Waste trucks or garbage trucks help keep city streets clean and help dispose of trash and debris from homes, businesses, and construction sites. Unfortunately, these types of trucks can also cause collisions and injuries. These types of trucks can cause pedestrian and back over injuries, for example, if pedestrians or children approach the rear of the vehicle. These types of trucks can also cause workplace injuries in Hollywood and other Florida cities if city workers or other workers get caught in compactors or other components of the truck.
There are many reasons why waste truck accidents in Hollywood and other Florida cities are so common:
•Waste trucks and garbage trucks tend to be very large vehicles, with multiple blind spots
•Waste trucks and garbage trucks make frequent stops and starts, increasing the likelihood of accidents and injuries
•Garbage trucks can become very heavy when they carry full loads, making them more difficult to control and possibly leading to injuries
•Waste trucks and garbage trucks may have compactors which can cause crushing injuries
•Dump trucks and garbage trucks often arrive at work sites and construction sites, where they may drive near other vehicles, forklifts, and pedestrians, increasing the likelihood of an accident
•Garbage trucks and dump trucks can drop debris on the road, causing secondary accidents
There are safety features on board waste trucks which are intended to reduce the likelihood of accidents. For example, most garbage trucks are driven by at least two workers, to ensure that one person can drive while another person takes care of gathering debris or other items that must be removed. Garbage trucks and waste trucks also have audible signals so that when they back up pedestrians and other motorists can be aware of their location.
Despite these safety features, however, dump truck accidents can and do occur. These can cause severe injuries in Florida in Hollywood, including spinal cord injuries, head injuries, crushing injuries, and other serious harm.
Garbage truck accidents can be prevented by:
•Teaching children to avoid approaching trucks
•Parking away from the street and on a driveway, especially on garbage day
•Teaching drivers of these trucks to use signals and to check blind spots when backing up
•Educating motorists and pedestrians to use extra caution around garbage trucks as they may make unexpected stops and starts
•Launching educational campaigns to warn drivers and pedestrians of the dangers of blind spots – if you cannot see a garbage truck driver in their mirrors, the truck driver cannot see you.
Unfortunately for people who are injured by waste trucks and garbage trucks, seeking compensation in these cases can be difficult. Although these large trucks can cause severe injuries, some survivors of these collisions find that their claims are undervalued by insurance companies. In addition, these trucks are sometimes owned by municipalities or large corporations that are protected from liability by laws or by powerful insurance companies and their attorneys. It can be intimidating for an individual to face these larger defendants in court. However, working with an experienced personal injury attorney in Hollywood or your community can help you increase the odds of getting justice and compensation in your case.
Have you been injured by a garbage truck in South Florida? Contact Flaxman Law Group for a free, confidential case assessment. You may have a legal claim as well as other options for compensation.