Jackknife trucking accidents in Homestead and across South Florida cause devastation each year. These types of truck accidents occur when a truck driver loses control of their vehicle or stops suddenly. When this happens, the trailer behind the cab continues to move, sometimes swinging violently to the side. Cars in the way can be crushed, slammed, or pushed out of the way, causing serious injuries to passengers inside.
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Jackknife accidents get their name from the fact that the cab and trailer in these collisions often come to rest at a 90 degree angle – much like an opened pocketknife. Jackknife trucking accidents can be caused by a number of factors, including:
- Brake failure
- Speeding
- Icy road conditions
- Sharp curves
In some cases, truck drivers will purposely jackknife or stop suddenly in order to prevent a worse accident. For example, if brakes fail, trying to jackknife the truck on purpose can be the only way to come to a complete halt and prevent a more disastrous accident. Truck drivers are trained to take these types of potentially risky maneuvers to prevent serious collisions.
If you are one of the unfortunate cars slammed by a truck during a jackknife truck accident, it’s not unusual to suffer serious injuries. Jackknife accidents can lead to:
- Amputations
- Crushing injuries
- Brain trauma
- Spinal cord injuries
- Facial injuries
- Fatalities
- Soft tissue injuries
- Fractures
- Lacerations and scarring
Commercial trucks can weigh up to 80,000 pounds fully loaded. When a trailer weighing this much swings towards your passenger vehicle, you may simply not have enough time to move out of the way. If impact occurs, those tens of thousands of pounds slammed into the front, rear, or side of your car can cause enough damage to seriously injure you and your passengers. The flying glass alone can cause permanent facial or eye injuries. Metal, glass, and plastic may all be crushed, meaning you are impacted directly by the truck, suffering serious and even permanent injuries.
If you have suffered injuries due to someone’s negligence, you have the right in Florida to seek compensation for your losses. After a serious trucking accident, you may have considerable bills, including:
- Medical bills
- Lost income
- Car repair bills
- Property damage
- Taxi or car rental costs
- Hospital stay bills
- Incidental costs
In addition to all of these costs, there may be long-term future expenses to consider. For example, you may need occupational therapy, counseling, rehabilitation, or long-term medical care. You may need someone stopping by your home every day or week to help you clean, care for yourself, and take care of basic tasks around the house. You may need medication or medical devices for the rest of your life.
All of these costs can quickly add up. Seeking compensation ensures you are not the only one having to pay for these bills. Compensation can help you pay for your expenses so you can put the focus on getting better and healing as fully as you can.
If you have been injured in a jackknife or any trucking accident in southern Florida, contact Flaxman Law Group. Our offices in Homestead, Hollywood, and Miami are always open to local residents who have been seriously injured. We would be happy to provide you with a free accident consultation or even an over the phone consultation so you can understand whether you have a claim.