A Truck Accident Lawyer Injured Underride Crash Victims Can Count On
Get a Birmingham truck wreck attorney fighting for your compensation
Underride crashes happen when a car is crushed under a truck after it slides under the rear or side of an 18-wheeler, and if you or a loved one have been injured in this type of collision, truck accident lawyer Perry Shuttlesworth and his Birmingham legal team can help you get the compensation you’re entitled to.
Due to the raised design of a tractor-trailer, there’s just enough room for a car to slide underneath and get crushed. Often proving fatal, these types of truck wrecks are devastating, and those who do survive typically end up with severe injuries that can result in lifelong complications.
If you were injured in an underride truck accident or a loved one was killed in this type of horrific crash, the Birmingham truck wreck attorneys at Shuttlesworth Law Firm, P.C. can answer your questions, examine the details of your crash, and explain your legal options. You may be eligible for compensation. Contact our Birmingham law firm today for a free consultation, or call 866-583-1885.
Our Birmingham legal team understand how underride accidents happen
Thousands of people are injured or killed in underride truck accidents every year, but the sad reality is these collisions are often avoidable and caused by a driver or trucking company’s negligence. Some of the more common reasons underride accidents happen are:
- No reflective tape: Many 18-wheelers have reflective tape put on their trailers to make their big rigs more visible at night, the time of day when most underride accidents occur. Failure to use reflective tape can make the truck less visible to other drivers, which could contribute to an underride crash.
- No underride guards: Underride crash victims and loved ones of people who tragically lost their lives in underride accidents have been calling on lawmakers for years to have these simple but effective devices required by law. Designed to prevent smaller cars from sliding underneath the side or rear of a tractor-trailer, underride guards can be the difference from a person living or dying in an underride accident.
- Improper turns: Truck drivers who are making a turn, pulling out onto a street or merging into another lane may not see a smaller vehicle on either side. If a truck driver isn’t paying attention and makes an improper turn, an underride accident can easily happen.
- Braking too quickly: If a truck driver unexpectedly slams on the brakes because they were speeding or not paying attention to the road ahead, any smaller car that’s behind the tractor-trailer can slide underneath and have its roof sheered off. Poor road and weather conditions can also play a role.
- Hazardous conditions: If weather conditions such as rain, fog or snow are causing poor visibility and slippery roads, the chances of an underride accident increase. A truck can slide out of its lane and into a smaller car on either side, or a truck driver can simply lose control because they weren’t driving carefully enough for the conditions.
Let a Birmingham truck wreck lawyer take on your underride crash case
Underride truck accidents can be complex since they often involve multiple parties. Trying to deal with insurance companies when the dust settles from an underride truck wreck can be confusing, frustrating, and overwhelming. That’s because different insurance companies may be separately responsible for covering the truck’s cab, trailer, and cargo. If you’ve been injured or a loved one has been killed in an underride accident, the last thing you should be doing is trying to figure out who to call or who to talk to for compensation. To make matters more difficult, truck insurance companies may try to downplay the severity of your crash, or worse yet, try to say the truck wreck was your fault.
Don’t stand for that, and don’t let them push you around. Truck accident lawyer Perry Shuttlesworth and his Birmingham legal team know how to handle insurance companies after underride accidents and have a record of getting crash victims the compensation they deserve. We win cases, and we deliver results. Contact our Birmingham law firm today for a free consultation, or call 866-583-1885.