When a passenger vehicle is involved in a crash with an 18-wheeler tractor-trailer truck weighing up to 80,000 pounds, the occupants inside the smaller vehicle will suffer severe injuries or loss of life. Although a car’s passenger compartment is reinforced with steel, the compartment cannot hold up against the accident forces caused by a large commercial truck. The most deadly types of truck accidents are override and underride truck accidents. In these accidents, the passenger vehicle’s compartment is crushed, or the vehicle’s roof is ripped off the passenger car. Roof crush injuries and decapitations are often the tragic result of a tractor-trailer truck underride or override. Should you or a family member have been harmed in a semi-tractor-trailer truck underride accident, call us to discuss your case with our experienced truck accident attorneys. We can help you understand your legal rights and protect the value of your claim. Accident victims must act promptly because time limits apply.
Override and underride truck accidents usually occur due to the high ground clearance of the truck’s trailer as compared to typical passenger vehicles. In an underride accident, the hood of a passenger vehicle slides underneath a tractor-trailer or the 18-wheeler truck’s chassis. Override collisions transpire when the tractor-trailer truck does not stop in time to avoid a collision and the truck drives over the top of a smaller vehicle. Oftentimes, the smaller passenger compartment will be the first part of the vehicle to hit the truck, and the car’s front absorbs the full force of the crash. The truck can completely tear the roof off of the passenger vehicle, or the vehicle’s roof can collapse on top of the passenger car’s occupants.
Tragically, all of the safety features available on passenger cars, such as airbags, reinforced compartments, and shock absorbent bumpers, cannot protect passengers involved in an underride or override accident. Because of the danger posed by override and underride crashes, many trucking companies and professional truck drivers must abide by federal safety rules designed to prevent these types of crashes. If commercial trucks do not have the mandatory safety equipment such as reflective tape, underride guards, and working tail lights, a trucking company and/or the commercial driver could be held liable.
Depending upon the facts, circumstances, and applicable laws, transportation companies, and truck drivers are required to equip their trucks with special safety equipment and maintain these safety features to reduce the chance of causing an underride or override accident. Even though many of these safety features have been mandated for many years, some older vehicles with irresponsible truck owners still need to retrofit their trucks to meet these safety standards.
If you or a family member were harmed in a tractor-trailer override, underride accident, or any accident, call our experienced trucking accident injury lawyer to review your case, explain your rights, and present strategies to protect your claim. Time is limited to bring your claim, so contact Parker Waichman LLP today.
CONTACT PARKER WAICHMAN LLP FOR A FREE CASE REVIEW
If a negligent driver has harmed you or a loved one, you might be eligible to file a claim to recover monetary damages. The Accident Attorneys at Parker Waichman LLP help victims recover monetary compensation for harm caused by dangerous drivers. Time is limited to file your claim, so call Parker Waichman LLP at 1-800-YOUR-LAWYER (1-800-968-7529) to receive a free case review.
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