Underride Crash
Car Accident LawyerGet a Free Consultation
Car Accident Lawyer
Underride Crash
Get a Free Consultation
What should you know about underride crashes?
In an underride accident, when the passenger vehicle collides with a semi-truck, it slides underneath the truck. This is due to the difference in height between the passenger car and 18 wheeler. The point of impact for the car is usually the hood or windshield. However, depending on the force of the collision the top of the vehicle can crush or sheer off. This is an extremely dangerous type of accident, causing serious injuries and fatalities.
What factors can cause underride accidents?
Truck driver errors
Any number of unsafe factors can lead to these types of accidents, including:
- Parking the truck in an unsafe spot, such as on an off ramp or highway curve
- Illegal U-turns
- Wide turns that don’t account for cars
- Blind spots when backing out of a parking lot or driveway
- Failure to use reflective triangles or hazard lights when the truck breaks down
Lack of proper vehicle maintenance
When a trucking company and driver fail to maintain a truck, it can result in malfunctioning brakes and brake lights. In addition, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires trucks to have rear impact guards, also called underride guards. Failure to install them properly or maintain them or not having the guard at all can cause accidents.
Defective truck parts
Some of the most common defective truck parts related to accidents include:
- Brakes
- Tires
- Steering systems
- Suspension
- Coupling or hitch systems
- Transmission or engines
When these parts are defective, it can lead to drivers making unpredictable movements, losing control or being unable to stop.
Improper cargo loading
A shifting cargo load can destabilize and become imbalanced when loading fails to distribute the cargo or secure it well. The truck’s center of gravity shifts. It might cause the truck driver to lose control or can result in a roll over. A passenger car following behind the truck or passing the side of the truck could collide into it, resulting in an underride accident. Cargo can also fall out of the truck.
Truck driver errors
Any number of unsafe factors can lead to these types of accidents, including:
- Parking the truck in an unsafe spot, such as on an off ramp or highway curve
- Illegal U-turns
- Wide turns that don’t account for cars
- Blind spots when backing out of a parking lot or driveway
- Failure to use reflective triangles or hazard lights when the truck breaks down
Lack of proper vehicle maintenance
When a trucking company and driver fail to maintain a truck, it can result in malfunctioning brakes and brake lights. In addition, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires trucks to have rear impact guards, also called underride guards. Failure to install them properly or maintain them or not having the guard at all can cause accidents.
Defective truck parts
Some of the most common defective truck parts related to accidents include:
- Truck brake lights
- Brakes
- Tires
- Steering systems
- Suspension
- Coupling or hitch systems
- Transmission or engines
Improper cargo loading
A shifting cargo load can destabilize and become imbalanced when loading fails to distribute the cargo or secure it well. The truck’s center of gravity shifts. It might cause the truck driver to lose control or can result in a roll over. A passenger car following behind the truck or passing the side of the truck could collide into it, resulting in an underride accident. Cargo can also fall out of the truck.
Who is liable in a underride accident?
Some studies find that as many as 14% to 25% of truck accidents result from blind spots. A truck driver is responsible for checking blind spots. In fact, failure to do so can result in an accident. Any truck driver error that caused an accident would make the driver liable for damages. Depending on the circumstances, the trucking company also has a legal responsibility. As would a manufacturer of defective parts that led to a crash.
The consequences of underride accidents are usually devastating. Parties responsible for causing the accident often have legal teams to help them fight claims or minimize the amount of compensation paid out.
Discuss your accident with an
Experienced Truck Accident Lawyer
The legal process is often complicated, and having an experienced truck accident lawyer can be vital. A truck accident attorney can deal with the challenges of your case while you recover from injuries. The same is true if you lost a loved one in an underride accident.
At the Law Office of Michael R. De La Paz, we take cases on a contingency basis. This means you owe no money out-of-pocket, and our payment is a percentage of the compensation recovered when we settle or win the case. Rest assured that we work hard and do everything possible to get you the compensation you deserve. Our years of experience handling these types of cases enables us to level the playing field against insurance companies.
Schedule a free consultation by calling (210) 225-HURT (4878) or toll free (800) 645-8553. Let us take the legal steps necessary to help you recover fair compensation.
Law Office of
Michael R. De La Paz
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The Law Office of Michael R. De La Paz has its principal office in San Antonio, Texas, however, we can represent your personal injury case no matter where you live in Texas, the U.S., or Mexico.
