How Liability Is Determined In A Wide Turn Truck Accident

One of the challenges of driving a commercial truck is that the driver will often need to make wide turns. If you are involved in a collision with a truck making a wide turn, it will be important to determine which party is liable so you can determine whether a commercial wreck attorney might be able to negotiate a settlement. 

How Wide-Turn Accidents Work

Making a turn can be much more difficult for tractor-trailers because they have to move over into another lane before they can make a right turn. Oftentimes, the truck driver has to wait until that lane is clear and remain at an intersection before making a turn. If the driver is not paying attention, they might collide with another vehicle and cause an accident.

When driving a smaller car, you might feel like you have nowhere to go and maybe wedged between the curb and the commercial truck. These accidents often occur because the truck driver was making a quick turn and didn't want to wait at an intersection. The driver might also turn too far out to the left.

Why Drivers Make Mistakes 

Some drivers are under the influence of alcohol. The driver might even have a history of alcohol use and their employer might have been negligent when hiring. The driver might also be turning from the wrong lane and might not be waiting for the traffic to clear.

The driver might have the mirror or cameras setup incorrectly, which can lead to the truck driver having an even larger blindspot. The driver might also turn too quickly and can cause a rollover accident in extreme cases. This often occurs when drivers are placed under strict deadlines that they struggle to meet.

How to Determine Liability

Unless you were speeding or engaging in some other form of reckless behavior, you will likely not be found liable for the accident. However, the driver might not be the only party at fault for the accident. If the driver has previous violations and was not suspended, the employer may be held responsible. The driver might also be unsupervised and poorly trained.

Fortunately, an experienced commercial truck driver can get to the bottom of why the accident occurred. Then you can take the steps necessary to pursue a settlement from the appropriate parties after calculating all the damages you have suffered due to the wreck. Contact commercial vehicle wreck attorneys in your area. 


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