Override And Underride Trucking Accidents

Sacramento Injury Attorneys Helping Victims Of Serious Truck Accidents

Because trucks are so much larger and higher off the ground than other cars, override and underride accidents can occur:

• Override accidents – when a smaller vehicle is run over by a commercial truck
• Underride accidents – when a vehicle rear-ends an 18-wheeler and is pinned underneath the back end of the commercial truck

When cars and SUV’s collide with each other, the bumpers and crumple zones are able to absorb some of the impact. With semi trucks, however, a car’s hood is able to fit under the truck making the passenger compartment the first thing to hit the truck. If you’ve been injured from a truck accident, contact an experienced injury attorney at The Weinberger Law Firm for help.

An override accident is one in which a semi truck “rides over” a car, motorcycle or pedestrian. These typically occur when the front of a large truck crashes over the lower structures of a car. Because 18-wheelers are so heavy in weight, the damages they can do to a regular passenger car is devastating. These types of truck-vehicle collisions often lead to permanent disability or death.

Underride truck accidents can easily rip off the top of a passenger vehicle completely, making it extremely dangerous for the passenger as the point of impact will typically be at the head level. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, nearly half of all fatal car-truck accidents are deadly underride accidents. These types of accidents increase the risk that passengers will suffer severe, if not fatal, head or brain injuries. If you or someone you know has suffered or died in an underride or override truck collision, contact an experienced attorney who can represent you and get the compensation you deserve.

These types of accidents occur because of many different factors, some of which are avoidable. For example, a truck may be too closely following a car, making it impossible for the trucker to brake quickly enough causing an override accident. Or if a truck is making a turn and while doing so, the trailer smashes into a vehicle to the side of the truck. Underride accidents could occur if a passenger vehicle is tailgating a truck or getting too close to the side of a trailer.

To avoid these types of accidents, all drivers should make sure to leave adequate distance between other vehicles and trucks. Never pass trucks on the right side and always make sure that you are not in the driver’s blind spot.

Some other causes of underride or override accidents are:

• Distracted driving
• Fatigued driving and violations of service regulations
• Defective or poorly maintained brakes or tires
• Speeding
• Tailgating
• Adverse road or weather conditions
• Overloaded cargo

Because these types of truck accidents are so dangerous, it’s important you have an excellent injury attorney who can represent you and get you the compensation you deserve for the injuries you suffered. No accident is ever the same but to get compensation for your pain and suffering, you need a skilled lawyer who can examine and bring forth a strong case for you.

Speak With Our Injury Attorney About Your Truck Accident Injuries

We have represented numerous people who suffered serious injuries in collisions with commercial trucks. If you or a loved one suffered substantial injuries or death as a result of careless, negligent or irresponsible truck driving contact our injury attorney to discuss your accident.

Call us today at (916-304-0952) for a free consultation regarding your case. We charge no fees unless we recover compensation for your injuries.