Richmond Blind Spot Truck Accident Lawyer

While accidents could happen to any vehicle on the road, they can be more prevalent with large commercial trucks that have multiple blind spots. If not handled with care, injuries stemming from blind spot-related accidents have the potential to be severe. If you or a loved one were severely injured in a tractor-trailer collision, a Richmond blind spot accident lawyer could help you make a claim for damages.

Truck drivers are more prone to becoming involved in a blind spot accident with another vehicle because trucks have significant blind spots due to the size of the vehicle. This is particularly true if they are carrying a trailer or multiple trailers behind them. There are very specific regulations and training protocols that commercial drivers must follow when doing things like changing lanes, backing up, or making sharp turns to account for these blind spots. They have to have multiple mirrors to ensure they can move safely into a space that is obstructed by a blind spot.

Typically, blind spot accidents are going to occur most often at places where there are lane changes, which could be anywhere that a commercial motor vehicle in a multi-lane environment is operating. It could be on an interstate or a non-interstate road where there are multiple lanes.

There may be collisions at crosswalks or in conjunction with the loading and unloading of materials on loading docks. There may be a loading bay where a truck is trying to cross over traffic in order to park or back up.

The most common occurrence in a blind spot truck accident is when the truck sideswipes another vehicle. Due to the size difference, the impact of the sideswipe could force the car off the road, into oncoming traffic, or into a tree or median. A truck could back over a pedestrian, vehicle, or piece of equipment.

Crush injuries can also occur. Tractor-trailers can make sharp turns at a crosswalk and fail to see pedestrians crossing, resulting in injuries. There are numerous things that can happen when a commercial motor vehicle driver is not properly accounting for blind spots and those injuries are likely going to be serious given the size of the truck.

Simply placing warning signs about a blind spot on the exterior of a commercial motor vehicle does not alleviate a commercial driver of the responsibility to follow proper procedures. The driver must understand there might still be vehicles in the blind spot.

In any circumstance where a driver is involved in an accident with a commercial motor vehicle in Richmond, and they are found to be partially at fault for the accident because they may have been engaging in unsafe behavior in a truck's blind spot, could eliminate their right to recovery in a civil action. A Richmond blind spot accident attorney can assist in determining where the fault was placed in an accident.

Drivers on Richmond roads have a right to be in the vicinity of a commercial motor vehicle and at times they will find themselves in a blind spot, whether they are behind the vehicle or passing it. As long as those drivers are operating their vehicles with a degree of ordinary care, then the truck driver is still going to be responsible for harm caused by operating their truck in a negligent manner. If the driver of the car is found to have been the cause of the accident, then they are not entitled to recover any damages.

Whether you were in your car, on a bike, or merely walking as a pedestrian, an injury from the blind spot of a truck could be life-altering. If you believe the accident was due to truck driver negligence, contact a dedicated Richmond blind spot accident lawyer to see if they could assist you in pursuing a case for compensation.