Blind Spot Truck Accidents in Harrisonburg
Every motor vehicle has “blind spots” around it that the driver cannot easily see into from their natural position in the driver’s seat, usually just beyond the front and rear bumpers, as well as in roughly diagonal shapes that stretch out and back from both sides. Tractor-trailers have blind spots just like passenger cars and in roughly the same space, but because semi-trucks are much bigger than other vehicles, their blind spots are much bigger as well.
Unfortunately, not every commercial truck driver is as diligent as they should be about checking their blind spots every time before they turn, merge, or change lanes, and that sometimes leads to preventable crashes with life-altering repercussions. If you were recently injured in a blind spot truck accident in Harrisonburg caused by a trucker’s careless driving, a truck injury lawyer from Price Benowitz can help you proactively seek civil restitution.
Are Truck Drivers Always at Fault for Blind Spot Collisions?
Regardless of where they come from, where they are going, or how long it takes them to travel between those two points, tractor-trailer drivers have a legal duty of care to obey traffic laws, pay attention to their surroundings, and generally act as a reasonable person would while driving. If a trucker fails to use their side mirrors and anything else at their disposal to check their truck’s blind spots for other cars or pedestrians before making a road maneuver, they may have “breached” this duty of care—and any such breach which directly leads to a wreck is the type of legal “negligence” which can serve as grounds for a lawsuit.
Importantly, though, passenger car drivers also have a duty of care behind the wheel, which requires, among other things, that they be aware of and avoid the blind spots of other drivers as much as possible. If a court finds that someone involved in a Harrisonburg blind spot truck crash was partly to blame for causing the incident through their own careless driving, they may be declared ineligible to recover any civil compensation whatsoever for their injuries—a case outcome which qualified legal counsel can fight to prevent.
Recovering for Short-Term and Long-Term Damages
If you can avoid “contributory negligence” as described above from interfering with your pursuit of compensation, you can seek civil recovery for both economic and non-economic damages caused by a blind spot tractor-trailer wreck in Harrisonburg. This can include, but is not strictly limited to, things like:
- Medical bills
- Lost work income and/or working capacity
- Expenses related to personal property damage
- Physical pain and discomfort
- Emotional anguish and suffering
- Lost enjoyment/quality of life
Every case will be different, just like every injured person is, though, so it is almost always worth discussing recovery strategies with an experienced legal professional before trying to file suit alone.
Contact a Harrisonburg Attorney for Help with a Blind Spot Truck Accident Claim
The fact that semi-trucks have significantly larger blind spots than the average sedan or SUV does not mean that long-haul truckers are not at fault when they collide with vehicles in those blind spots. It makes it even more important for truckers to comply with the duty of care imposed on them by Virginia state law, and it may make them and their employers legally liable for damages stemming from a blind-spot truck accident in Harrisonburg.
A skilled lawyer’s support can be vital to holding the right people accountable for your recent wreck and ensuring you are paid fairly for the harm you should never have sustained. Call Price Benowitz today for a free case evaluation.
