Truck accidents are not like regular car crashes. When a semi truck is involved, the injuries are usually worse, and the damage is often massive. These crashes can change a person’s life in seconds. Victims may suffer broken bones, spinal cord injuries, or even death. The path to recovery can be long, painful, and expensive.
Krebs Law Personal Injury Lawyers helps victims of accidents involving semi trucks. Our team understands the laws, insurance challenges, and tactics used by trucking companies. We fight for people who suffer severe injuries, lost wages, or emotional trauma after a crash. If you or a loved one has been hurt, we can help you seek full compensation.
Truck crashes often cause more harm than regular traffic accidents. That’s because semi trucks are bigger, heavier, and harder to control than regular vehicles.
Semi trucks can weigh up to 80,000 pounds when fully loaded. That’s 20 times heavier than most passenger vehicles. When a truck driver loses control, the impact on other vehicles can be devastating.
This size difference is why even a low-speed accident involving a truck can cause extensive property damage and severe injuries. A large truck needs more room to turn, stop, or slow down. That leaves less time for the driver to react to road changes. When driver errors happen at this scale, the results are often catastrophic.
Because of their weight, semi trucks need more space to stop safely. When roads are wet or traffic is heavy, a truck driver may not be able to slow down in time. This is one reason why rear end accidents with trucks are so common.
Large trucks also have big blind spots, called "no-zones." If a driver or trucking company doesn’t take steps to check those areas, they may miss other vehicles in their path. Poor visibility increases the risk of hitting cars during lane changes or turns, leading to serious crashes.
Truck accidents often result in life-changing harm. Victims may suffer spinal cord injuries, neck injuries, or post traumatic stress disorder. In the most tragic cases, the crash may lead to death.
These injuries require surgery, long-term rehab, and care from medical professionals. Recovery can take months or years, and some people never fully heal. When someone survives a severe accident, their life may look completely different than it did before. That’s why these cases require strong legal support from an experienced truck accident attorney.
A crash involving a semi truck doesn’t always affect just one vehicle. Trucks can swing across lanes, tip over, or push other vehicles into one another. One mistake can create a chain reaction that leads to a multi-vehicle pileup.
These situations make it harder to figure out who’s at fault. It may involve several drivers, companies, or even poor road design. That’s why truck accident cases often demand a thorough investigation and the help of a skilled legal team.
Many truck accidents happen because of careless actions or unsafe decisions. These crashes are often preventable. Some of the most common causes are:
Not all truck accidents look the same. Some crashes happen in intersections, while others occur on highways or backroads. The type of accident often affects the injuries, damage, and legal process involved.
A few of the most common types of crashes involving semi trucks, along with what makes each one so dangerous include:
A jackknife accident happens when the trailer of a semi truck swings out to the side, creating an L or V shape with the cab. This usually occurs when the truck driver brakes too hard or loses control on a slick road, causing the trailer to slide sideways.
Once the truck jackknifes, the driver has almost no control over its path, which can block several lanes of traffic and strike other vehicles nearby. These crashes are extremely dangerous because they often lead to multi-vehicle accidents, especially on highways with high speeds and heavy traffic.
When a trailer swings wide, smaller cars have no room to escape the impact, making jackknife accidents one of the most feared crash types on the road.
An underride collision happens when a smaller vehicle crashes into the back or side of a semi truck and slides underneath the trailer. These are among the deadliest types of truck accidents, often causing fatal neck injuries, spinal cord injuries, or even decapitation.
These crashes typically occur when the truck stops suddenly or is making a wide turn without proper lights or reflective tape. Many trucks are not equipped with strong underride guards, which means cars can slip under the trailer without slowing down.
Because of their severity, underride collisions often lead to life-altering injuries or wrongful death lawsuits. Federal safety agencies have pushed for better protections, but until all commercial vehicles have updated guards, these crashes will remain a serious threat.
Rollover accidents occur when a semi truck tips onto its side or roof. These are violent crashes that can crush other vehicles, spill cargo, and block entire roads. Rollovers often happen when a truck driver takes a turn too quickly, overcorrects, or drives with unbalanced cargo.
Uneven weight can shift during travel, especially on sharp curves or downhill grades, causing the truck to lose stability. Wind, rain, and poor road maintenance can also increase the risk. Because of the truck’s size, a rollover can trigger a chain reaction that affects multiple drivers.
Passengers in nearby cars are especially at risk of severe injuries if their vehicle gets pinned or smashed during the crash. Rollover crashes require a thorough investigation to understand what caused the truck to tip.
Rear-end accidents happen when a semi truck slams into the back of a slower or stopped vehicle. These often occur in traffic jams or near intersections. Because trucks weigh so much more than passenger vehicles, even low-speed impacts can cause serious damage.
T-bone collisions, on the other hand, happen when a truck runs a red light or stop sign and strikes the side of another vehicle. This kind of impact often leads to broken bones, neck injuries, or fatal trauma. Victims sitting on the struck side of the vehicle face the highest risk.
Both types of accidents are usually caused by driver errors, such as distracted driving, fatigue, or not keeping a safe following distance. These are some of the most common crashes that an experienced truck accident attorney handles in personal injury cases.
