Knoxville Truck Accident Lawyer

Interstates 40 and 75 meet in Knoxville, which places the city on two of the busiest freight routes in the eastern United States. Every day, thousands of tractor-trailers move through the area on I-40, I-75, I-640, I-275, and many other state highways and local roads. When a truck collides with a smaller vehicle, the people in that vehicle can be seriously injured. As injury victims determine how to respond to truck accidents, they can work with a skilled and experienced attorney to make sure their interests are protected.

At The Baker Law Firm, our lawyer helps people who have been injured in commercial truck accidents pursue claims against truck drivers, trucking companies, and other parties who may be held responsible for these incidents. He understands the safety regulations that apply to trucking companies and truck drivers, and he can gather the evidence needed to prove that violations of those rules or other forms of negligence were the cause of a truck accident. With his help, injury victims can obtain the full compensation they deserve so that they can address their losses, heal from their injuries, and move forward with their lives.

Why Truck Accidents Can Cause Serious Harm

Tractor-trailer trucks are massive vehicles that can be as heavy as 80,000 pounds, or even more in situations where trucks are loaded beyond their weight limits. Most passenger cars weigh around 4,000 pounds. Because of the difference in weight, a truck will bring much more force into a collision. This can result in severe injuries to people in a smaller vehicle. To make matters worse, large trucks need much more distance to stop, and they have large blind spots on every side, increasing the risks of collisions.

Truck accidents may take many forms, including rear-end collisions, underride accidents where a car slides beneath a truck's trailer, jackknife crashes that block several lanes on a road, or rollover accidents that may crush other vehicles. Injuries that can occur in truck accidents include:

• Traumatic Brain Injuries: A person may strike their head on objects in their vehicle due to the force of impact of a collision or a crushed roof. Even a moderate brain injury can affect a person's memory, their ability to process language, their decision-making skills, their emotional regulation, and their ability to work.
• Spinal Cord Damage: The impact of a collision can jolt a person's back and cause damage to their spine. When the nerves in the spinal cord are damaged, a person may experience paralysis, chronic pain, problems with mobility, and other ongoing or permanent symptoms.
• Broken Bones: The crushing force of a collision with a truck can cause multiple fractures throughout a person's body. Depending on the extent of these injuries, surgery and lengthy rehabilitation may be required.
• Internal Injuries: Damage to different organs can occur in a high-impact collision. A person may also experience internal bleeding that could lead to additional harm and the risk of death.
• Burns: Fires or fuel spills can lead to severe injuries across a large part of a person's body, and this may result in permanent disfigurement.
• Amputations: When a person's arms or legs are crushed or trapped in a collision, these body parts may need to be amputated, resulting in permanent disabilities.

Truck Driver Fatigue Leading to Truck Accidents

Many truck drivers face pressures that can push them to keep driving when they should stop and rest. Over long shifts, drivers can become tired, which can make it more difficult to drive safely. Other issues, such as irregular schedules or driving through the night, can cause fatigue to become worse. Even when truck drivers sleep between shifts, the noise at truck stops or the discomfort of sleeping conditions can prevent them from getting enough rest. Health conditions such as sleep apnea can lead to fatigue even after a full night of sleep.

When a driver is tired, they will react more slowly, and they may have trouble judging distances or maintaining awareness. This can increase the risk of collisions. Extreme fatigue can lead to "microsleeps" in which a driver dozes off for a few moments without realizing it. A few seconds of microsleep can be long enough for a large truck to drift out of its lane, run off the road, or crash into another vehicle without braking.

Mechanical Failures That Can Cause Truck Crashes

Trucks experience a great deal of wear and tear as they travel thousands of miles per week. When trucks have not been inspected to ensure that all parts are working correctly, or when maintenance has not been performed to repair or replace worn or damaged parts, a truck may not function correctly, and a driver may be unable to maintain control and avoid a truck accident. Some of the critical systems on a truck that can fail include:

• Brakes: Worn brake pads, poorly adjusted air brakes, and leaking air lines can prevent a truck from stopping in time.
• Tires: Underinflated or worn tires may blow out and cause a driver to lose control.
• Steering and Suspension: Broken components can make a truck swerve suddenly or become unstable on curves, or a driver's inability to steer correctly may prevent them from avoiding a collision.
• Coupling Devices: When the connection between a truck's cab and its trailer fails, the trailer may separate and collide with other vehicles.

Cargo Problems That Can Put People at Risk of Truck Accidents

The way a truck is loaded can affect how it handles. Loads will need to be tied down so that items do not move during travel. While cargo loaders are required to ensure that cargo is loaded correctly, truck drivers are also required to check their cargo regularly to ensure that everything is secured in place.

When cargo is not properly balanced or secured, it can shift when a truck makes turns or sudden stops. A shift in weight can cause a truck driver to lose control, or it may make a truck tip over. If a truck is overloaded, it will take longer to stop, and the extra weight can place strain on brakes and tires, which could cause parts to fail. Items that have not been secured correctly, such as lumber, steel, or machinery, may fall onto the road and strike other vehicles. All of these issues can lead to dangerous accidents and injuries to other drivers and passengers.

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