Underride Truck Accidents
Were you severely injured, or did your loved one lose their life in an underride accident in Oklahoma? If so, the truck driver, trucking company, or another entity might owe you significant compensation.
Are you looking for “lawyers near me for an underride truck accident?” The Oklahoma truck accident lawyers at Cain Law can help you seek the compensation you are owed. You will never be charged for a consultation when you hire us to represent you. You owe us nothing unless and until we recover compensation for you. If you cannot come to our office, we can visit you at your home or in the hospital. You shouldn’t have to pay for someone else’s mistakes. Call us or reach out to us online to discuss your case.
What’s an Underride Truck Accident?
During an underride truck accident, a smaller vehicle will slide beneath the trailer. Large trucks and tractor-trailers are required to have a rear underride guard. A rear underride guard is a protective barrier that sits beneath the trailer and prevents automobiles from sliding underneath the trailer during a rear-end collision. Underride accidents frequently occur when the barrier malfunctions or is not installed on the trailer.
These terrifying collisions often result in severe, catastrophic, or fatal injuries. Some of the most common injuries suffered in these types of truck accidents include:
- Death
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Back and neck injuries
- Spinal cord injuries, including partial or total paralysis
- Internal organ injuries
- Loss of limbs
- Broken bones and fractures
- Cuts and lacerations
- Burn injuries
- Scarring and disfigurement
Common Causes of Underride Truck Accidents
From faulty installations to improper turns, there are many different causes of underride truck accidents. The following are some of the most common causes of underride truck accidents in Oklahoma:
Missing or Damaged Underride Guards
If a tractor-trailer contains a damaged underride guard, it may not prevent a smaller vehicle from sliding beneath the trailer. If a tractor-trailer has a missing underride guard, then an operator of a passenger vehicle involved in a rear-end collision is at significant risk of serious bodily injury or death. Routine maintenance checks are an effective tool for preventing accidents caused by missing or damaged underride guards.
Sudden or Unnecessary Braking
Sudden or unnecessary braking is also a common cause of underride truck accidents in Oklahoma. An underride guard may fall off the trailer when a driver brakes suddenly. If the driver is traveling at a high rate of speed when braking occurs, the underride guard may dislodge and pose a danger to other drivers on the road.
Failure to Use Warning Cones When Parked on the Side of the Road
Tractor-trailer drivers must use specific safety procedures when pulling over on the side of the road to perform maintenance checks or inspect the vehicle. Warning cones alert other drivers that the truck is pulled over and in a stationary position.
If a driver fails to use warning cones, an unsuspecting driver may collide with the rear of the tractor-trailer. A driver traveling at a high rate of speed may dislodge the underride guard when colliding with the tractor-trailer.
Defective Taillights or Reflective Tape
Traveling at night in a small vehicle can be particularly dangerous if nearby tractor-trailers contain faulty taillights or reflective tape. Drivers who cannot see the rear of a tractor-trailer are more likely to collide with the tractor-trailer and suffer serious bodily injury during an underride truck accident.
Taillights and reflective tape help alert drivers that a tractor-trailer is traveling on the road. If these safety devices are not functioning properly, an underride truck accident is more likely to occur.
Running a Red Light or Stop Sign
An underride accident could easily occur if a truck driver runs a red light or a stop sign.
Failure to Check Blind Spots
Tractor-trailer drivers who fail to check blind spots may cause underride truck accidents when an unsuspecting vehicle slides under the tractor-trailer.
Lack of A Rear Bumper
When a tractor-trailer lacks a rear bumper, a smaller vehicle is more likely to travel beneath the trailer during an accident. Routine maintenance inspections can often alert a driver that a rear bumper has been damaged or is missing.
Taking a Turn Incorrectly
Drivers who take wide turns or misjudge the distance they need to maintain as they turn may cause underride truck accidents. Colliding with a smaller vehicle during a turn can also cause an underride truck accident.
Steps to Take After Being Injured in an Underride Truck Accident
After suffering a serious bodily injury during an underride truck accident, you need to seek immediate medical treatment. Documenting your injuries with medical records and bills is important for your underride truck accident case. Next, retain a personal injury lawyer with experience in underride truck accidents.
If you have any photographs of your injuries, submit copies to your lawyer. Also, seek any counseling or psychotherapy if you are experiencing trauma associated with your accident. Following up with any recommended physical therapy or rehabilitation appointments is also vital for your underride truck accident case.
Damages Recoverable in Underride Truck Accident Claims
If you were injured in an underride truck accident, you could be entitled to compensation for the calculable losses you’ve incurred, as well as more intangible things like pain and suffering and emotional trauma. These are known as economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages include:
- Medical bills
- Lost income from time missed from work for treatment and recovery
- Loss of future earnings
- Vehicle repairs or replacement
- Therapy and rehabilitation
- Travel costs to and from treatment
- Medical devices and home renovations
Non-economic damages include:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Physical impairment
- Disability or disfigurement
- Loss of guidance or companionship
- Loss of enjoyment of life
How to Prove the Truck Driver or Company Is Responsible for the Crash
Every driver has a duty to exercise reasonable care and caution. A tractor-trailer driver and their employer could be held liable if they were responsible for the underride truck crash that injured you.
When you hire an underride truck accident lawyer to represent you, your attorney can subpoena witnesses, conduct interviews, and depose the party who might be liable for your injuries.
Your underride truck accident lawyer will also gather any available evidence, such as surveillance video, truck maintenance records, hiring and training records, disciplinary records, and other evidence to determine which person or party could be liable for your injuries.
Contact Cain Law Today
The Oklahoma truck accident lawyers at Cain Law have recovered over $80 million for Oklahoma clients, including those who were injured or lost loved ones in tragic underride accidents. Don’t wait until it is too late to take legal action against those responsible for your crash.
We’ll be ready to stand up and fight for you, so contact us now. We’ll be ready to take your call, 24/7.
