Jack Knife Accidents
Were you hurt in a jackknife truck accident in Arizona? If so, you could be left with serious injuries, expensive bills, and missed time at work. At Silkman Law Firm Injury & Accident Lawyer, we want to help you demand compensation to cover these losses. We understand how traumatizing these accidents can be and want to hold the at-fault parties accountable for the harm they caused you. Contact us today for a free consultation with a jackknife truck accident lawyer in Arizona to find out how we can help.
What Causes a Truck to Jackknife?
The unique structure of large commercial trucks creates the risk of jackknifing. This is when the trailer swings toward the cab like a folding pocket knife. The cab may slow down or skid as the driver brakes, but the attached trailer cannot slow down or stop as quickly. This causes the trailer to swing forward – or “jackknife” – and push the cab forward. In some cases, the weight of the trailer and its momentum cause the trailer to swing back and forth. In others, the trailer skids across all lanes of traffic at a ninety-degree angle.
Trucks will often jackknife due to:
- Unsafe speeds
- Bad weather conditions
- Improper braking
- Not slowing down in time to make a turn
- Improper brake maintenance
- Truck driver inexperience
- Faulty equipment or equipment malfunction
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) tracks jackknife truck accidents and their severity. In a recent year, there were over 7,000 jackknife accidents resulting in property damage, 2,000 resulting in injuries, and nearly 200 that proved fatal. Though they accounted for only about 1.7 percent of all property damage crashes, jackknife collisions made up almost 4 percent of fatal truck accidents.
Injuries Our Truck Accident Lawyer Typically Sees in Jackknife Collisions
As with any collision involving a commercial vehicle, people in smaller vehicles are at much higher risk of serious injuries in jackknife crashes. The types of injuries suffered in a jackknife truck accident depend on several factors, including the speed the impact occurred at and where the collision happened. Some of the injuries that may result from a jackknife truck accident include:
- Head injuries or traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Back injuries or pain
- Spinal cord injuries or paralysis
- Internal bleeding
- Blunt force trauma injuries
- Fractures
- Burns
- Emotional and psychological injuries
Legally Reviewed By:
Alex Silkman
Alex Silkman is the founder and managing member of Silkman Law Firm Injury & Accident Lawyer. He focuses exclusively on personal injury and wrongful death cases, with the goal of getting truly just results for accident victims and their families...
Who Is Liable in a Jackknife Semi-Truck Accident?
Semi-trucks are commercial vehicles, which means several parties may be liable for a jackknife truck accident. These may include the:
- Truck’s driver
- Company that owns or operates the truck
- Company that manufactured defective equipment
- Vendor or maintenance provider that failed to properly repair the vehicle
- Freight company that loaded the cargo incorrectly
Determining all parties that may be liable for a truck accident is complex. The experienced legal team at Silkman Law Firm Injury & Accident Lawyer can investigate the crash, assess the liability of any potential parties, and work to hold them accountable for the accident.
What Compensation is Available for Injuries from a Phoenix Truck Accident?
If you were injured in a jackknife truck accident that was someone else’s fault, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. The type and amount of compensation you can pursue depends on several factors, including the severity of the accident and your injuries. However, it may include money for the following:
- Past and future medical expenses – This can include surgeries, hospital stays, ambulance rides, prescription medication, ongoing care, and rehabilitative therapy.
- Lost wages– If you are off work due to the accident, you can claim wages you could not earn due to your injuries. This could include base pay, benefits, commission, overtime, and expected bonuses.
- Future lost income– You may offer evidence of your future lower earning capacity if you suffer injuries that prevent you from doing the job you had at the time of the accident.
- Emotional distress and pain and suffering– You may seek payment for the trauma and pain experienced in the accident.
How Long Do You Have to File a Truck Accident Lawsuit in Arizona?
If you were injured in a jackknife truck accident, the statute of limitations for filing your lawsuit in Arizona is two years. If you do not file your lawsuit within two years after the accident, you may not be able to pursue the compensation you deserve.
You should contact a personal injury lawyer with experience handling catastrophic truck accidents as soon as possible after the accident. Your lawyer will comply with this deadline and timely file your lawsuit if the insurance company is unwilling to settle for full and fair compensation. Having a lawyer on your side from the beginning means you don’t have to keep track of this and other procedural deadlines. Instead, you can focus entirely on your rest and recovery while someone else handles the legal details.
