Prince William County Jackknife Truck Accident Lawyer

A jackknife accident is when a large truck is in a position such that the cab of the vehicle is at a different angle from the trailer of the vehicle. The accident type gets its name because the truck looks like a pocket knife collapsing. A jackknife truck accident could damage any vehicles on the road because when the trailer turns at an angle and sweeps across multiple lanes, it makes it very difficult to outmaneuver the truck. The truck takes up all the lanes of traffic, so the innocent person would not be able to avoid the accident by changing lanes. They would have to be able to brake and come to a complete stop before hitting the trailer, which is not always possible on the interstate. These collisions can result in serious injuries and damage to your vehicle. A capable Prince William County jackknife truck accident lawyer could help you file a personal injury claim. Let a hardworking truck accident attorney help you recover the damages that you deserve.

Scenarios That Lead to Jackknife Accidents

One scenario that can lead to a jackknife truck accident is when a truck driver has not been paying attention to the road and sees that there is some traffic ahead or a driver who is driving particularly slowly, and the truck driver does not have enough time to react. If the truck driver jerks the wheel, this creates the jackknife position because the cab moves quickly in the direction of the wheel but the trailer is not so easily moved. The trailer continues to move forward in the same direction while the cab is trying to turn. This can create a situation where the driver does not have full control of the truck and the trailer can collide into innocent parties.

Number of Parties Involved in a Crash

Given the large size and weight of a truck, there is no limit to the number of parties that could be involved in a jackknife truck accident. If a truck is barreling toward stopped traffic 300 feet ahead and the truck driver does not see the traffic in time, that truck can impact with as many as a dozen vehicles, easily. Similarly, if there is low visibility and a truck is involved in an accident, other drivers behind that truck may not be able to see the accident wreckage in time to stop, leading to more parties involved.

Road Conditions That Make Jackknife Accidents More Likely to Occur

Icy conditions are the most common weather conditions that can make a truck likely to jackknife. However, there are other conditions as well as that could cause this scenario. If it is dark, if the road is wet, or if there is low visibility because of a storm or because of snow, these all could contribute to an accident. Many cases involve a driver’s negligence or failure to pay attention, but certain conditions make it so that the driver has even less time to react properly to the other drivers in order to prevent an accident.

Ways Jackknife Crashes Impact Other Vehicles

A jackknifed truck can impact other vehicles tremendously. If a truck has jackknifed, it usually means that the driver does not have control over the truck. When that happens, the truck could collide into other vehicles or pedestrians on or near the road, and that could create personal injuries. A Prince William County jackknife truck accident lawyer could help an individual pursue compensation for their injuries.

Preventing Jackknife Collisions

As a Prince William County jackknife truck accident lawyer could explain, there are several precautions that can be taken to prevent trucks from jackknifing. First, trucks need to be inspected regularly to make sure that everything is up to code with the standards set by the Department of Transportation. The trucks should also be weighed frequently to make sure that they are not carrying too much weight that would make the vehicle difficult to steer or stop quickly. If the truck is too heavy, it can be very difficult to brake for an emergency. If the truck has a trailer that is too heavy, it will continue moving forward with heavy force even when the driver brakes, and this could create a jackknifing scenario. An inspector should look at the mechanics of the truck frequently to ensure that there are no malfunctions that could create an accident.

What Happens if the Crash Was Not Preventable but Someone Still Got Hurt?

If a jackknife accident was not foreseeable or presentable by any parties, such as a situation in which lightning strikes a vehicle and causes it to short circuit or lose control, those kinds of situations are impossible to predict and no one would be at fault. If no driver is negligent for the accident, then the injured person would have to collect compensation based off of their Med-Pay insurance, which pays for some of their medical bills regardless of fault. The injured party would not be able to collect against another driver.

The Benefit of a Prince William County Jackknife Truck Crash Lawyer

It is always a good idea to work with experienced Prince William County jackknife truck accident lawyers because they have dealt with many of these accidents in the past. They are familiar with what it takes to resolve a person’s personal injury claim effectively and efficiently because they understand the value of such cases. They understand how much each case is worth and how to negotiate with the insurance company.

When an injured person deals with an experienced personal injury attorney in Prince William County, that lawyer might know all of the potential ways to collect against the tortfeasor. There are punitive damages that are possible to collect in some cases, as well as miscellaneous expenses related to the accident, incidental damages, lost wages, pain and suffering, and medical bills. A person should have an attorney who has handled such personal injury cases many times. If you have been injured in a truck accident, work with a capable attorney that could fight for you.