Blind spot accidents, also called no-zone crashes, happen when a truck driver changes lanes or makes a turn without seeing a nearby car. Semi trucks have large blind spots on all four sides, especially along the right side and behind the trailer.
Cars in those zones are invisible unless the driver checks carefully before moving. If the driver merges without checking, they can sideswipe a passenger car, force it off the road, or even crush it against a barrier. These crashes often involve severe injuries and major property damage, especially when a vehicle gets pinned or trapped.
Many people don’t realize how dangerous a truck’s blind spots can be until it’s too late. That’s why federal regulations require mirrors and warning systems on most commercial vehicles, though not all companies follow through with proper equipment or driver training.
Determining who is responsible for a truck accident is not always simple. Several parties may be involved, and each one may share part of the blame. Understanding who may be held legally accountable helps injury victims build a strong claim and pursue full compensation for their losses.
The truck driver is often the first person looked at when a crash happens. If the driver was speeding, texting, driving while tired, or violating traffic laws, they may be found directly responsible for the accident.
Common driver errors like failing to yield, drifting out of lanes, or making illegal turns are often to blame. In some cases, the driver may have been under the influence of drugs or alcohol or ignored federal regulations about driving hours. When a driver’s actions cause a crash, they can be held liable, even if they were working for a company at the time.
Every decision made behind the wheel carries weight, especially when operating a massive semi truck that can cause severe injuries or death.
In many truck accident cases, the trucking company is also legally responsible. Employers must hire qualified drivers, conduct background checks, and provide proper training. When they skip these steps or fail to monitor driver performance, they put other vehicles and people at risk.
Some companies push drivers to meet unrealistic deadlines, leading to driver fatigue, speeding, or skipping safety checks. If the company encourages or allows unsafe practices, it may share fault in the crash.
In addition, companies that fail to inspect, maintain, or repair their fleet may also be liable if a mechanical issue, like brake failure or tire blowouts, caused the wreck. In short, when the employer cuts corners, they may become the party responsible for your damages.
Sometimes, a truck accident happens not because of the driver but because of a defective part. If the semi truck had a faulty brake system, defective tires, or another mechanical issue due to a manufacturing error, the company that made the part may be to blame.
In these cases, the vehicle or parts manufacturer may be sued for producing or distributing dangerous products. This kind of liability is called product liability. To prove it, a thorough investigation must show that the part failed due to poor design or construction, not because of wear and tear or poor maintenance.
These claims often require expert testimony and a deep review of manufacturing records, but they are key in accidents involving mechanical failure that a driver couldn’t have prevented.
If someone other than the truck driver or company loaded the truck or performed maintenance, they might also be at fault. A load that shifts during transport can cause a semi truck to tip over, jackknife, or become uncontrollable, especially on turns or hills.
If the cargo was loaded improperly, too heavy, or unsecured, the company or contractor that packed it could be liable. Similarly, if a third-party maintenance team failed to check the brakes, tires, or lights -- or ignored clear signs of wear -- then they may be blamed for the crash.
In accidents involving cargo issues or poor repair work, it’s important to examine who last touched the truck before the incident and whether they followed standard safety procedures.
Do I really need a truck accident lawyer after a crash?
Yes. A truck accident lawyer knows how to deal with complex cases involving commercial vehicles, multiple parties, and strict legal rules. They can help you handle the insurance companies, meet legal deadlines, and fight for a fair settlement that covers all of your damages, including medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
What should I do at the accident scene?
If you're physically able, start by calling 911. Get medical help first. Then, take photos of the accident scene, including vehicle damage, skid marks, and road conditions. Get names of witnesses and the truck driver. Don’t discuss fault. Everything you do at the scene helps your lawyer later when it’s time to gather evidence and seek compensation.
Why are police reports important after a truck accident?
Police reports provide an official record of what happened. They often include witness statements, a diagram of the crash, and the officer’s opinion about fault. Insurance companies review these reports closely. A good truck accident lawyer will use this report, along with other evidence, to build your case and support your version of events.
How long do I have to file a claim after a truck accident?
In Alabama, you generally have two years to file a personal injury claim. But it’s better to act quickly. The sooner you speak with a lawyer, the easier it is to gather evidence, contact witnesses, and request traffic camera footage. Waiting too long could weaken your ability to seek compensation for medical bills and other damages.
What if the insurance company offers a quick settlement?
Be careful. A fast offer is usually far less than what your case is worth. The insurance company is trying to close the case before you realize the full cost of your injuries. Always talk to a truck accident lawyer before accepting any money. They can review the offer and fight for a fair settlement that fully covers your needs.
If you or a loved one was hurt in a truck accident, you don’t have to go through this alone. At Krebs Law Personal Injury Lawyers, our Greene County truck accident lawyer understands how devastating these crashes can be. From overwhelming medical bills to missed work and emotional stress, the impact can last a lifetime.
Our legal team will take immediate steps to gather evidence, review police reports, and protect your rights at every stage of the process. We’ll fight to help you seek compensation for your injuries, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Whether you're dealing with a semi truck accident, driver error, or a negligent trucking company, we’re ready to help.
Contact our office today for a free, no-obligation consultation. We don’t get paid unless we win your case, and we work hard to make sure you get the fair settlement you deserve.
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