Austin Wide-Turn Accident Attorneys
Professional truck drivers are expected to be able to successfully and safely navigate their large truck through our local roads, turning left, right, and making U-turns in a cautious, safe manner. Large trucks have a wide turning radius, and truck drivers are trained to maneuver their trucks carefully at every turn. Sometimes, however, turns are taken too fast, or are too wide. When a truck driver swings too wide to clear right a turn, for example, they can run right into oncoming traffic and cause a crash.
Wide-turn truck accidents are unfortunately common, and can result in severe injuries, or even death. If you’ve been injured in a wide-turn truck accident, compensation can help you cover your mounting medical bills, lost wages, property damage, pain and suffering, and more. Compensation can also make you more comfortable while you rest and recover from your accident.
The skilled wide-turn Texas truck accident lawyers at Gibson Hill Personal Injury are ready to help you recover the financial reward you’re owed. We understand the devastating impact that a wide-turn truck accident can have on an individual’s life, and we are committed to helping our clients through this difficult time.
To schedule a free consultation, give us a call at (737) 249-6300.
Why Do I Need A Wide-Turn Truck Accident Attorney?
The trucking industry is governed by hundreds of complex federal and state regulations. If a truck driver or company broke any of these regulations and that played a role in your accident, they can be held accountable to pay your damages. For example, Texas law states that trucks must adhere to strict maintenance schedules. If a truck company failed to maintain a truck’s steering column, which subsequently failed and caused a wide-turn accident, the truck company could be held responsible.
An experienced truck accident attorney will have detailed knowledge of the rules and regulations that govern the trucking industry, and will be able to conduct a full investigation into whether any regulations were broken.
Generally, after a wide-turn truck accident, you will start by filing an insurance claim with the truck company’s insurance provider. If your insurance claim is not successful, you may choose to file a personal injury lawsuit. In both of these situations, you will need to organize documents, collect evidence, and communicate with the truck and insurance company. A lawyer will help you throughout this entire process, ensuring that everything goes as smoothly as possible.
Your lawyer will:
- Handle communication with the truck driver, truck company, and insurance company
- Investigate and gather evidence
- Help you organize important documents, such as medical records and bills
- Ensure that legal paperwork is properly formatted and submitted by all deadlines
- Work with your doctor to obtain proper documentation of your injuries
- Negotiate settlements
- Advise you on important matters such as taking a settlement versus going to trial
- Meet with defense attorneys, judges, and witnesses
Why Should I Hire Gibson Hill Personal Injury?
Gibson Hill Personal Injury is a team of highly experienced wide-turn truck accident attorneys who are ready to help you recover compensation. We understand the serious impact that these accidents can have on an individual’s life, and we are committed to fighting tirelessly for our clients. Every accident is unique, and we treat them as such. We look at every case individually and never apply a one-size-fits-all strategy.
At Gibson Hill Personal Injury, we handle wide-turn truck accident cases on a contingency-fee basis. This means that instead of charging hourly or weekly, we take a percentage of your overall settlement or verdict at the end of your case. We only get paid if you win — if you lose your case, then you don’t owe us any money at all.
We also offer a 100% free consultation. You can tell us about your accident, ask questions, and we’ll give you an idea of your legal options. Call us today at (737) 249-6300 to schedule your consultation.
Wide Turn Truck Accidents
The large size and length of trucks can make it difficult for them to successfully complete turns without crossing into opposing lanes, driving onto a curb, or creating other traffic problems. Many intersections are not designed for trucks over a certain length and are simply not large enough for trucks to make successful turns. Truck drivers are responsible for following a route that avoids areas in which they cannot make safe turns. Other intersections are large enough, but truck drivers make mistakes that cause an accident.
