What is a truck underride accident?

Our Rhode Island Truck Accident Lawyers Can Help You Seek Justice for an Underride Crash

Even though Rhode Island has one of the lowest percentages of truck accidents in the United States, crashes involving commercial vehicles still occur, and when they do, the consequences can be devastating. Some of the most traumatic truck crashes happen when a car gets trapped underneath a commercial truck’s trailer. This is known as a truck underride accident. These accidents can be catastrophic and lead to life-threatening injuries.

If you or a loved one were injured in a truck underride accident, contact a Rhode Island truck accident lawyer at Kirshenbaum & Kirshenbaum, Attorneys at Law, Inc., to discuss your legal options.

Types of Underride Truck Accidents

An underride accident occurs when a smaller vehicle, such as a car, slides underneath a larger truck. These types of accidents include:

Rear underride. Rear underride accidents occur when a vehicle crashes into the back of a truck and slides underneath the trailer.

Side underride. Side underride accidents happen when a vehicle moves under the side of the trailer, often during lane changes or side-impact collisions.

Potential Defendants in a Truck Underride Accident

There can often be multiple defendants liable for a truck underride accident. Potential defendants may include:

Truck driver. The driver may be at fault if they were driving recklessly, under the influence, or violating traffic laws.

Trucking company. The trucking company might be liable for poor maintenance, improper loading, or negligent hiring practices.

Manufacturer. The manufacturer could be held responsible if the truck or its underride guards were defective.

It’s essential to identify the party, or parties, that caused the crash so that you can file a claim against the right defendants.

Why Truck Underride Crashes Are so Dangerous

Truck underride accidents can happen due to many factors and are among the most dangerous types of collisions. Some reasons why these accidents pose such a great danger are:

Severity of injuries. The lower part of a car can slide under a truck, causing the upper portion of the vehicle to be crushed or sheared off. This often results in catastrophic injuries or fatalities for the occupants of the smaller vehicle.
Lack of protection. Many trucks lack adequate underride guards, which are supposed to prevent smaller vehicles from sliding underneath. Even when these guards are present, they may not always be effective.
High impact forces. The significant size and weight difference between trucks and cars results in high impact forces, which can cause severe damage and injuries.
Limited visibility. Trucks have large blind spots, making it difficult for truck drivers to see smaller vehicles. This can increase the likelihood of a smaller vehicle becoming trapped in a dangerous position relative to the truck.
Difficulty in maneuvering. Due to their size and weight, trucks cannot maneuver as quickly as smaller vehicles. This makes it harder for truck drivers to avoid collisions, especially in emergency situations.
Brake discrepancies. Trucks require a longer stopping distance compared to cars. In situations where abrupt braking is necessary, the disparity in braking capabilities can lead to underride accidents.

Common Injuries in Underride Collisions

A truck underride accident can cause catastrophic injuries, including:

Amputation of limbs
Broken bones
Internal bleeding or organ damage
Severe burns
Spinal cord injuries
Traumatic brain injuries

Unfortunately, many underride accidents end up being fatal.

Possible Damages You Could Recover

Our experienced truck accident lawyers will fight for your fair compensation after an underride accident. As a victim of a truck accident, you may be entitled to various types of damages, including:

Medical expenses. Health care costs include all current and future medical bills related to the accident.
Lost income. Compensation for lost wages, benefits, bonuses, and self-employment income due to injury or disability should be part of your fair recovery.
Pain and suffering. Damages for physical pain and emotional distress are often hard to quantify, but they are essential to your fair recovery.
Out-of-pocket costs. Coverage for unforeseen expenses such as home modifications, hiring help, and holistic treatments not covered by insurance should be valued and part of the compensation you seek after a truck underride crash.

Additionally, if you lost a loved one due to a wrongful death that resulted from the underride accident, you could recover funeral and burial expenses.

At Kirshenbaum & Kirshenbaum, we fight hard to get our truck accident clients the compensation and justice they deserve. To learn more, read our case results to see the types of outcomes we have secured for our clients.