A New Orleans Jackknife Accident Lawyer Will Fight For The Compensation You Deserve
Jackknife accidents are one of the most common and most dangerous types of truck accidents. They can happen extremely quickly and result in catastrophic collisions involving multiple vehicles and severe injuries. If you have been injured in a jackknife accident, you may be entitled to compensation. Unfortunately, getting fair compensation for your losses isn’t easy, but an experienced New Orleans jackknife accident attorney can help.
What is a Jackknife Accidents?
A jackknife accident is when the cab and the trailer of a large truck go in different directions, forming a v-shaped angle. The accident is called a “jackknife” because of its similar appearance to a jackknife—the cab serving as the handle and the trailer as the blade.
One of the reasons why jackknife accidents are so dangerous is they often wind up blocking multiple lanes of traffic, including traffic coming from the other direction. They can crash into other vehicles or cause multi-vehicle accidents when other vehicles crash into them. As a result, it can sometimes be challenging to determine who was at fault for your injuries if you were involved in a jackknife accident. A New Orleans jackknife accident lawyer can help you determine who should be held accountable.
How Trucks Cause Collisions
Generally speaking, jackknife accidents are caused when the truck driver has to brake suddenly. The braking systems on large trucks are more complex than those on passenger vehicles, with brakes for both the cab and the trailer. Jackknife accidents occur when the driver applies the cab brakes but doesn’t have time to engage the brakes for the trailer. The result is the cab decelerates faster than the trailer, and the trailer’s momentum causes it to swing out around the cab as if on a hinge.
If you have been involved in a jackknife accident, the question becomes why the driver had to brake so suddenly. There are many reasons for this, but many of these reasons are due to truck driver negligence. For example:
- Tailgating
- Speeding
- Driving too fast for road or traffic conditions
- Entering a turn too fast
- Braking too hard or too late
In some cases, lack of training or experience can also play a role in jackknife accidents. However, a skilled, well-trained driver can sometimes regain control of the truck once it has started to jackknife and prevent an accident from occurring.
Of course, mechanical issues may also lead to a jackknife accident. Faulty or worn brake systems, broken trailer mechanisms, or worn tires can cause the driver to lose control of the truck and lead to a jackknife accident. As a result, the trucking company may be at fault for failing to maintain the truck properly. A New Orleans jackknife accident attorney can help identify the cause of your accident so you can get the compensation you need.
Contact a New Orleans Jackknife Accident Lawyer Today
At Bloom Legal, LLC, we help people put their lives back together after being injured in a truck accident. From medical bills to lost wages to pain and suffering, we make sure you get fair compensation. If you have been injured in a jackknife accident, schedule a free consultation with a New Orleans jackknife accident attorney today.
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Posted By: Sarah Perrie