Every motor vehicle has blind spots, and part of every driver’s duty of care is to carefully check them before making a turn or sudden change on the road. These blind spots include the portion just beyond the front bumper, behind the back bumper, and diagonally from both the driver’s and passenger’s side doors. Additionally, the driver does not have a direct line of sight from their position in the driver’s seat.
Because the blind spots on 18-wheelers are big enough to hide entire commuter cars from view, commercial truck drivers must diligently check their blind spots. As experienced truck accident attorneys know all too well, it can be especially devastating when truckers act negligently. When you have been hurt in a blind spot truck accident in Harrisburg, you have help available from dedicated legal counsel in demanding compensation for all your accident-related losses.
How Do Blind Spot Truck Wrecks Happen?
Most modern tractor-trailer cabs have oversized side mirrors and automated collision detection systems, and truck drivers are trained to use these safety features to carefully check their blind spots before turning, switching lanes, or merging onto or off a highway. Unfortunately, safety features cannot prevent an individual truck driver from acting irresponsibly behind the wheel and making a traffic maneuver without checking to see if anyone is in their path first.
Other contributing factors to Harrisburg blind spot truck accidents include drunk or high driving, distracted driving, excessive speed, tailgating, and turning or switching lanes without using turn signals. What all these behaviors have in common is that they all qualify as breaches of the duty truck drivers have to act lawfully and responsibly behind the wheel, which means they could serve as the basis for civil litigation if they directly lead to an otherwise avoidable collision.
Holding a Trucking Company Liable for Negligence
Individual Harrisburg truck drivers who irresponsibly cause blind spot truck wrecks can be held financially liable for every negative effect the accident has on anyone involved, including economic and non-economic forms of harm, like medical bills, lost work earnings, and overall quality of life. However, individual truck drivers rarely have enough personal assets to pay for the immense harm this sort of crash can cause, which can be a problem when seeking civil recovery.
Fortunately, it is often possible to hold trucking companies vicariously liable for negligence by one of their employees in Pennsylvania due to a legal doctrine called respondeat superior. A knowledgeable legal professional can explain this and other possible pathways toward recovery in more detail during a private initial consultation.
Talk to a Harrisburg Attorney About Your Possible Blind Spot Truck Accident Claim
No one deserves to get severely injured while driving solely because a person behind the wheel of a massive semi-truck acted recklessly or carelessly. When you have been caught up in a blind spot truck accident in Harrisburg that was not your fault, you likely have a right to seek comprehensive civil recovery that a skilled legal professional can help you make the most of.
Working closely with a compassionate truck accident lawyer can make a difference in your chances of case success. Call today to discuss your options and potentially start working on your claim.