Truck accidents can cause injuries that will affect you for the rest of your life. Sometimes, the accident can be fatal. One of the most dangerous kinds of crashes is an underride collision. This occurs when a car hits a tractor-trailer and part of the car is stuck underneath the trailer. The truck can crush or tear into the vehicle. If you’ve been severely injured or if you’ve lost a loved one in an accident, you may wonder who you can turn to for help. A Columbia underride collision lawyer from Solomon Law Group can assist you in building a strong claim and help you fight for your rights.
Our lawyers understand how devastating truck accidents can be. It can be incredibly difficult to see a loved one struggle with the injuries of a collision. When this happens, you may be worrying about affording medical care, including past and future expenses. Filing a truck accident claim can put you or your loved one on the path to getting the compensation that will help you cover the costs of your injuries.
Before learning more about how our attorneys can help you with your claim, it may benefit you to know more about underride collisions.
How Do Underride Collisions Occur?
There are many kinds of underride collisions. They include:
- Side Underride Collisions
- Rear Underride Collisions
Side underride collisions occur when a car is caught under the side of the truck, which can result in the truck crushing the part of the car under it or tearing off part of the truck. Typically, a side underride can occur when a truck is turning. If a truck is turning into traffic and doesn’t signal the turn or goes against traffic laws, cars traveling toward the truck may not have enough time to stop and a collision occurs.
Rear underride collisions occur when a car collides with the rear of a big rig and becomes stuck. A car may crash into the back of a semi-trailer if the truck isn’t clearly visible and is moving slowly. Trucks should have taillights that help other drivers see the trailer. If the taillights are out, dim, or dirty, then drivers may not see them.
Sometimes, underride collisions can occur when the truck is parked. If there aren’t flares or reflective lights placed to warn drivers that a truck is parked on the side of the road, they may not see the vehicle in time.
Our lawyers have experience in determining how the accident happened. When our Columbia attorneys are at your side, you’ll know we’ll carefully investigate your case to find out the negligence that led to your injuries.
The Severity of Underride Collision Injuries
Underride injuries can be life-threatening. The NHTSA shared a study that analyzed fatal truck crashes from 2008-2009. There were 724 fatalities when a light vehicle hit the rear of the truck. 70% of the fatalities included underride.
If the accident isn’t fatal, the injuries can still be catastrophic. During an underride, the truck can tear off the top of the car, leaving the driver and other passengers exposed. They may suffer injuries to the head, internal organ damage, broken bones, or could even the loss of a limb
These severe injuries often require extensive medical care. While you or a loved one may need to stay in the hospital, the care may also extend to when you’re able to go home. Medication, therapy, and rehabilitation may be on your care plan.
Additionally, you may need to relearn how to do everyday tasks. As you’re adjusting to the changes, thinking about how you’re going to afford this care can be stressful and overwhelming. Our lawyers will assess the economic and noneconomic damages you suffered. Your economic damages will include items with a dollar amount. Your medical care, continued treatment plan, and property damage are considered economic damages. Noneconomic damages cover the emotional toll of the accident. Pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life are major factors in a truck crash. Our expert lawyers will look into how the collision has affected you and use that information to determine a fair settlement amount.