The experienced and knowledgeable personal injury lawyers at Ryan Bisher Ryan & Simons help victims of all types of truck accidents in Oklahoma City seek the compensation they deserve for medical treatment, lost wages, and other damages caused by their injuries.
If you have suffered an injury in a truck accident in Oklahoma City caused by someone else, you may be entitled to compensation. Call our truck accident lawyer today to schedule a free initial consultation to discuss your legal options.
Some of the most common types of truck accidents in Oklahoma City include:
Head-on Collisions
Head-on collisions, also known as front-end crashes, are some of the most catastrophic truck accidents. These accidents typically occur when one vehicle crosses over lanes of traffic and crashes headfirst into another vehicle coming from the opposite direction.
The force of impact in a collision between a commercial truck and a passenger car is violent. Head-on collisions can crush the occupants of the smaller passenger vehicle or ride over the top of the vehicle completely, causing an override accident that often results in serious injuries or even fatalities.
Common causes of head-on truck collisions include:
- Distracted driving
- Fatigued driving
- Impaired driving
- Improper passing
- Wide turns
Rear-End Collisions
Truck drivers who are distracted, driving too fast for conditions or tailgating risk causing a rear-end collision. The size and weight of trucks make them require more time and distance to stop. When smaller passenger vehicles make sudden stops or maneuvers, it can be difficult for truck drivers to slow down or stop in time to avoid a crash.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration recommends truck drivers leave at least a five-second gap to avoid a rear-end collision. If you notice a truck following you too closely, pull to the side and let them pass.
Many rear-end accidents are caused by a truck driver’s negligence in one of these ways:
- Tailgating
- Speeding
- Distracted Driving
- Driving Under the Influence
- Improper Lane Change
Jackknife Accidents
Jackknife accidents happen when the truck’s trailer skids and forms a 90-degree angle with its tractor. Jackknife accidents usually occur when the truck driver brakes too quickly or the brakes lock up. The truck driver loses control of the vehicle, which can lead to a serious collision with severe injuries or even deaths.
Many jackknife accidents happen because the truck driver engages in negligent or reckless driving behaviors such as:
- Failing to turn the truck in the correct manner, particularly attempting to turn while speeding
- Sudden maneuvers
- Traveling too fast for the weather conditions
- Braking suddenly
- Improperly loaded trailers that affect the truck’s center of gravity
- Driving on tires that are worn and blow out during travel
Rollover Accidents
Jackknife accidents often lead to rollover accidents, which is when the truck slides and rolls over onto its side or further. Other factors that can lead to rollover accidents include:
- Speeding
- Steep road inclines or declines
- Taking a curve too quickly
- Losing a tire
- Tripping on a curb
As with a jackknife accident, the truck driver no longer has control of the vehicle during a rollover, and the consequences can be deadly for all parties involved.
Underride Accidents
An underride accident occurs when a car collides with a truck from the rear or side and slides underneath the truck. Because the truck is higher than the car, the front and top of the car could be crushed. This type of accident often leads to severe injuries or fatalities.
An underride accident could be caused by:
- Improperly maneuvered turns or lane changes
- A truck driver failing to signal when turning
- A truck made a sudden stop, leading to a rear-end collision
- A truck’s inconsistent speed
- A passenger vehicle in the truck’s blind spot when the truck changes lanes
Side-Impact Accidents
Side-impact accidents – which are also referred to as T-bone accidents, angle collisions, and broadside collisions – typically happen at intersections. Side-impact accidents often result in catastrophic injuries.
In a side-impact collision accident, the force of a truck collides with the side of a vehicle. A truck driver who drives through a red light or stop sign could cause a side-impact collision.
Blind Spot Accidents
Blind spots are an issue on any vehicle, but due to the size and length of trucks, they have much larger blind spots called no-zones along the rear and sides of the vehicle. A good rule of thumb is that the larger the truck, the larger the no-zone. Passenger vehicle drivers need to avoid a truck’s no-zone whenever possible. Many blind spot accidents are caused by negligent and careless truck drivers.
A truck driver may cause a blind spot accident if they:
- Do not have the appropriate mirrors installed
- Do not properly align the mirrors to reduce the blind spots
- Fail to keep a lookout for other vehicles around them
- Do not have the proper technology, including front, side, and rear collision avoidance systems
- Do not have the proper training to drive the truck
- Fail to check blind spots before making a maneuver or turn
- Drive while fatigued
- Drive while intoxicated
Tire Blowouts
The remains of tire blowouts can be spotted on major roadways throughout Oklahoma, shreds of rubber on the shoulder or in the middle of a lane. While the tires of cars can blowout as well, commercial trucks are especially vulnerable. A blowout can cause a loss of control of the vehicle.
Reasons a tire blowout may happen:
- Worn-out tires from excessive use
- Low or high air pressure
- Defective tires
- Air leakage
- Lack of maintenance
- Unbalanced cargo load
- Hazardous road conditions
Brake Failure Accidents
Brake failure accidents can happen due to the age of the brakes, improper installation, or lack of maintenance, for example. Overheating happens from overuse or sudden stopping at high speeds. The heavier the truck, the more heat that is generated, and the higher the risk of truck brake failure.
Lost Load Accidents
When a semi-truck has improperly loaded freight or is not secured, loads can fall off the truck, causing an accident and injuries to others on the road.
Wide Right Turn Accidents
Because of their size and the position of the truck’s cab, when the vehicle turns right, it must swing left first. Truck drivers learn techniques to make this turn safely. However, inexperienced, distracted, fatigued, or intoxicated drivers may swing too far to the left or fail to make the right in their lane. The truck could collide with smaller passenger vehicles as a result.
Cargo Spills
Anything that makes a truck’s cargo shift or throws it from the truck can cause an accident. This could happen because the truck’s doors or the cargo inside are not properly secured. Cargo spills can also happen if the truck is carrying too much weight for its size, or if the cargo is improperly loaded. Cargo is very dangerous once it spills out of the truck and onto the road, because of the possibility for it to hit other vehicles, people, and property, or to impact visibility.
Our Oklahoma Trucking Accident Lawyers Today for a Free Consultation
Have you been injured in a truck accident in Oklahoma City or surrounding areas? If so, you need representation from a skilled and experienced truck accident attorney. If the accident was due to someone else’s negligence, you could be entitled to compensation. Truck accidents can result in serious injuries due to the sheer size and weight of semi-trucks and the force with which they crash into smaller passenger vehicles.
While truck accidents can occur due to a wide variety of reasons, they are often the result of negligence or recklessness on the part of the truck driver, trucking company, cargo loader, or another party. A knowledgeable Oklahoma City personal injury lawyer can identify all the potentially liable parties and seek to hold them responsible for their negligence.
The Oklahoma City truck accident lawyers at Ryan Bisher Ryan & Simons understand the difficulties that victims face after a truck accident. We are ready to do everything we can to help you. To schedule a free and confidential consultation with one of our skilled and compassionate attorneys, call us today.
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