Were you hurt in a jackknife truck accident in Arizona? If so, you could be left with serious injuries, expensive bills, and missed time at work. At Silkman Law Firm Injury & Accident Lawyer, we want to help you demand compensation to cover these losses. We understand how traumatizing these accidents can be and want to hold the at-fault parties accountable for the harm they caused you. Contact us today for a free consultation with a jackknife truck accident lawyer in Arizona to find out how we can help.
What Causes a Truck to Jackknife?
The unique structure of large commercial trucks creates the risk of jackknifing. This is when the trailer swings toward the cab like a folding pocket knife. The cab may slow down or skid as the driver brakes, but the attached trailer cannot slow down or stop as quickly. This causes the trailer to swing forward – or “jackknife” – and push the cab forward. In some cases, the weight of the trailer and its momentum cause the trailer to swing back and forth. In others, the trailer skids across all lanes of traffic at a ninety-degree angle.
Trucks will often jackknife due to:
- Unsafe speeds
- Bad weather conditions
- Improper braking
- Not slowing down in time to make a turn
- Improper brake maintenance
- Truck driver inexperience
- Faulty equipment or equipment malfunction
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) tracks jackknife truck accidents and their severity. In a recent year, there were over 7,000 jackknife accidents resulting in property damage, 2,000 resulting in injuries, and nearly 200 that proved fatal. Though they accounted for only about 1.7 percent of all property damage crashes, jackknife collisions made up almost 4 percent of fatal truck accidents.
Injuries Our Truck Accident Lawyers Typically See in Jackknife Collisions
As with any collision involving a commercial vehicle, people in smaller vehicles are at much higher risk of serious injuries in jackknife crashes. The types of injuries suffered in a jackknife truck accident depend on several factors, including the speed the impact occurred at and where the collision happened. Some of the injuries that may result from a jackknife truck accident include:
- Head injuries or traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Back injuries or pain
- Spinal cord injuries or paralysis
- Internal bleeding
- Blunt force trauma injuries
- Fractures
- Burns
- Emotional and psychological injuries
