GARBAGE TRUCK ACCIDENTS
Trucking Accident Attorney
Safe and uneventful trash collection is taken for granted much of the time. But when garbage truck accident injuries occur, it is rarely a minor incident. Due to the massive size and weight of trash collection vehicles, weighing up to 9 or 10 tons, severe auto accidents and worker injuries are likely. There is little doubt that garbage collection services are necessary in your community, though waste management companies have a duty to provide a safe service both on the road and in your neighborhood.
Trash trucks are on the road much of the day, and their visibility is not what a smaller vehicle’s can be. Blind spots and driver negligence may be huge factors in any garbage truck accident.
Poor weather, driver fatigue, poor truck maintenance and other factors can lead to devastating trash truck injuries. When accidents occur, a waste management company, private contractor, or municipality may be liable for the damages sustained.
Joe Lyon is an Ohio truck accident lawyer and auto injury attorney reviewing garbage truck accident lawsuits and trash collection injuries on behalf of plaintiffs nationwide.
Garbage Truck Accident Causes
There are many reasons a trash collection vehicle may cause an accident, which may include the following:
- Trash truck may not have backup cameras, even as the trucks have large blind spots. The blind spots on trash trucks may encompass a large portion of the vehicle.
- Brakes may be insufficient or poorly maintained. To stop a vehicle of this size, faulty brakes can be a serious hazard
- Faulty tires or poorly maintained machinery
- Driver negligence—drivers may be fatigued, inexperienced or poorly trained. Individuals can be held liable for auto accidents if they operate their truck with no concern for other motorists
- Trucks may not have an underride guard, which can be illegal
- Lack of personnel can be a real cause of accidents. Garbage trucks are complex machines, and usually are not operated by only one man.
- Long Routes can contribute to drivers lack of attention to pedestrians and motorists.
Garbage Truck Collision
Trash trucks can weigh more than 50,000 pounds, presenting a serious road hazard when drivers operate in unsafe manners. These trucks drive past our homes almost daily, and pose a risk to motorists, cyclists, pedestrians and anyone on the road.
Most trash collection operations require at least two people to safety operate the machinery. One driver situations can cause distraction and accidents. Commercial trucking is not to be taken lightly and waste management companies have a duty to provide a safe service. Trash collection companies, however, may be trying to cut costs, and in the process presents safety hazards.
Regardless of the cause of an accident, following an injury, it should be investigated by an experienced lawyer to assess damages and potentially recover compensation for injuries and damages. If possible, following any garbage truck accident, collect witness testimony and photographic evidence of the scene.
Obtain a copy of the accident report and any related medical reports. Determining liability will depend on who is operating the vehicle, who is negligent, who owns the vehicle, and who the employer may be.
Can I Sue a Waste Management Company?
Each accident that involves a trash truck can be investigated by The Lyon Firm, and legal action may be possible. A personal injury lawsuit may be filed if any injury has been caused by a trash collection vehicle. Plaintiffs are urged to ask themselves the following questions:
- Was I in the truck’s blind spot?
- How many people were operating the truck at the time of accident?
- Did the truck have underride guards or safety reflectors?
- How long had the driver been working on his shift?
- Was the accident due to heavy traffic?
- Did the driver fail to signal a turn or lane change?
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ABOUT THE LYON FIRM
Joseph Lyon has 17 years of experience representing individuals in complex litigation matters. He has represented individuals in every state against many of the largest companies in the world.
The Firm focuses on single-event civil cases and class actions involving corporate neglect & fraud, toxic exposure, product defects & recalls, medical malpractice, and invasion of privacy.
NO COST UNLESS WE WIN
The Firm offers contingency fees, advancing all costs of the litigation, and accepting the full financial risk, allowing our clients full access to the legal system while reducing the financial stress while they focus on their healthcare and financial needs.
Why are these cases important?
Trucking employers and transport companies are accountable for their drivers and their on-road behavior. If trucking management overworks their drivers or is aware of their drowsy driving and fatigue, they can be liable for contributing to an unsafe working environment and dangerous roadways.
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Questions about Truck Accident Cases
Trucking companies and drivers may be negligent in their duties, and can be sued for endangering motorists and passengers on the road. A lawsuit against these companies for endangerment gains recovery for those who have suffered from negligence of drivers.
Yes, filing a lawsuit following a trucking accident can help recover medical costs and other damages. A trucking company may be liable for a negligent driver, overloading cargo, failing to maintain vehicles, overworking drivers, and for other road violations.
When a truck is overloaded, a driver will have less control over their rig. With added weight, there will be less maneuverability and less ability to brake properly. The stopping distance will increase for any vehicle with added weight. If a rig is overloaded enough, the brakes may even fail. Tire blowouts will be more common as well with overloaded trucks.
A report by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), found that U.S. motor vehicle deaths increased 7.7 percent nationwide in 2015. Driver fatigue is a likely cause for many of the accidents. The problem has become so serious that safety agencies have expanded their definitions of impaired driving to include drowsy drivers.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that in 2013, drowsy driving was responsible for 44,000 injuries, and 800 deaths.
