If you live in Pennsylvania or if you are just passing through you may notice a large presence of commercial trucks driving around you on the roadways. The trucking industry is strong in the Keystone state and while this helps get goods and cargo where they need to go, the many trucks on the road present a grave danger to other drivers.
Large commercial trucks can weigh in at 80,000 pounds or a whopping 40 tons. When compared to private passenger vehicles though, where your average sedan is just around 4,000 pounds, it is clear to see how much destruction can be done specifically to a smaller vehicle if a crash between the two takes place. There are several ways that a truck accident can happen and cause great harm. If you were injured in an 18-wheeler accident in Pennsylvania, then you need experienced legal counsel on your side who understands the complicated nature of truck accident injury claims.
The truck accident lawyers at the O’Donnell Law Offices can assist you with filing your claim for compensation after you were hurt or lost a loved one in a truck accident.
The Different Ways Truck Accidents Can Happen
Both the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the state of Pennsylvania have laws and guidelines for how large 18-wheeler trucks can safely operate as they traverse the roadways. Still, truck accidents are a common occurrence across the country and in the state of Pennsylvania.
Some ways that a truck accident can happen include:
- Jackknife accidents happen when the truck’s cab and trailer slide away from a parallel position to each other to one that is at an angle.
- Underride accidents happen when a smaller vehicle slides underneath the truck.
- Rollover accidents happen when heavy trucks roll over and crush the smaller vehicles that are next to them.
- Head-on collisions happen when a truck’s cab slams into the front of another vehicle.
- Explosion accidents can happen if a truck is carrying highly explosive materials that catch on fire and burst into flames.
- T-Bone accidents can happen when a truck drives directly into the side of another vehicle.
In some cases, a truck accident is the result of a violation of Pennsylvania motor carrier safety regulations. Other times it could be a violation of FMCSA guidelines. Truck driver error or vehicle malfunctioning can also be why a truck accident happens. Depending on how a truck accident occurs, there may be multiple parties that are responsible and as a result, owe you financial compensation for your losses. Because of this truck accident injury claims tend to be more complicated than those between only two passenger sedans.
Speak with a Pennsylvania Truck Accident Injury Attorney Today
30 serving clients in Kingston, Wilkes Barre, Hazleton, and Pittston at 570-821-5717 or online today. There is no fee or cost until we win your case.
Source:
pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/067/chapter231/chap231toc.html