Rear End Truck Crashes

Whether you have been rear-ended by a truck or you are the one who rear-ends a truck, the injuries suffered in a truck accident can be devastating. You may suffer from a spinal cord injury, a brain injury, broken bones, internal injuries, or even death. Your medical bills, lost income, pain, suffering, and other damages can be high and you may need to take action. However, first it is important to understand who is liable.

When You’ve Been Hit By A Truck From Behind

Usually, the driver who hits the vehicle in front of him is legally responsible for the accident. This is because drivers must keep a safe distance from the vehicles in front of them and leave themselves enough room to stop before a collision occurs. Distracted truckers, drowsy truckers, truckers who are in a hurry, truckers who have defective brakes, and truckers who are otherwise negligent may follow the vehicles in front of them too closely and rear-end the vehicles in front of them.

When You Hit a Truck That Doesn’t Have an Underride

Federal regulations require that trucks have underride protection. Underride guards are supposed to protect smaller vehicles, such as passenger cars, from going underneath the truck when a collision occurs. However, these underride guards are not always effective. In 2015, the most recent year for which data was available, 292 people in passenger cars died after rear-ending tractor-trailers. This was the highest number of fatalities in this type of crash in at least a decade. If a truck does not have an underride guard that meets federal regulations, then the trucking company may be liable for any injuries that you suffer in an accident.

How to Protect Your Legal Recovery From A Truck Wreck

Any time that you are hurt or you lose a loved one in a truck wreck, you need an experienced truck accident attorney. A lawyer can help you gather evidence and protect your right to fair compensation for the injuries that you suffered. To learn more about what to do after a rear-end truck crash or any type of truck accident, please contact us online or call us directly at 800.800.5678 for a free and confidential consultation.

Jason F. Abraham
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Helping car accident and personal injury victims throughout Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa since 1993.