Although blind spot accidents can involve any car on the road, large commercial trucks are especially prone to blind spot accidents in Memphis. These accidents lead to thousands of severe injuries and fatalities nationwide each year. A skilled legal advocate from the Law Offices of David E. Gordon can seek damages on behalf of injury victims against those responsible for the crash.
A collision with a large tractor-trailer can be devastating, especially for the occupants of a much smaller passenger vehicle. When negligence leads to a devastating wreck, injured parties could be eligible for compensation. Evaluating your situation with the help of a truck accident lawyer may allow you to determine whether you have a valid legal claim.
Blind Spot Truck Accidents
The blind spot is the space around a vehicle that drivers cannot see while driving. Due to the large size of commercial trucks, the blind spots for truck drivers are much larger than that of passenger vehicles. As a result, Memphis blind spot truck accidents may occur more frequently than passenger collisions of the same nature.
Drivers of passenger vehicles should take care when traveling in the “no zone” or a blind spot of a semi-tractor trailer. As a rule of thumb, if drivers can see the face of truck drivers in the rearview mirrors, then the truck drivers likely can see them as well. Likewise, truck drivers have rear blind spots extended about 30 feet, and front blind spots extending about 20 feet.
When a vehicle is in the blind spot of truck drivers, the trucker may abruptly change lanes, swing out widely to turn or perform other maneuvers without knowledge of the location of the other vehicle. Vehicles in front or rear blind spots also can lead to rear-end accidents. These situations can lead to catastrophic blind spot accidents that injure others.
Truck Driver Negligence and Blind Spots
Truck drivers are trained to monitor blind spots to avoid an accident. These drivers must follow the rules of the road, including double-checking their blind spots for other vehicles before making certain moves with their trucks. In some cases, accidents caused by blind spots in Memphis may result from negligence, such as when truck drivers:
- Fail to properly check mirrors when making a traffic maneuver
- Do not correctly adjust or install mirrors to minimize blind spots
- Drive while impaired or overly fatigued
- Have lack of experience or training to avoid vehicles in blind spots
Furthermore, parties other than truck drivers could be held responsible for the negligence that leads to blind spot accidents. Trucking companies might be liable for the costs of those accidents if they failed to provide drivers with appropriate training and supervision. They also may face liability if they did not appropriately install necessary mirrors and other safety features in their trucks to avoid blind spot accidents.
Compensation in Blind Spot Truck Accident Claims
Compensation in truck accident claims can vary widely according to the severity of the crash and the extent of the injuries to any victims. The parties responsible for the accident could be liable or financially responsible for all injury-related costs. Available compensation can include:
- Medical bills
- Surgical costs
- Hospitalization expenses
- Rehabilitation services
- Medical equipment
- Alterations to homes and vehicles to accommodate permanent impairments
Injury victims also may be eligible for pain and suffering, and emotional trauma stemming from the accident.
Other items of compensation could include lost wages and loss of future income and earning capacity due to a permanent inability to work. Injury victims also may seek damages for scarring and disfigurement and loss of enjoyment of life in some cases.
Work with a Memphis Blind Spot Truck Accidents Attorney
If you or a loved one has sustained severe injuries in a blind spot truck accident in Memphis, you may have a claim for compensation against any parties whose negligence caused your accident.
Truck accidents can involve multiple vehicles and injured parties, which could require a great deal of investigation to determine causation and liability. A strong legal advocate may enable you to effectively pursue the compensation that you deserve during a challenging time for you and your family. Call attorney David E. Gordon today to start pursuing your claim.
