Upland Truck Accident Lawyers

Common Truck Accidents Our Attorneys Handle

With years of experience serving injured clients, our truck accident lawyers in Upland can handle claims involving the following types of truck collisions:

Head-On Accidents

Head-on or front-end collisions often occur when a vehicle veers into oncoming traffic and crashes directly into another vehicle. The impact of a large truck, such as an 18-wheeler, hitting a smaller car head-on can be extremely powerful. The smaller vehicle may get crushed or be run over by the larger truck, potentially leading to override accidents that cause severe injuries or fatalities.

In most reports, victims of head-on accidents usually suffer the following:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
• Spinal cord injuries
• Cuts and lacerations
• Amputations
• Broken bones
• Internal damage
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

It’s important to note that some of these injuries, like TBIs and internal damage, aren’t always evident immediately. That said, you may wish to seek immediate medical attention before consulting with our Upland truck accident attorneys. Doing this will help identify any bodily harm you may have sustained. It will also prevent any hidden injuries from going unnoticed and potentially worsening.

Jackknife Accidents

These incidents occur when the tractor and trailer fold into each other to form a 90-degree angle, resembling a folding jackknife. Jackknife accidents typically happen when semi-trucks lose control and skid, causing the trailer to pull the tractor along. These may be caused by driving on wet or slippery roads and sudden braking.

When big rigs jackknife across the roadway, multiple subsequent collisions may happen. A jackknife accident might also compel truck drivers to overcorrect, causing them to crash and damage roadway structures.

Underride Accidents

Unforeseen road incidents sometimes cause smaller or regular-sized cars to crash into the rear or sides of enormous trucks and slide underneath, leading to underride accidents.

According to authorities, underride accidents usually result from truckers’ poor visibility and inadequate truck guard protection. Other common causes include:

• Defective truck brake lights cause the trailing cars not to notice their full stop.
• Abrupt lane changes.
• Making sharp turns.
• Speeding.
• Tailgating.
• Distracted driving.
• Reckless driving.
• Careless parking in risky areas, like tight roads or dark sidewalks.

Underride accidents typically result in catastrophic injuries, as cars sliding underneath often cannot withstand the weight of the truck. Their roofs may get sheared off in the process and fatally injure the passengers inside.

Additionally, identifying who may be liable for these incidents can be challenging. For example, car drivers could have intentionally stayed in a truck’s blind spot for too long. Manufacturers of low-quality underride guards could also be responsible for causing an accident.

Some investigations might reveal the trucker to be negligent due to clear errors. For example, a truck driver might fail to use proper lighting or reflective markings, making their vehicle less visible to other drivers at night. Such negligence could allow victims to hold these individuals accountable for the damages they incur.

DUI Accidents

Despite many laws aiming to discourage DUI cases, drunk driving accidents in California remain a constant road safety concern. The same is seemingly true in San Bernardino County as well. Our firm advocates for victims of drunk driving accidents. Our San Bernardino County DUI accident lawyers could assist by gathering evidence of the at-fault driver’s liability, such as existing DUI convictions, and helping them pursue compensation accordingly.

Rollovers

Due to their high center of gravity, trucks are susceptible to tipping or rolling over. Truck rollover accidents can be particularly dangerous due to the vehicle’s immense size and weight. When a truck tips onto its side or roof, it could crush smaller vehicles, block multiple lanes of traffic, and cause catastrophic injuries. To reduce these cases, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has directed truck drivers to undergo entry-level driver training, which educates them about preventing these kinds of accidents.

The two types of rollover accidents are:

• Tripped Rollovers — These happen when trucks come into contact with external obstacles, such as curbs, traffic barriers, and bumps.
• Untripped Rollovers — Untripped rollovers aren’t associated with any obstructions and occur when truckers lose control of their vehicles. Some contributing factors may include driving in adverse weather conditions, overloading, overcorrecting, incorrect steering, and abrupt braking.

Tripped or otherwise, rollovers can potentially result in severe consequences, particularly when the trucks land on smaller vehicles. Victims are likely to sustain catastrophic injuries, which may require long and expensive treatment to heal fully.

The Upland truck accident lawyers at Arash Law are here to assist victims who may have been injured in a rollover. We can help establish the liability of potentially negligent parties and pursue compensation for the out-of-pocket expenses you may have incurred.

Rear-End Accidents

Rear-ending a vehicle commonly causes minor fender-benders. However, this would be different if it involved large trucks, as victims are likely to suffer serious consequences.

When an 80,000-lb vehicle hits a car from behind, the impact could propel drivers and passengers forward. They may only snap back when their vehicle abruptly stops or when the airbag deploys. Rear-end accidents could also cause chain reactions. The struck vehicle may also collide with other vehicles up ahead, leading to multiple vehicle pile-ups.

These incidents may happen when truckers speed, tailgate, travel with defective brakes, experience mechanical failures, or drive while distracted, drowsy, or impaired. Our truck accident attorneys in Upland can help identify whether one or more of these factors led to your crash. When we have sufficient legal grounds, we can build a well-supported case for your claim.

Sideswipes

Like rear-end collisions, sideswipe accidents involving two smaller cars are usually considered minor. However, the outcome is different when these incidents include large vehicles.

Sideswipe incidents are common for trucks, as these vehicles have wide blind spots. This makes it hard for truckers to see other vehicles near them, increasing the risk of collisions.

Large vehicles might end up wedging smaller cars underneath, pushing them along until they stop. Consequently, they could cause physical damage to road users. The severity of the damage may depend on the trucks’ structure and how long it took them to veer back into the appropriate lane.

Wide Turn Accidents

Trucks need a much bigger allowance to turn than smaller passenger cars. Wide-turn accidents typically occur when trucks go left before turning right, putting vehicles in the opposite lane at risk of collision. Authorities attribute these crashes to improper or poor truck steering.

Most of the time, these accidents don’t involve speeding, giving other cars enough time to avoid collisions. However, other drivers might still fail to notice trucks doing wide turns in time. As such, they may collide and sustain various damages.

To pursue compensation for your losses and seek accountability from the at-fault parties, you could explore the possibility of filing a truck accident claim. Our Upland truck accident attorneys can help you gather evidence to support your claim.

Tire Blowouts

Due to their heavy loads and daily mileage, trucks are prone to tire blowouts. These incidents happen when a large vehicle’s tire suddenly explodes, generally at high speed.

Some people may not realize it, but tire blowouts differ from flat tires. These accidents endanger not only the truck occupants but also the drivers and passengers of surrounding vehicles. Exploding tires can cause the truck to lose control and hit other cars, while flying fragments can also hurt pedestrians and other motorists.

If you are injured due to a truck experiencing a tire blowout, consider calling our truck accident lawyers. We can help you pursue accountability from the negligent parties and seek compensation for your pain and suffering.