Jackknife Truck Accidents in Hutto
In the context of truck accidents, a “jackknife” crash is one that involves a truck’s trailer losing contact with driving surface and sliding out towards the front of the vehicle. When this happens, the vehicle resembles a folding knife. Jackknife accidents usually involve trucks sliding through multiple lanes of traffic, colliding with multiple vehicles, and injuring many drivers.
Needless to say, jackknife truck accidents in Hutto tend to be very serious incidents with life-changing and sometimes life-threatening consequences for just about everyone involved. If you suffered injuries in a wreck of this nature recently, working closely with a seasoned truck accident attorney to pursue fair financial recovery can be vital to securing the compensation you need to move past the crash in a productive manner.
How Negligence Can Cause Jackknife Accidents
The way commercial tractor-trailers are constructed makes them capable of towing tens of thousands of pounds of cargo across hundreds of miles, but it also makes them challenging to control safely. When a truck’s trailer is connected to the cab by a hinge, it moves independently of the cab when the truck is in motion. This means that any sudden lateral movement from the cab could throw the trailer out of balance and cause it to swivel sideways.
While some jackknife accidents may be inevitable, common ways that truck drivers might increase the risk of a collision occurring through their own reckless or careless misconduct include:
- Driving while drunk, high, or overly fatigued
- Driving while distracted
- Speeding
- Driving too fast for the road
- Braking improperly
- Turning too sharply
Certain types of mechanical failures—most notably brake failures on downhill slopes—can also lead to a truck driver losing control of their vehicle in this way. When this happens, liability for a Hutto jackknife crash would shift to a third-party mechanic or vehicle manufacturer. In many situations, the company that hired and employed a negligent truck driver may also hold vicarious liability for their driver’s misconduct.
Deadlines for Filing Truck Crash Claims
A comprehensive civil claim built around a truck crash can seek restitution for both the economic and non-economic effects of the incident, including medical bills, car replacement costs, lost work income, physical and psychological suffering, and lost quality of life. Importantly, though, anyone injured in a jackknife incident has a limited amount of time under state law to actually file a civil claim.
Specifically, Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code §16.003 allows most injured people just two years at most after initially getting hurt to begin the civil litigation process. Failing to abide by this statute of limitations will almost always leave an injured person without any legal recourse for their injury-related losses, so contacting a lawyer in Hutto sooner rather than later after a jackknife truck accident can be crucial to preserving a prospective plaintiff’s rights.
Call Our Attorneys About Jackknife Truck Accidents in Hutto
Jackknifing trucks have the potential to severely injure dozens of people at once, especially on crowded interstate highways. Fortunately, you have help available in situations like this from dedicated legal professionals with years of experience fighting and winning similar past cases.
Your first priority after a jackknife truck accident in Hutto should always be seeking necessary medical care, but your next priority should be speaking with a qualified lawyer. Call today to schedule a meeting with our experienced legal team.
