Underride truck accidents are one of the most devastating types of crashes for passenger vehicle drivers. When a passenger vehicle crashes into the rear or side of a tractor-trailer, it can become pinned and crushed underneath. The top of the vehicle is often torn off, likely causing serious, or fatal, injuries to drivers and passengers.

Vehicle occupants who survive underride accidents can suffer severe injuries to the head, neck, and upper body. If you are the victim of such a catastrophe, an experienced attorney at our Hutchinson, Salina, Wichita, Garden City, Dodge City, Liberal, or Hays, Kansas law firm can help.

Factors involved in underride truck accidents

Underride truck accidents can happen quickly, with little time for crash victims to respond. Common factors include:

• Poor visibility: Drivers’ visibility can often be obstructed by heavy rain, fog, sun glare, or snow.
• Negligent turns: Underride accidents can happen when truck drivers make left or right turns without regard for oncoming traffic. In many cases, passenger vehicle drivers have very little time to react.
• Stopping abruptly: Rear underride accidents are common when trucks stop or slow down abruptly, especially if road conditions are slippery.
• Mechanical defects: Brake failure and tire blowouts are common mechanical defects that can cause a truck to careen out of control. This can result in underride accidents when trucks fail to stop at intersections and other areas where vehicles may merge.
• Lack of reflective devices: It is required by federal law that all tractor-trailers are equipped with nighttime reflectors or reflective tape. When trucking companies fail to place these on their vehicles, they are in violation of the law. Reflective devices should also be cleaned and maintained regularly for visibility.
• Lack of underride guards: While it’s not required by law, large commercial trucks should come equipped with underride guards in order to save lives and reduce liability. However, many trucking companies are still lagging behind.

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If you were injured in an underride truck accident, your injuries may be severe enough to require months of physical therapy. This could leave you out of work for an extended period of time, unable to collect a paycheck and make ends meet. Dealing with a trucking company, its insurers, and attorneys can be frustrating and confusing. They only care about keeping their own costs down and will do so by taking advantage of crash victims who don’t know their rights.

That’s why it’s crucial to speak to a highly skilled truck accident attorney who knows how to handle the most complex claims. We have years of experience helping injury victims like you maximize their compensation.

Contact Bretz Injury Law in Hutchinson, Salina, Wichita, Garden City, Dodge City, Liberal, and Hays today and find out how we can help you. Give our Salina office a call at (785) 816-4248.