – An override crash occurs when a commercial truck runs over another vehicle, and an underride collision involves another vehicle sliding underneath a trailer.
- Wide Turn Accidents – Commercial trucks often need much more room to complete right turns, and their need to swing out more to the left can lead to collisions.
- Rear-End Accidents – While some rear-end collisions with passenger vehicles may be minor fender benders, commercial trucks often have far greater weight and force that can cause serious injuries.
- Blind Spot Accidents – Truck drivers have large blind spots, and crashes can result from truck drivers not adequately checking their blind spots before lane changes or turns.
Some of the different kinds of trucks involved in these kinds of collisions could include:
- Tractor-Trailers
- Dump Trucks
- Box Trucks
- Delivery Vans
- Tow Trucks
- Garbage Trucks
- Flatbed Trucks
- Tanker Trucks
Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Virginia Beach
Commercial truck crashes could stem from many different kinds of causes. Some of the most common causes include:
- Blind Spots
- Inclement Weather
- Unsafe Passing.
- Poor Road Conditions
- Driver Negligence
- Road Construction
- Other Drivers
- Inadequate Driver Training
- Failure to Maintain Vehicle
- Overloaded Vehicles
- Unfamiliarity with Roads
- Defective Parts
The variety of possible causes underscores the importance of an independent investigation of your accident. Ruloff, Swain, Haddad, Morecock, Talbert & Woodward, P.C. can launch an investigation as soon as you contact us.
What to Do If You’re in a Truck Accident
If a truck crash happens to you, be sure to follow these steps:
- Seek medical attention. When called to the scene, EMS will immediately transport severely injured people to the hospital for emergency treatment, and they can treat minor injuries at the scene. Even if you aren’t taken to a hospital right away, be sure to get a thorough checkup and diagnosis from a doctor as soon as possible. Keep in mind that some injuries might have delayed symptoms but could cause serious problems if left untreated.
- Contact the police. Although the immediate aftermath of a crash can be a confusing time, be sure to dial 911 and make sure that law enforcement is notified and responds to the scene. They can redirect traffic, secure the scene, make sure emergency services treat victims, and conduct a preliminary investigation into the cause of the crash. The police report the officer generates could include important information.
- Contact an attorney. If you need to file a personal injury claim for the harm you’ve suffered and damage to your property, you’ll need a lawyer with experience handling truck accident claims. Because the parties you’re up against (the trucking company, the insurance company, and their team of lawyers) have experience fighting back against injury claims, you need a lawyer to stand up for your rights.
- Don’t give any statements without your lawyer. If an insurance adjuster asks you to give a recorded statement, politely decline and refer them to your lawyer. Don’t let them trick you into saying something they can use against you.
- Follow your doctor’s orders. Refusing to follow the instructions of your doctor could not only worsen your injuries, it could diminish your injury claim. Be sure to follow their instructions to protect your right to compensation
- Stay off of social media. One of the easiest ways to jeopardize your case is to overshare on social media after an accident. The insurance company will scour social media for evidence that you are not as hurt as your claim states, so don’t give them any reason to question the validity of your case by posting photos or videos or making statements that might be taken out of context.
How Can Ruloff, Swain, Haddad, Morecock, Talbert & Woodward, P.C. Help Me?
Ruloff, Swain, Haddad, Morecock, Talbert & Woodward, P.C. is a law firm dedicated to seeking justice for people who’ve been hurt in truck wrecks. We represent injured people just like you, not the big trucking companies or their powerful insurers. We’ll fight aggressively for every dollar of compensation you’re owed, because we know that your road to recovery could be a long and challenging one without it.
We’ll be ready to review your case when you call us or contact us online to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation.