Were you injured in a wide-turn truck accident in Lafayette? You could be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, income losses, and more. A Lafayette truck accident attorney from The Thibeaux Firm can help you explore your legal options and fight for the financial compensation you deserve. Contact us today for a free initial consultation. We’ll listen to your story, explain your options, and help you take your next steps.
What Is a Wide Turn Truck Accident?
A wide turn truck accident happens when a truck driver swings out to make a turn and collides with another vehicle, object, or pedestrian. This is one of the most common types of commercial truck accidents.
Truck drivers need more space to turn, especially when making right turns. This means a commercial driver typically needs to swing left before turning right to complete right-hand turns safely. This swinging movement can confuse nearby drivers or trap vehicles between the truck and the curb. If a truck driver misjudges the space needed or fails to check for other vehicles, they can cause severe crashes.
Common causes of wide turn truck accidents include poor judgment, limited visibility, inadequate training, and driver inattention. These semi truck accidents can result in significant damage and fatal injuries since commercial trucks are so much larger and heavier than other vehicles.
How a Lafayette Truck Accident Attorney Can Help
Truck accident cases are often difficult and demanding. They are often much more complex than car accident cases. Wide turn truck accident cases typically involve large trucking companies, deep-pocketed insurance carriers, and strict federal and state regulations. Proving fault, gathering evidence, and calculating compensation all require careful attention and in-depth legal knowledge. Many victims face aggressive defense tactics from insurance companies that pressure them to settle for less than they deserve.
A Lafayette truck accident lawyer can help by gathering key evidence and identifying all responsible parties to build a strong case. They can also handle negotiations with insurance companies and fight for fair compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and more.
At The Thibeaux Firm, Attorney Omar Thibeaux brings over 20 years of experience battling insurance carriers that focus more on their bottom lines than on making things right. He works hard to help accident victims protect their legal rights and seek maximum compensation for their injuries and losses.
What sets The Thibeaux Firm apart is our commitment to keeping more money in your pocket. Unlike many personal injury lawyers who take 33 to 45 percent of their clients’ settlements, we charge only a flat 25 percent rate when we recover compensation for your claim. We don’t get paid unless you do, and we fight to make sure you recover as much as possible. If you or someone close to you suffered injuries in a wide turn truck accident in Louisiana, contact The Thibeaux Firm for the straightforward guidance and determined legal support you deserve.
Why Do Trucks Make Wide Right Turns?
Commercial vehicles generally need a lot of space to make left and right turns because of their size and long trailers. However, right turns are more difficult and require extra care because of how roads are designed in the United States. Since we drive on the right side, right turns tend to be tighter, with less space for the trailer to clear obstacles like curbs.
Left turns usually allow for wider turning arcs because trucks cross open intersections or multiple lanes during left turns, which gives the trailers more space to follow their cabs. However, right turns force trucks to stay closer to the curb, which increases the risk of the trailers off-tracking and hitting something. This is why truck drivers often swing left before turning right – to create enough space for their trailers to clear corners safely.
If truck drivers fail to make this kind of correction while turning right, they can strike nearby objects, pedestrians, or other vehicles. They can also cause right-turn squeeze accidents with vehicles in neighboring turning lanes if they fail to maneuver correctly or monitor their blind spots while turning.
Truck Wide Right Turn Accident Fault
Proving fault is essential in truck accident claims. Without clear evidence of who caused the accident, you will likely struggle to recover compensation for your injuries and losses. More than one party may be at fault in a semi truck accident, including the truck driver, the trucking company, and even third parties like other drivers or truck manufacturers.
Driver Negligence
Truck drivers are responsible for operating their vehicles safely. If a driver fails to check blind spots before turning, they can cause a truck crash. They could also cause an accident if they misjudge their turn radius and fail to allow enough space for the trailer to clear the turn. Distracted driving and driver fatigue increase the risk of these mistakes, as drowsy or inattentive drivers are not fully focused on the road or surrounding vehicles.
Trucking Company Liability
A trucking company could share fault if it fails to properly train its drivers. If a truck company puts an unqualified driver on the road, for example, it increases the risk of preventable truck accidents. Truck companies can also be liable for accidents resulting from broken turn signals, worn tires, or faulty brakes if they fail to properly maintain their trucks. Some companies also increase the risk of accidents by pushing drivers to engage in unsafe practices like speeding or skipping rest breaks in the name of meeting unreasonably tight deadlines.
Third Parties
Fault can also extend to third parties in some wide turn truck accident cases. For instance, manufacturers might bear responsibility if defective parts, like suspension systems, contribute to an accident. Maintenance companies that fail to inspect and repair trucks properly can also be liable. Cargo loading companies could share fault if they arrange cargo improperly in a way that makes the truck unstable as the load shifts in transit. In some cases, government agencies could also share fault if poor road design, narrow lanes, or unclear signage contribute to the accident.
An experienced Lafayette wide turn accident lawyer can investigate your case to determine who is at fault and prove negligence. Our personal injury law firm can help you seek compensation from the parties responsible for your truck accident injuries.
Contact Our Lafayette Truck Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation
If you suffered injuries in a wide-turn truck accident, don’t wait to get the legal help you need. A personal injury lawyer in Lafayette from The Thibeaux Firm can fight for the financial recovery you deserve. Contact Attorney Thibeaux today for a free initial consultation to learn more.