Commercial trucks are an essential component of our nation’s supply chain, transporting goods and providing services to communities like Everett and throughout Washington. Unfortunately, they are also immense, heavy, and far more difficult to maneuver through traffic than average passenger cars which they outweigh by as much as 76,000 pounds. There were 120,200 commercial truck accidents with injuries in 2022, the most recent full data year.
It’s always terrifying when a truck accident occurs in Everett or elsewhere, but jackknife truck accidents are particularly chaotic, often involving multiple vehicles and chain reaction collisions. Make sure to speak with an experienced Everett truck accident attorney.
What Is a Jackknife Truck Accident?
When a semi-tractor-trailer truck tows a trailer, it’s essentially two large, moving objects connected at a pivot point moving at high speed down a highway. When an adverse driving event or condition throws off the truck’s and trailer’s alignment, the trailer may slide forward and sideways, pushing the truck to the side and ending in a crash shaped like a partly opened jackknife. Because of the overall length of a large truck and trailer, this can instantly block multiple lanes of traffic on a multi-lane highway or oncoming traffic on a two-lane road. Other motorists often do not have adequate time to stop before colliding with the truck or trailer, leading to severe or catastrophic injuries.
Common Causes of Jackknife Truck Accidents in Everett
The commercial freight industry is complex and multi-faceted. The driver, the maintenance company, manufacturers of parts, and freight loaders must function optimally and take all reasonable precautions to avoid causing accidents and injuries. If one party neglects that duty, it can seriously harm vulnerable motorists in smaller vehicles.
Common causes of truck jackknife accidents in Everett and elsewhere include:
- The driver’s improper braking
- Speeding
- Inexperienced drivers
- Distracted driving resulting in the need to swerve or brake suddenly to avoid an obstacle
- Truck or trailer equipment failures or defective parts
- Tire blowouts
- Poor maintenance
- Improperly balanced or unsecured cargo
- Poor road conditions or construction debris in the road
It takes a thorough investigation after a truck jackknife accident to determine the cause and pinpoint the liable party or multiple parties whose negligence caused or contributed to the crash.
Liability in Jackknife Truck Accident Claims
It requires multiple entities to ensure that a truck operates safely, so negligent drivers, trucking companies, maintenance companies, or manufacturers of defective parts are all potentially liable parties in Everett truck accident claims. The liable party or parties are responsible for the victims’ damages like medical expenses, lost wages, and compensation for pain and suffering. Compensation for car accident injury victims typically comes through one or more liability insurance policies.
How Can a Truck Accident Attorney In Everett Help?
Trucking companies and their powerful insurers assign adjusters to investigate catastrophic truck accidents like truck jackknife accidents in Everett. They are not on your side. Instead, their job is to protect company profits at your expense. Call the experienced truck accident lawyers at Wells Trumbull for assertive legal representation from start to finish on your truck accident case. You deserve strong protection for your rights and best interests and the best possible outcome in your compensation claim. A personal injury lawyer in Everett will help you get the compensation you deserve.