Many wide-turn truck accidents are caused by driver error. These are some of those common errors:
- Miscalculating the amount of space needed to turn successfully. If a driver does not leave enough room to successfully turn, the truck can become stuck. The driver may then drive onto a curb, back up, or drive into an opposing lane of traffic. Trucks have many blind spots, and drivers may not be able to adequately ensure that there are no pedestrians or other cars in the way before attempting such maneuvers.
- Veering into the oncoming traffic lane before attempting the turn. Many truck drivers do this to get enough space to turn successfully. A truck driver may fail to notice oncoming traffic or misjudge the speed at which cars are approaching. Trucks may also hit the side of a car in the lane next to them when trying to gain more room to make the turn.
- Not leaving adequate space for the trailer to complete the turn. Sometimes, even if the cab of a truck is able to successfully navigate a turn, the trailer may hit a car or pedestrian. A truck’s blind spots can make it difficult to determine whether or not anyone is in the way of the trailer.
- Failing to signal/check mirrors before attempting a turn. Truck drivers should give other drivers ample notice of their turn by signaling early. If a truck signals early, other drivers may be able to move out of the way or honk if they are unable to move. Truck drivers also need to carefully check their mirrors to ensure, to the best of their ability, that no one is in their way.
- Poor route planning. Truck drivers should carefully plan their routes to avoid areas in which the streets are too small for adequate turning space.
Additional factors, such as drunk driving, distracted driving, fatigued driving, and speeding can lead to wide turn truck accidents.
How Much Money Is My Case Worth?
In general, truck accident victims are eligible to ask for compensation for economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages are the expenses you incurred or will incur as a direct result of your accident. These include medical bills (emergency room visits, ambulance rides, hospital stays, surgery, specialists, prescriptions, physical therapy, etc.), as well as property damage and lost wages if your injuries have made you unable to work.
It’s critically important that you seek medical attention as soon as possible and follow all of your doctor’s instructions. Not only is it in the interest of your health, but getting proper medical care will help your case for compensation. If you delay care or don’t follow your doctor’s instructions, the truck company may argue that you exacerbated your injuries, and they shouldn’t be responsible for paying your medical bills.
It’s also important that you keep any bills, invoices, or medical documentation you receive related to your accident. If you are missing important documents, your lawyer will help you obtain them.
Non-economic damages are the pain, suffering, and emotional distress you have experienced as a result of your accident. In order to prove that you deserve compensation for such damages, it’s helpful to keep a journal where you document how your physical injuries and emotional distress affect your life. We also may interview your friends and family.
It’s difficult to put an exact dollar figure on non-economic damages. One method used to estimate your amount of non-economic damages is multiplying your total amount of economic damages by a number from 1 to 5. A 1 reflects less severe injury, while a 5 reflects the most serious injury. Consider this example: you suffer a traumatic brain injury that results in memory loss and reduced motor skills. This might be considered a 5. If your total medical bills are $30,000, then you could receive around $150,000 for non-economic damages.
Determining non-economic damages is not a precise science, and is an area in which the plaintiff and defense often intensely disagree. Your lawyer will help you estimate the amount of non-economic damage compensation you could potentially receive.
Wrongful Death Lawsuit
If your loved one has tragically died as the result of a wide turn accident, you may be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit. In general, the spouse, parent, or child of the deceased is eligible to file wrongful death lawsuits. You may be able to receive compensation for:
- Funeral and burial costs
- Medical bills
- Your loved one’s lost income, including future income
- Your loved one’s pain and suffering
- Loss of consortium, which is the loss of benefits of the relationship you had with your loved one
Contact Gibson Hill Personal Injury Today
Wide-turn truck accidents are terrifying, and often cause severe injury and death. If you or a loved one has been the victim of such an accident, the attorneys at Gibson Hill Personal Injury are here to help. We are passionate about standing up for our clients, and will do everything we can to help you recover compensation. We understand that money cannot heal all wounds or bring back a loved one, but it can help reduce financial strain and make you more comfortable during this difficult time.
Call our truck accident attorneys today at (737) 249-6300 to schedule your free consultation.