Due to their size, vehicles like commercial tractor trailers, buses and trucks generally need more room to make turns. These maneuvers, when done incorrectly, may lead to serious accidents on narrow or heavily trafficked roadways.
Were you injured in an accident caused by the negligent actions of another driver during a wide turn? If so, you may be eligible for compensation. Call our truck accident lawyers in South Bend today to see what your legal options may be.
The consultation is free and there are no upfront fees.
What Causes Wide-Turn Accidents?
When the driver of a large vehicle is attempting a wide turn, it is often the responsibility of not only that driver to take precautions to avoid an accident, but also the other drivers in the area. In some cases, other drivers on the road must pause to wait for the large vehicle to finish the turn before proceeding or move up to allow more space for the maneuver.
If the driver of a truck attempts to turn and another vehicle is caught between the curb and that vehicle, a “squeeze play accident” may occur.
Sometimes a wide-turn accident may occur if one vehicle stops to let a large vehicle finish the wide turn and is rear-ended by another driver. If a vehicle is in a truck’s blind spot before the driver attempts the wide turn, it could lead to an accident.
How is Fault for a Wide-Turn Accident Determined?
Fault for wide-turn accidents comes down to which party involved in the crash acted negligently.
If the driver of the large vehicle did not use his or her turn signal far enough from the turn to properly signal to other vehicles, he or she may be found at fault for a crash between the side of the truck and the curb.
In cases when your vehicle is rear-ended by a distracted driver who did not see you stop to allow a large vehicle to make a wide turn, the driver who rear-ended you may be at fault for the crash.
Fault for a blind-spot wide-turn accident may be more complicated, as the driver of the large vehicle should have checked his or her blind spot or should have had warning labels on the truck signaling where the blind spots are and whether the vehicle requires room for wide turns.
If your crash involves a commercial vehicle, the driver and other parties could be held liable. First, it is important to establish who the commercial vehicle belongs to and who was driving it. In cases of an owner operating his or her own commercial truck, that person’s liability insurance should cover your damages just as the liability insurance of a non-commercial driver would.
If the truck belonged to or was leased by a company, that company could be held liable for your damages if reasonable steps to prevent wide-turn accidents were not taken.
What if I am Partially at Fault for a Wide-Turn Accident?
If you were partially at fault for a wide-turn accident, for example in cases of getting caught in the turning vehicle’s blind spot, you may still be able to recover compensation under Indiana’s modified comparative negligence laws. If you are less than 50 percent at fault for a crash, you may recover reduced compensation (compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault).
Recovering compensation after admitting any fault may be difficult, so be sure to discuss your claim with an attorney first to avoid falling for any tricks that insurance companies use to get accident victims to admit any type of fault.
Call an Experienced Attorney Today
If you were injured in a wide-turn accident, you may be eligible to recover compensation for your medical bills, lost wages and other damages.
Our attorneys are prepared to discuss your legal options during a free consultation. We do not charge anything up front and only get paid if you do.
Call (574) 444-0741 to get started.
