For California drivers, it’s an intimidating sight to see a 70-foot wall of metal suddenly pull across their line of sight. This is often the frightening view when a large truck attempts a long, wide left turn. These big-rigs and farming transports need extra time and space to pull through a turn, but in that time they can put countless other drivers at risk.
Even when a big rig driver exercises caution, oncoming drivers can still be surprised to see the full length of an 18-wheeler in front of them. They may struggle to slow down in time to allow the truck to pass. The consequences of a collision in this situation can be devastating, leaving drivers and passengers at risk of severe injuries.
Earning Help for a Left Turn Big Rig Accident Victim
If you or a loved one are caught up in an accident caused by a careless truck driver and gets injured, please talk to a local personal injury lawyer before speaking with an insurance representative. Insurance adjusters can call you under the guise of checking on your wellbeing when they actually hope to talk you into making a recorded statement. These statements can be used to damage your big rig accident claim against the insurance company later.
When you have a skilled attorney such as Martin Gasparian safeguarding your case, you won’t have the chance to make these sorts of mistakes with insurance companies. He will be handling the phone calls for you. Mr. Gasparian offers a free, initial strategy session for victims and their families. Contact him and tell him what happened so he can help you determine your best course of action.
Left Turn Truck Accident Dangers in California
We don’t give them much thought, but left turns are perhaps the most difficult of all the driving maneuvers we are asked to make. Truck drivers fall prey to this pressure as well, especially since their left turns can be much more involved.
Left turns can require more thought because big rig drivers are assessing vehicle and foot traffic coming in several different directions. The sensory overload can force drivers into an agitated state where they may get jumpy and hit the gas and create the potential for a devastating collision.
Left turns also take all vehicles much longer to complete because of the longer stretch they must cover. It takes longer, and in that time a truck can be blocking six lanes of traffic. This position puts oncoming drivers at risk for striking a truck head-on or on the side to end up under a tractor-trailer. Factor in the potential for an unbalanced truck to turn over during a left turn and it’s a scary situation all the way around.
Common Injuries for Truck Accident Victims
Once a crash has occurred, the true price of a left turn mistake can be documented by emergency crews and police officers. Victims can easily suffer serious injuries. These injuries can be debilitating and affect the lives of victims and their families over a lifetime.
The severe nature of these injuries makes it all the more important for you to secure proper support from those at fault. Unfortunately, there can be more than one responsible party where big rig accidents are concerned. Drivers could have personal truck accident insurance coverage. The company they work for could be providing the coverage. Even the truck’s manufacture may share some blame if a vehicle design flaw contributed to the collision. A skilled California Big Rig Accident Lawyer works to identify every party that bears fault in your accident. This is the only way to make sure you receive the support you need to make a full recovery.
The fact is, all three parties could have to contribute to your recovery costs if a major injury is involved. Truck accidents can inflict a long list of injuries.
These are a few of the most common outcomes:
- Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI): TBIs are caused by a blow to the head. This impact can cause both minor and severe concussions. Victims can experience amnesia, vertigo, nausea, and sensitivity to light and sound. These symptoms can be temporary or lead to permanent memory loss and other long-term issues.
- Thoracic Spine Injury: Whiplash or disc nerve damage can cause pain that travels through all parts of the body. Muscle weakness and the loss of control of body parts are also possible.
- Back injuries: Ligaments, tendons, and muscles can get stretched and receive microscopic tears that cause back pain. Back pain can affect patients long after they have signed an insurance company settlement and can no longer return to them for help.
- Broken bones: Fractures are common in car accidents and some breaks can be very difficult to heal. Legs and arms are most commonly broken. Skull fractures can lead to brain swelling and bleeding.
- Organ Damage: Impacts can affect the tissue that connects, supports, and holds organs in place and cause life-threatening trauma. A broken rib can puncture a lung or damage the heart.
- Physical Disability: Victims who suffer extreme impacts from big rigs may never fully recover and would have to learn to live with a disability. A physical disability can be the result of brain damage, loss of sight or hearing, amputation, or the loss of the ability to move the upper or lower body. Victims may need upgrades at home and in the office to be able to continue on with life.
Contact a Truck Accident Lawyer Serving California Victims
After a serious injury caused by an accident involving a big rig driver, contact an experienced California Truck Accident Attorney such as Martin Gasparian. He offers a free case evaluation for victims and their families.
Mr. Gasparian has extensive experience negotiating with insurance companies to secure the most compensation available for truck accident victims and their families. He’s also skilled in a courtroom setting and can put insurance adjusters on notice about potential litigation if they don’t offer you what’s fair for what you’ve endured.
