Underride Crashes in Franklin
The tragic nature of underride accidents in Franklin requires attorneys who understand both the technical aspects and the profound impact on families.
Any type of collision at speed between a passenger car and a tractor-trailer is likely to cause much more serious damage to the car than to the truck. Underride crashes, which involve a vehicle sliding fully or partially underneath its trailer, are particularly dangerous and often deadly, especially when they occur on major highways such as Interstate 65.
If you were recently severely hurt or if you have lost a family member in one of these collisions, you likely have a lot of questions about who you can hold financially accountable and how best to go about doing that. Our compassionate truck accident lawyers at the Law Firm for Truck Safety have years of experience helping people like you navigate the aftermath of underride truck accidents in Franklin. Once retained, our firm will fight fiercely on your behalf to get you the compensation you need to recover from your injuries or loss.
How Negligence Can Lead to Underride Crashes
Side underride truck wrecks in Franklin often involve a smaller car or truck traveling at an angle toward the center of a semi's trailer and slipping between that trailer's front and rear wheels. However, cars aren't the only vulnerable road users - motorcycles, bicycles, and pedestrians all lack the bumper compatibility needed to avoid sliding under large trucks during collisions. There are also rear underride cases and front override cases (when the tractor drives over a passenger vehicle it rear-ends). Numerous scenarios could lead to these devastating underride collisions, many of which can be directly attributed to the truck driver's negligence.
Examples of scenarios that might serve as valid grounds for a lawsuit include:
- A truck driver running a red light or stop sign at an intersection
- A truck driver drifting into the lane next to theirs or carelessly merging
- A truck driver losing control of their truck while traveling at high speed and skidding sideways toward a car ahead of theirs
- A truck driver slamming on their brakes suddenly and leaving someone behind them with no time to avoid a collision
- A truck driver parking their semi in such a way that their trailer blocks the path of oncoming traffic
Actions such as these can all justify lawsuits because they all qualify as negligence on the part of the truck driver, a legal concept that will be central to your recovery efforts and which your Franklin attorney can explain in more detail during a private initial meeting.
Are Trucking Companies Liable for Underride Wrecks?
Generally, the parties most commonly sued in Franklin underride truck crashes are the trucking companies that employ negligent drivers. However, trucking companies aren't the only parties who could be held civilly liable for causing your crash.
We can help you identify and take proactive legal action against other parties who may have played a role in causing your losses. This could include trailer manufacturers whose defective --or missing-- underride guards failed to protect you, maintenance companies that improperly serviced safety equipment, cargo loaders whose negligent practices contributed to the accident, and more.
Speak With a Franklin Attorney After an Underride Truck Accident
Underride truck accidents in Franklin are both uniquely dangerous and uniquely difficult to file a civil suit over. On top of the fact that you will likely need to account for years’ worth of financial, physical, and personal losses, you may also find that evidence to support your compensation claim is hard to find and even harder to make good use of in a way that stands up to scrutiny in civil court.
Fortunately, you have guidance available to you from a team with extensive experience handling truck accident claims. Call The Law Firm for Truck Safety today and take the first toward justice.