These statistics are likely underestimated. When a crash occurs, most drowsy drivers do not report the cause due to concerns about insurance, employment or legal consequences. About 23 percent of adults say they know someone personally who has crashed due to falling asleep at the wheel. Approximately eleven million drivers admit they have had an accident or a near miss because they were too tired to drive.
Other common causes of Ohio accidents include:
- Vehicle brake problems
- Truck traveling too fast for conditions
- Driver unfamiliar with roadway
- Roadway problems
- Driver intoxicated with illegal or over-the-counter drugs
- Driver inattention
- Driver made illegal maneuver
- Driver distraction
- Truck tire problems
- Driver following too close
- Cargo overloading
- Driver intoxicated with alcohol
The best way to determine the cause of an accident you are involve in is to contact an experienced personal injury attorney to investigate with the assistance of accident experts. If a serious injury has resulted, victims are likely to be compensated for property damages, medical costs, lost past and future earnings, and pain and suffering.
Trucking employers and transport companies are accountable for their drivers and their on-road behavior. If trucking management overworks their drivers or is aware of their drowsy driving and fatigue, they can be liable for contributing to an unsafe working environment and dangerous roadways.
There are more than 15 million commercial trucks transporting over 70 percent of all U.S. goods every year. Commercial trucks—delivery tractor trailers, busses, big-rigs and semi-trucks—are very heavy and difficult vehicles to control. A small amount of inattention or fatigue can result in fatal accidents. If an accident occurs in part because a driver was fatigued, trucking companies and drivers may be liable for damages and sued for endangering other vehicle occupants on the road.
Driver fatigue, or physical or mental exertion that impairs performance, may be due to a lack of sleep, extended work hours, strenuous work or non-work activities, or substance related.
One study published by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration reported that 13 percent of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers were fatigued at the time of their last accident. The Truck Crash Causation Study reported over 12,000 commercial truck crashes over a span of about three years, which resulted in more than 249 deaths and 1,654 injuries.
To maximize their load and profit, trucking companies often push the limits of safety with their cargo. Transportation companies overload their trucks intentionally or accidentally. But in the end, the result can be the same, because overloaded trucks pose a risk to Ohio motorists.
Trucking companies may take more risks than you are aware of, and when accidents and injuries occur, they must be help accountable for their actions.
As a plaintiff injured by a truck accident, you may require an attorney to recover driver logs and cargo records to determine if the truck in question was overloaded.
Our Firm will help you find the answers. The Firm has the experience, resources and dedication to take on difficult and emotional cases and help our clients obtain the justice for the wrong they have suffered.
Experience: Joe Lyon is an experienced Cincinnati Personal Injury & Accident Lawyer. The Lyon Firm has 17 years of experience and success representing individuals and plaintiffs in all fifty states, and in a variety of complex civil litigation matters. Accident lawsuits can be complex and require industry experts to determine the root cause of an accident or injury. Mr. Lyon has worked with experts nationwide to assist individuals understand why an injury occurred and what can be done to improve their lives in the future. Some cases may go to a jury trial, though many others can be settled out of court.
Resources/Dedication: Mr. Lyon has worked with experts in the fields of accident reconstruction, biomechanics, epidemiology, metallurgy, pharmacology, toxicology, human factors, workplace safety, life care planning, economics, and virtually every medical discipline in successfully representing Plaintiffs across numerous areas of law. The Lyon Firm is dedicated to building the strongest cases possible for clients and their critical interests.
Results: Mr. Lyon has obtained numerous seven and six figure results in personal injury, automotive product liability, medical Negligence, construction accidents, and auto dealership negligence cases. The cases have involved successfully litigating against some of the largest companies in the world
Your Right to Safety
Watch our Video About Subrogation in Auto Accidents
Tens of thousands of drivers and passengers are injured in large commercial truck crashes every year. U.S. truck drivers suffer a disproportionate number of injuries in motor vehicle crashes, and the number of deaths and injuries of innocent motorists in these accidents is five times larger. Common truck accident injuries include:
- Orthopedic Injuries
- Rollover Injuries
- Amputation
- Severe whiplash injuries
- Burn Injuries
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Traumatic Brain Injuries
Our Victories
The Lyon Firm aggressively, professionally, and passionately advocates for injured individuals and families against negligent individuals or companies to obtain just compensation under the law.
DISTRACTED DRIVER
$1,000,000
(Brown County, Kentucky): Joseph Lyon was second chair a case involving a driver texting and driving when he crossed the median, killing a father of four. The case was resolved once discovery confirmed the cell phone records proved the texting-related incident. The settlement will pay for the surviving children’s education. The driver was likely facing additional criminal charges at the time of the settlement.
MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT
$495,000
(Cincinnati, Ohio): Joe Lyon was lead counsel in a $495,000 settlement. The case involved a motorcycle operator who sustained fractures of the calcaneus, talus, medial cuneiform, tarsal bones, and tarsometatarsal when a car ignored its driving lane and crossed into his right-of-way. Settlement provided repayment of medical bills of $20,000 and funds for future education to re-enter the work force in a less physically-demanding job.
ACCIDENT INFORMATION CENTER
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