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Available 24/7
(972) 854-7900
Blind spots are areas around a vehicle where the driver cannot see. Due to their massive size and shape, commercial vehicles have more blind spots and, therefore, more opportunities for obstruction of vision. The same factors that make blind spots more likely can also make the resulting accidents more devastating.
If you were injured in a semi-truck crash, you can enlist the help of a well-versed commercial vehicle attorney to seek damages from the driver, trucking company, or manufacturer, depending on what caused the accident. A Denton blind spot truck accident lawyer has many years of experience litigating these collisions and could explain the process of investigating different causes for wrecks involving 18-wheelers and take your case to court to get the compensation you deserve.
Commercial trucks are bigger, longer, and higher off the ground than passenger vehicles. As a result, the parts of the road that a truck driver cannot visualize also tend to be larger. It is therefore easier for smaller vehicles to become lost in a semi-truck’s blind spots.
Part of training for commercial vehicle drivers involves learning how to operate around known blind spots to drive safely. They are instructed to wait longer than would be necessary in a smaller vehicle after checking that the lane they wish to merge into is clear, for example. Because of this training, shipping drivers are expected to know their own blind spots and avoid sideswipe collisions of this nature.
A knowledgeable attorney in Denton understands both the dangers semi-trucks pose to other drivers and the training their operators receive to mitigate these problems. These factors can be leveraged against a trucker who neglected to check their blind spots to hold them accountable for an otherwise preventable collision.
The blind spot areas on a truck are on the sides and back. When carrying a trailer, a truck driver cannot see in the rearview mirror like other drivers can in passenger vehicles. Ares of limited visibility could extend the length of the trailer, and when a commercial vehicle has more than one, the blind spots are even longer. A good rule of thumb is if another driver cannot see the truck’s mirrors, the truck driver cannot see them.
Blind spot collisions typically occur when the truck driver is either in a hurry or inattentive. They may choose to change lanes without carefully evaluating their surroundings beforehand, thereby creating civil liability in the event of an accident.
Regardless of the type of accident, a jury will look at the conduct of both drivers and consider their actions leading up to the crash. In cases where the injured driver is found to be partially responsible for the cause or severity of a collision, the amount of recovery they collect can be reduced proportional to the percentage of their responsibility for the collision. For example, if a motorist suddenly approaches a semi-truck from behind at 100 miles per hour, there is no way the commercial vehicle operator could anticipate that and avoid a collision, even if they do check their blind spots.
In most cases involving blind spots, the liability for the crash lies with the truck driver. They have a duty to maintain a single lane of traffic until or unless they are certain that they can change lanes safely. The operator of the truck must wait until there is a clear opening before attempting to change lanes.
When a competent lawyer takes on a truck accident case, they may examine the driver’s safety record to see if they have had problems with checking their blind spots in the past. If they have, the next question is how many crashes has their negligence caused? If the attorney sees a pattern, they may be able to recover damages, depending on the other driver’s behavior.
If you were injured in a blind spot collision with a commercial vehicle, a skilled attorney could assess your circumstances and help determine probable cause and liability. A Denton blind spot truck accident lawyer has the experience you need to recover the compensation you deserve. Call our office to schedule a consultation today.
McCraw Law Group
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