With the potential to cause life-altering injuries and significant property damage, truck accidents in Owensboro, Kentucky, are some of the most serious incidents on the road. Among the various types of truck accidents, jackknife truck accidents are incredibly dangerous due to their unpredictable nature and the sheer size of the vehicles involved.
Jackknife truck accidents frequently lead to severe injuries. If you or a loved one has been injured in a commercial truck or tractor-trailer accident, it’s crucial to understand the complexities of these cases and seek professional legal help from an experienced truck accident attorney.
It’s crucial to act quickly to protect your rights and begin gathering evidence for a potential truck accident claim. Contact Rhoads & Rhoads today to schedule a free consultation and let our experienced team help you secure the compensation you deserve: 888-709-9329.
What Happens When a Semi-Truck Jackknifes?
In a jackknife truck accident, the semi truck’s trailer swings uncontrollably, forming a “V” shape with the tractor. This occurs when the cab and trailer move in opposite directions, creating a dangerous situation for everyone on the road, particularly when the tractor-trailer is in a blind spot of another vehicle.
In specific circumstances, such as slippery road conditions or a sudden change in speed, the truck becomes difficult to stop in time. Steering failure can also contribute to the loss of control, making it harder for the driver to correct the truck’s path.
The result of this incident is often a complete loss of control, usually leading to catastrophic collisions with other vehicles, including head-on collisions and multi-vehicle accidents involving cars, trucks, pedestrians, and even hazardous substances. The sheer size of these trucks makes it nearly impossible for surrounding vehicles to avoid the accident, significantly increasing the risk of severe injuries or fatalities.
The injuries from such accidents can be devastating, having long-term physical, emotional, and financial effects on you and your family. Whether caused by the impact of the collision or from being trapped in the wreckage, the consequences are overwhelming. This is where the guidance of an experienced truck accident attorney can help.
Types of Jackknife Accidents
Jackknife accidents fall into two categories: plow-out and spin-out accidents. Understanding these types can help explain how they occur and their potential consequences.
Plow-Out
This type of accident occurs when the trailer loses traction and moves forward past the cab, often pushing the cab to the side. This jackknife accident is usually the result of understeering during a turn, causing the trailer to move in a straight line while the cab attempts to maintain its direction.
The force from this movement can cause the tractor-trailer to lose stability, resulting in a truck accident that can take out multiple vehicles in its path. A plow-out typically happens when the driver is unable to slow down quickly enough or misjudges a curve, causing a dramatic loss of control.
Spin-Out
In a spin-out accident, the trailer loses traction and spins around while the cab continues moving forward. The trailer can swing wildly and potentially block multiple lanes of traffic, creating significant hazards for other drivers and passengers. This type of jackknife accident often happens when a driver oversteers, trying to correct the truck’s direction, only to lose control of the trailer.
This type of semi-truck accident can result in major damage to other vehicles, as well as non-economic damages such as pain and suffering from the emotional and psychological toll. In both cases, the consequences can be severe and long-lasting.
Both types of accidents can result in severe traffic disruptions, serious injuries, and damage to passenger cars, making it essential to consult with a truck accident lawyer who can help you understand the legal implications and seek compensation for your losses.
Factors That Increase the Chances of a Truck Jackknifing
Several contributing factors can increase the risk of a jackknife truck accident. These factors often create a perfect storm of conditions that make an accident more likely to happen, sometimes with catastrophic results. Here are some of the most common factors:
Braking Issues
When the truck’s braking system malfunctions or is misused, it can cause the trailer to lose traction and swing out of control. Sudden or hard braking can cause the semi truck’s wheels to lock up, making it difficult for the truck driver to regain control of the vehicle, especially during inclement weather or road conditions.
Poor Road or Weather Conditions
Bad weather, such as rain, snow, ice, or fog, significantly increases the risk of a jackknife truck accident. Slippery roads reduce the amount of traction available for the truck’s tires, and poor visibility makes it harder for the driver to react in time. Conditions in Kentucky’s winters can be unsafe, and accidents with large trucks are more common in poor weather.
Speeding
Driving above the speed limit or failing to slow down for tight turns or road conditions is another common cause of jackknife collisions. Speeding reduces the amount of time a truck driver has to respond to sudden obstacles or changes in the road, and when commercial trucks are traveling at high speeds, the forces of braking can cause a jackknife truck accident more easily.
Driver Error
Mistakes made by truck drivers, such as distracted driving, driver fatigue, or failure to adjust to changing road conditions, are major contributors to semi-truck accidents. Drivers who are not properly trained or are under the influence of drugs or alcohol are much more likely to lose control of their vehicle.
Overloaded Cargo
Improperly loaded cargo can also play a role in jackknife truck accidents. When the cargo is unbalanced or exceeds the truck’s weight limits, it affects the truck’s handling, making it more likely to jackknife under certain conditions. Trucking companies and drivers are responsible for ensuring their trucks are loaded correctly and within the legal limits.
Common Injuries Sustained in Jackknife Truck Accidents
Due to the size and weight of large trucks, truck accidents often result in devastating injuries to the occupants of passenger cars and other vehicles involved. Common injuries in commercial truck accidents include:
- Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Fractures and Broken Bones
- Internal Injuries
- Whiplash and Soft Tissue Injuries
- Fatalities
Injuries from truck accidents, especially those involving tractor-trailers, can be catastrophic. Whether it’s a head-on collision or an accident caused by improperly loaded cargo or transporting hazardous materials, the victims of these crashes require immediate medical attention.
If you or a loved one has been involved in such an incident, consulting a truck accident law firm is crucial to pursuing a successful personal injury claim. A skilled attorney can help you navigate the complexities of your case and secure the compensation needed to cover medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages.
