Driving near large trucks in San Antonio comes with a risk of getting into serious accidents. The size and weight of an 18-wheeler can make these collisions catastrophic for the smaller vehicle. One of the risk factors involved in big rig trucking is a truck’s large blind spots. If you get into a truck accident because of the vehicle’s blind spots, learn your legal rights by speaking with a local St. Louis truck accident attorney at Maloney & Campolo.
Where Are a Truck’s Blind Spots?
Drivers in San Antonio can help prevent blind spot truck accidents by knowing and avoiding these areas when driving around large trucks. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration describes a truck’s blind spots as approximately one lane to the left of the truck, two lanes to the right, 20 feet from the front and 30 feet from the back. A truck driver cannot see a motor vehicle that is hovering in these areas.
Factors That Contribute to Blind Spot Truck Accidents
Blind spots are dangerous because the truck driver has limited to no visibility of these parts of the road from the cab of the truck. However, there are other factors that can increase the odds of blind spot collisions, as well. They include:
- The size of the truck
- The position of the truck’s cab
- The location of the mirrors
- A lack of blind spot detection technology
- Truck driver distraction or inattention
- Truck driver fatigue
- Inadequate driver training
- Dangerous or improper lane changes
- Unsafe merging
Road conditions such as heavy traffic, narrow lanes and low lighting can also contribute to truck blind spot accidents in San Antonio. Identifying the cause of a blind spot accident can allow the victim to understand his or her legal rights.
Who Pays for a Blind Spot Truck Accident in San Antonio?
Texas uses a fault-based law to determine liability (financial responsibility) for car and truck accidents. Under this law, the person at fault for causing a trucking accident can be held liable for the victim’s medical bills and property repairs. In a blind spot accident case, the liable party could be the truck driver, truck company or a third party, depending on the circumstances. If an investigation discovers that the truck driver was not properly operating the big rig or paying attention to the surrounding roadway at the time of the accident, this could point to the trucking company’s vicarious liability. Companies can be held responsible for the negligent actions of their workers in addition to their own mistakes, such as improper truck maintenance.
How a Truck Accident Lawyer Can Help
Going up against a trucking company in pursuit of financial compensation for a blind spot accident in San Antonio can be difficult without help from an experienced personal injury attorney. A lawyer with skill handling truck accident cases can even the playing field, giving you better odds of securing the case results you need to recover. The right San Antonio accident attorney will know how to investigate your blind spot truck accident, determine fault, preserve evidence, file your claim before Texas’s statute of limitations expires, and negotiate a fair and full settlement on your behalf to help you move forward. If you were recently injured in a blind spot accident and need legal advice about your next steps, contact Maloney & Campolo for a free case review.