Due to its massive weight and size, a truck may cause catastrophic harm when it strikes a passenger car, motorcyclist, or pedestrian. Wide turn collisions happen when a driver fails to properly maneuver the big rig near an intersection or driveway entrance. At the Dean Law Firm, our truck accident attorneys assist people in Ocala and beyond who have been hurt because of a commercial driver's failure to operate these large vehicles with the appropriate care.
Causes of Wide Turn CollisionsMaking wide turns in a tractor-trailer requires training and attention. A driver must be alert and particularly cautious when turning because trucks have huge blind spots and cover a lot of space on the road, making inadvertent injuries more likely.
When turning, truckers often need to swing wide into oncoming traffic or another lane traveling in the same direction. A driver moving to the left in order to eventually go right may sandwich a motorcycle or car between the back of the truck and a curb. This is also called a "squeeze." The smaller vehicle can be crushed by the weight of the truck.
Moreover, because of the blind spots, the driver may not realize a car or motorcycle will be affected by the turn. Failure to see other vehicles can result in the tractor-trailer slamming into another vehicle or person. Some other reasons wide turn accidents happen include driver inexperience, distraction, fatigue, and drunk driving.
Hold a Negligent Trucker Accountable for Your InjuriesIf you are the victim of a wide turn accident, you can sue the truck driver for negligence. You will need to show the trucker’s duty of reasonable care, some careless action that breached the duty, causation, and actual damages. It is generally established that anyone operating a vehicle has a duty of reasonable care, which amounts to using the same precautions that the ordinary person would use in a similar situation. Since truck drivers are expected to know how to maneuver their large trucks, failure to properly execute a wide turn likely would fall short of this standard. However, you also would need to show that you would not have been hurt had the driver properly made the turn.
You may also be able to sue the trucking company under theories of direct or indirect liability. This may be useful because an individual trucker likely does not have as many assets to compensate you for serious injuries as his or her employer would.
Indirect liability theories include vicarious liability and respondeat superior. For these claims, a victim will not need to show negligent actions on the part of the trucking company. Instead, you would try to prove that the driver was an employee of the entity and was acting in the course and scope of employment when the wide turn accident happened. Direct liability theories such as negligent hiring, supervision, or entrustment may be appropriate as well. Trucking companies are required to train their employees so that they understand how to make wide turns. An entity that fails to instruct its drivers on how to execute wide turns, or to make sure that the people it hires are able to make these maneuvers, may be liable.
Explore Your Options After a Big Rig Crash with an Ocala AttorneySince they can cause catastrophic injuries, wide turn accidents may result in substantial damages. The victim may be able to recover medical bills, lost income, disability, disfigurement, mental anguish, loss of consortium, and pain and suffering. In spite of the severity of the injuries, a trucking company and its insurer are likely to try to find ways in which you were at fault. Therefore, victims of big rig crashes near Ocala should seek representation from the lawyers of the Dean Law Firm, who have significant experience litigating truck accident cases. Contact us at 352-387-8700 or via our online form to set up a free consultation. We proudly represent residents of Crystal River, The Villages, and nearby communities in Marion, Citrus, Sumter, Lake, and Levy Counties.