How To Prove Liability in a Jackknife Truck Accident
Proving liability in a jackknife truck accident is crucial for securing compensation for medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and other damages. To win a truck accident claim, your personal injury attorney must demonstrate that another party was negligent and that their negligence directly caused the accident and your resulting injuries.
There are several key components your attorney will focus on to prove liability in these types of cases:
Establishing Duty of Care
The first step in proving liability is to establish that the truck driver, trucking company, or other participants involved owe you a duty of care. In the case of a jackknife accident, the truck driver is legally obligated to drive safely, follow traffic laws, and exercise caution on the road to prevent accidents.
This duty of care extends not only to the truck driver but also to the trucking company, which must ensure that the vehicle is properly maintained, and to cargo companies that must secure loads safely.
Proving a Breach of Duty
Once the duty of care is established, your lawyer must demonstrate that the responsible party breached that duty. A breach of duty occurs when the truck driver, trucking company or any other responsible party fails to follow required safety regulations or makes an error that increases the risk of an accident.
Causation: Proving the Breach Led to the Accident
To prove liability, your attorney must demonstrate that the breach of duty directly caused the truck accident. This step focuses on showing that the actions (or inactions) of the responsible party led to the truck losing control and causing the accident.
Damages: Proving the Injuries You Sustained
Finally, your lawyer must demonstrate that as a result of the accident, you sustained damages, including physical injuries (such as broken bones or spinal injuries), emotional trauma, and financial losses (such as medical expenses, lost income, and future medical costs). This can be proven through medical records, testimony from healthcare providers, and financial documentation showing the impact of the accident on your life.
Proving these elements of negligence is essential in securing the maximum settlement. Your attorney will use a combination of evidence to show that the responsible party’s actions led to the accident and your injuries.
How Kentucky’s Pure Comparative Negligence Law Affects Compensation Recovery
In Kentucky, the pure comparative negligence rule allows you to seek compensation even if you share some of the responsibility for the accident. However, the amount of compensation you can recover will be reduced by your percentage of fault. This means that even if you are partially responsible for the jackknife truck accident, you can still seek compensation for your injuries, but your award will be diminished.
For example, if you are found to be 20% at fault for the accident and you are awarded $100,000 in compensation, your recovery will be reduced by 20%, bringing your total to $80,000. Kentucky’s laws do not limit how much fault you can have, so as long as you are not 100% responsible, you can still pursue compensation for your injuries. This is important for those involved in semi-truck accidents, as they often involve multiple parties and complex factors that contribute to the crash.
Kentucky Trucking Regulations That Attempt To Reduce Jackknife Accidents
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) enforces numerous rules to ensure trucking companies operate safely, but state-level regulations also play a crucial role in promoting safety on Kentucky’s highways. These laws are fundamental when it comes to accidents involving large trucks like semi-trucks and tractor-trailers.
Key trucking regulations that aim to reduce truck accidents include:
- Hours-of-Service Regulations
- Vehicle Maintenance Requirements
- Cargo Securement Standards
- Driver Training and Licensing
- Regulation of Hazardous Materials Transport
Due to a semi-truck’s large size, blind spots around the vehicle can make it difficult for the driver to see other cars, especially in heavy traffic or on narrow roads. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet plays a key role in ensuring that truck drivers are aware of these hazards and follow proper safety regulations to avoid accidents.
By adhering to these trucking regulations, trucking companies and truck drivers can help reduce the risk of accidents and improve safety on the roads of Owensboro and throughout Kentucky. However, when these regulations are ignored or violated, accidents can still occur, leading to serious consequences for everyone involved.
If you’ve been injured in a truck accident, having an experienced Rhoads & Rhoads truck accident lawyer on your side can ensure that the liable parties are held responsible for their actions.
Evidence Your Lawyer Will Collect To Prove Your Jackknife Accident Claim
To build a substantial truck accident claim, your personal injury attorney will gather a variety of crucial evidence to prove liability and support your personal injury claim. The evidence collected will help demonstrate how the truck driver, trucking company, or other parties involved were negligent, leading to the truck accident.
Here are some key pieces of evidence that your truck accident lawyer will gather to strengthen your case:
- Accident Scene Photos
- Police and Accident Reports
- Driver’s Logs and Hours-of-Service Records
- Maintenance Records
- Black Box Data
- Witness Statements
- Truck Driver’s Employment History and Qualifications
- Cargo Loading Documentation
- Witness Testimony from Accident Reconstruction Experts
By collecting and analyzing this evidence, your legal teams will be able to determine liability and present a strong case to help you pursue maximum compensation for your medical bills, pain and suffering, and lost wages.
Whether you are dealing with the insurance company or pursuing a lawsuit against a trucking company, having the right legal counsel on your side will help ensure you receive the compensation you deserve.
Contact a Jackknife Truck Accident Attorney in Owensboro Today
Truck accident cases can be complicated and involve multiple parties, making it essential to have the correct legal representation. An experienced truck accident lawyer can help you navigate the legal process, investigate the accident, determine liability, and fight for the maximum settlement you deserve.
At Rhoads & Rhoads, our legal team has the legal insight and expertise necessary to guide you through the challenges of your case. Whether you’re dealing with medical expenses, unpaid income, or future medical expenses, we are committed to pursuing fair compensation for the injured person and their families.
Call us today at 888-709-9329 to schedule a free consultation and learn how we can help you seek justice. Don’t let the insurance company offer you less than what you deserve. Let us help you get the compensation you are entitled to after a devastating truck accident.