Wide Turn Truck Accidents: Who is at Fault?

If this happened to you or a loved one, you’re probably wondering about your legal options and how to determine who is responsible for the resulting damage.

With help from a wide turn truck accident lawyer, you can get the legal guidance and support you need.

Contact The Champion Firm at 404-596-8044 for a free consultation with a personal injury lawyer near you.

Why Choose Our Wide Turn Truck Accident Lawyers

When you choose our truck accident attorneys, you can expect The Champion Firm Difference:

• $90,000,000+ in personal injury settlements and verdicts.
• We never pressure you to settle. We’re prepared to bring your case to court.
• The Champion Firm provides prompt updates and answers your most common questions.

What Is a Truck Wide Turn?

Because of the large size of a tractor-trailer or commercial truck, these drivers often have to make wide right turns onto streets and into parking areas. It can be challenging to make these kinds of turns successfully.

Trucks must start their turn from the lane second to the left as opposed to the right turn lane. Wide turns often place trucks in additional lanes of traffic which can cause road congestion and be challenging for opposing traffic.

If the driver doesn’t swing the truck out far enough, it can cause significant damage to the vehicles and other property surrounding it. The truck can hit nearby passenger vehicles, hit pedestrians, and destroy public property. Injuries can be serious, sometimes even fatal.

How to Make a Correct Wide Turn

For a commercial truck to correctly execute a wide right turn, the driver must first be in the correct gear. This can vary between vehicles, depending on the transmission and whether the driver is making a left or right-hand turn.

The truck driver should also slow the vehicle down, so that they can carefully watch the trailer or back end of the truck as it passes through the corner. If the driver is traveling at a slower rate of speed, they’re better able to make any needed adjustments or stop altogether if something is in the way.

Types of Wide Turn Accidents

Commercial trucks are massive in size, which makes them more challenging to operate. Drivers should be carefully trained so that they can safely make wide turns. When a wide turn accident does happen, it’s typically in one of these circumstances:

• Failure to swing out wide enough
• Swinging too far to the left
• Failing to warn drivers of the intent to make a wide turn

Injured in a Wide Turn Truck Accident?

When a commercial truck gets into a wide turn accident with another vehicle, the damage and injuries can be serious. Sometimes, even fatal. Here are some of the most common types of injuries related to wide turn accidents:

• Road rash
• Whiplash
• Head, neck, and back injuries
• Third-degree burns
• Loss of limbs
• Spinal cord injuries
• Paralysis
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Challenges & Legal Options for Victims

The good news is, commercial truck drivers are usually protected by an insurance policy – either through their own insurance or through their employer. The bad news is, these insurance companies prioritize their financial interests over your own. They are looking for any excuse to deny or reduce your claim.

Insurance companies have been known to try and force low-ball settlements or ask for statements from the victims only to manipulate their words. You can avoid the insurance company altogether by having your truck accident lawyer step in and advocate on your behalf.

Why Consult a Lawyer?

As you are recuperating from your injuries after a wide turn collision, the thought of dealing with a truck accident claim could be stressful or overwhelming. A lawyer can negotiate with the insurance company and ensure the at-fault party is held accountable, while you focus on your health and wellbeing.

Your truck accident lawyer can help:

• Investigate the cause of the accident
• Establish liability
• Calculate the value of your claim
• File an insurance claim
• Handle negotiations with the insurance company
• File a lawsuit against the truck company, driver, and insurance company
• Advocate for your right to maximum compensation

Compensation after Wide-Turn Truck Accidents

If you’ve been injured in a wide turn truck accident, you have the right to be compensated for your injuries, both economic and non-economic. Some of the damages that are commonly awarded in wide turn accident claims include:

• Current and future medical expenses
• Your diminished earning capacity and loss of income
• Funeral and burial expenses
• Physical pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Loss of household services
• Loss of consortium
• Disfigurement and skin scarring
• Costs of repairing or replacing your vehicle

Wide Turn Accident FAQs

If you’ve been injured in a wide turn accident, you may have questions about your legal rights and about the claims process. The Champion Firm has compiled a list of questions we frequently receive from our clients. If you have additional questions, please contact us for a free consultation.

How do you investigate a wide turn accident?

There may be a variety of people investigating the accident. Some of them will be on the scene of the accident; others will be piecing information together afterward. This can include police officers, emergency responders, insurance adjusters, and accident reconstructionists.

Your attorney will evaluate the trucker’s work records, driving history, black box data, and electronic control module. They will also examine data including the truck’s location, speed, and communications. Your attorney may also pull cell phone records, video footage, and surveillance video to support your case.

Who can I file a claim against?

There are multiple parties that could be responsible for your truck accident injuries. You may file a claim against the truck driver, the trucking company, the owner of the truck, the maintenance company, the truck manufacturer, or another party. Georgia law allows for multiple parties to be named in a personal injury suit. Your attorney can advise you on how best to proceed.