Attorneys Helping Truck Accident Victims in West Palm Beach
Loaded trucks that weigh more than 80,000 pounds can have long blind spots along the rear of the vehicle and immediately behind them. These trucks are hard to maneuver and typically require much more room to make a wide turn than a passenger car needs. When a truck makes a wide turn, it may swing into another lane, crushing or killing drivers in that lane. After a crash, insurers for the driver and the trucking company may try to find reasons that the victim is at fault. If you are hurt in a truck accident in West Palm Beach or the surrounding area, the lawyers at Anidjar & Levine may be able to help you protect your rights. Contact a West Palm Beach truck accident lawyer today if you’ve sustained injuries due to a truck wreck.
Holding Truck Drivers and Companies Liable for Excessively Wide Turns
When a big rig makes a right turn, it needs to swing left so that the trailer can clear the turn and follow the cab into the appropriate traffic lane. Generally, commercial trucks have warning signals that are intended to keep other drivers from lurking in their blind spots or from following too closely behind. However, not all drivers understand that a truck is swinging left in order to make a right turn, and they may try to pass on the right or get stuck in the truck’s blind spot. When the truck squeezes the other vehicle against the curb, it is called a “squeeze play.” The victim of a squeeze play can suffer from brain damage, broken bones, amputation, spinal cord damage, paralysis, and disfigurement.
In order to obtain a commercial driver’s license, a truck driver must be trained in how to make safe turns, how to check blind spots, and how to deal with other unpredictable situations. A trucking company that fails to ensure that the truck driver is adequately trained to do his job safely may be held liable for wide turn accidents.
You may be able to sue not only the truck driver but also the trucking company under a theory of direct or indirect liability. A truck driver’s individual policy may not provide as much coverage as the trucking company’s policy. Wide turn accidents often result in catastrophic injuries that may require lifelong care. It may not be possible to recover full compensation for lifelong care from the driver alone.
Direct theories of liability include negligent hire, negligent training, or negligent supervision. In a wide turn accident, negligent training may be applicable. All trucking companies owe a duty to others to make sure their drivers are appropriately trained. Vicarious liability, an indirect theory of liability, may also apply. Under vicarious liability, an employer is held responsible for its employee’s negligent acts within the course and scope of employment. If a truck driver got into a wide turn accident while running a personal errand, however, his employer could not be held responsible.
Seek Legal Guidance From a West Palm Beach Lawyer after a Motor Vehicle Collision
West Palm Beach is the county seat of Palm Beach County, the third-most populous county in Florida. There are large areas of swampland immediately west of the downtown area. Residents of West Palm Beach who have been harmed in a big rig collision can contact the injury attorneys at Anidjar & Levine for guidance in pursuing a broad range of compensatory damages. We also represent clients in Boca Raton, Wellington, Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, and other communities throughout Palm Beach County. Call the West Palm Beach personal injury lawyers at the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine for a free consultation.
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