Jackknife Truck Accidents in Temple

Due to the unique way commercial truck cabs and trailers are hitched together, a loss of control or traction by a truck driver can sometimes lead to their truck “jackknifing”—in other words, the trailer sliding out sideways or even ahead of the skidding cab. These types of accidents often impact multiple vehicles and cause immense physical and financial harm to the people swept up in them.

If you were recently hurt in a jackknife truck accident in Temple, you may have important legal options that a qualified truck accident lawyer could help you understand and utilize. Negligence that leads to a jackknife crash can serve as grounds for civil litigation, whether it stems from a truck driver, a trucking company, or a separate third party.

How Negligence Could Cause a Truck to Jackknife

Many jackknife truck accidents that occur in Temple and elsewhere in the state of Texas stem from the driver doing something reckless, careless, or expressly illegal. For example, if a trucker loses control of their vehicle because they were speeding, or if they end up jackknifing after breaking to avoid a vehicle they were traveling too close behind, they could be considered at fault for the crash that follows.

In addition to following all traffic laws and trucking regulations, though, truck drivers have an implicit legal responsibility to pay attention to their surroundings and act reasonably based on the road conditions they observe. Accordingly, if a truck driver does not commit a traffic violation but still ends up causing a jackknife wreck because they were driving too fast for wet, icy, or foggy road conditions, they could still be liable for ensuing damages.

Finally, some jackknife wrecks stem not from irresponsible conduct by a truck driver, but rather from negligence by their employer or by another third party. A qualified truck accident attorney could help seek civil compensation following a jackknife accident caused by a trucking company compelling its employees to drive while fatigued, imbalanced or insecure cargo loaded into the truck by a third-party supplier, or even reckless driving by another motor vehicle operator.

Seeking Fair Recovery for Accident-Related Losses

Provided that they can prove negligence on someone else’s part, any Temple resident injured in a jackknife truck crash has the right to demand recovery for every form of harm they suffered that can be traced back to that incident. Recoverable damages in a typical claim may include past and future medical bills, physical pain and suffering, vehicle replacement costs, lost work income, and various losses related to a permanent disability or disfigurement.

Unfortunately, given their size and weight, tractor-trailers that jackknife often cause fatal injuries to commuter car occupants unlucky enough to be caught up in the accident. In these kinds of tragic situations, qualified legal counsel could help surviving family members of a fatal crash victim pursue a wrongful death claim for their damages related to the loss of their loved one.

A Temple Attorney Could Help After a Jackknife Truck Accident

Jackknife wrecks are arguably the most dangerous variety of truck accident that seasoned attorneys commonly deal with, thanks to the number of vehicles often involved and the life-altering injuries and losses that can ensue. Fortunately, you have a legal right to hold the party responsible for such an incident accountable for the damages you sustained as a result of their negligence.

An experienced truck accident lawyer could answer any questions you have about jackknife truck accidents in Temple during an initial consultation. Call today to schedule yours.