Columbia Jackknife Truck Accidents Lawyer
Jackknifing occurs when a truck trailer folds in on the truck, often causing significant collateral damage as the trailer may end up swerving into three or four lanes of traffic within a matter of seconds. Victims of truck jackknife collisions deserve to be fully compensated for their losses. Our Columbia jackknife crash lawyers at Simmons Law Firm can help you secure damages for your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, property damage, and more.
What is a Jackknife Crash?
Jackknifing happens when the truck trailer swings out and folds in on the truck, forming a ninety degree angle or more. In some jackknife incidents, the trailer will fold completely in on the truck, eventually coming parallel with the truck as the two still-connected objects careen out of control. Jackknifing is dangerous for the obvious reason that the truck driver loses all control, and the trailer, which may be 50 feet or more in length, swings wildly across the road, taking out other vehicles, motorcyclists, pedestrians, and any other road users in its path.
How Jackknifing Occurs
Over 5,000 people die in large truck crashes each year, and the majority (71 percent) are occupants of other vehicles, according to the National Safety Council. Jackknifing is a prime example of how other road users are injured or killed, while the truck drivers themselves are often uninjured. Jackknifing usually happens when a truck driver suddenly applies the brakes, especially when traveling at high speeds. Upon sudden braking, the whole truck and its trailer can start to skid, which can lead to jackknifing. The skidding usually occurs due to the complex truck braking system that is much different than the brakes in a passenger vehicle. There are three different braking components, and if one is suddenly applied to avoid hitting another vehicle, the truck can become difficult to steer, or some wheels lock while others do not, causing the truck to jackknife. Other causes of jackknifing include equipment or mechanical failure, taking a curve too quickly, or icy or wet road conditions.
Other Causes of Jackknifing
Large trucks are often 20 to 30 times the size of passenger vehicles, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, and can take more than twice the distance to stop. Jackknifing usually occurs during a braking event in which the weight of the trailer pushes the truck, which is braking, forward, causing it to lose its grip and control on the pavement. As the large weight from behind continues to push the truck forward as the trucker brakes, the driver loses control and often ends up going off the road. Other causes of jackknifing include tire blowouts, overloading the truck, and slippery or icy roads.
Call a Columbia Truck Jackknifing Crash Attorney
If you were hit or forced off the road by a truck that jackknifed, the trucking company owes you damages for your medical expense, pain and suffering, property damage, lost income, and more. We will hold the trucking company accountable. Call the Columbia truck jackknife accident attorneys at Simmons Law Firm at 803-779-4600 to schedule a free consultation today.
