Semi-trucks are large and complex vehicles. Large commercial vehicles pose many unique risks on the roads and highways that are not present with regular passenger vehicles. One example is the risk of underride accidents due to the high clearance of the semi-trailer.
If you were involved in an underride accident, it could be possible that the truck did not meet safety guidelines for rear underride guards. It is always important to have an experienced New Mexico attorney, David C. Chavez Law Firm, review your situation to determine how you can best seek compensation for your injuries and tragic accident-related losses.
Underride Accidents
When two passenger vehicles are involved in a rear-end collision, it is often referred to as a “fender-bender,” since the bumpers on the vehicles might take the brunt of the impact. However, a semi-trailer is higher off the ground, and the bumper does not line up with those of smaller vehicles. If a smaller vehicle crashes into the rear or side of a semi-truck, there is the risk that the front of the vehicle will drive underneath the trailer, and this is commonly called an underride accident.
Underride accidents often result in catastrophic or fatal injuries. When a car drives underneath a trailer, the bottom of the trailer might crash through the windshield of the car, often causing devastating injuries to the passengers in the front seat. It is a major safety concern, which is why the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has strict requirements and standards for semi-trucks to have rear or side impact guards. These guards are intended to prevent vehicles from going under a trailer, though they do not always work as intended.
Noncompliant Rear Guards
Some semi-trucks have rear or side guards that do not properly prevent underride accidents. Guards might fail to defects or inadequate maintenance, or a truck might be missing rear or side impact guards altogether. In these situations, other motorists can unnecessarily sustain severe injuries if an underride collision occurs.
Technical Analysis of Safety Violations
Following an underride accident, it is critical to determine whether it happened because of rear or side guards that failed to meet FMCSA safety standards. If a truck’s trailer and rear or side guards were not in compliance with the law, the trucking company that owns the truck is fully responsible for the injuries caused by the underride event.
YOU MUST RETAIN THE VEIHCLE THAT HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THE COLLISION FOR INSPECTION.
Most people do not have a working knowledge of truck safety standards, as they can be highly technical and do not apply to those outside of the trucking industry. You want to have David C. Chavez Law Firm, a skilled law firm who can. We can immediately arrange to see you wherever you are in the continental USA and immediately review what happened, as we can have your vehicle and the truck examined and analyzed by our trucking safety experts located in Dallas, Texas.
If You Have Been Involved in a Semi-Trailer Accident Which did not Have a Rear or Side Guard and Sustained Tragic Injury in a Vehicle Accident Call David C. Chavez Law Firm Top 10 Top 100 Super Lawyer Who has the Knowledge, Background and Resources for Our Law Firm to Represent or your Loved One Who Have Been Tragically Injured
David C. Chavez Law Firm, handles complex and technical semi-truck crash claims. We have the resources needed to protect your rights, so please contact us online or call 505-865-9696 for a free case evaluation and to learn about the services of a Los Lunas truck accident attorney.
