Wide Turn Truck Accident Lawyers in Kansas

You have probably seen a sign on the back of a semi-truck warning about wide turns. Semi-trucks are big, awkward vehicles that present challenges for both truck drivers and the people around these massive vehicles. Tractor-trailers are longer, broader, and typically heavier than other vehicles. Also, their trailer rotates independently from the cab.

Because of the scale of semi-trucks, wide-turn accidents are an all-too-common occurrence on Kansas roads. This kind of accident can happen when a big truck turns too sharply or too quickly. It can also happen when a truck is making a right turn and it “squeezes” another vehicle or a bicyclist trying to pass the truck on its right. These kinds of accidents can result in disastrous outcomes for the people who are involved.

What Is a Wide Right Turn Truck Accident?

A wide-turn truck accident happens when a tractor-trailer collides with another vehicle or strikes a pedestrian while making a wide turn, typically to the right. The size and mass of these vehicles make them susceptible to these kinds of accidents because semis are challenging to turn. The size of these trucks also makes these kinds of accidents especially dangerous.

Wide-turn truck accidents often cause significant property damage and personal injuries. The damage caused by these accidents is exacerbated if it involves the truck going up onto sidewalks or other areas where there may be pedestrians.

What Are Common Causes of Wide Right-Turn Truck Accidents in Kansas?

A wide-turn truck accident could be caused by a wide range of reasons. One of the most frequent causes is driver error. In many situations, driver error stems from a lack of experience. Sadly, it could also be due to driver carelessness. For instance, a driver taking a turn too sharply can cause a rollover accident. Because a tractor-trailer is so long, it has a restricted turn radius, and drivers are trained to swing slightly to the left before making a wide turn to the right.

New drivers who aren’t used to making this maneuver can cause a wide-turn truck accident if they go too wide or too tight. They could also cause an accident if they fail to recognize someone trying to pass on their right side.

How Can Wide Right Turn Truck Accidents Be Prevented?

When it comes to preventing wide-turn truck accidents, a lot of the onus, rightly or wrongly, is on truck drivers themselves. Drivers should always follow traffic laws and stick to best practices for operating tractor-trailers. They should also ensure that their rig is being properly maintained. Regular maintenance and inspections can address causes of mechanical failure before they lead to an accident.

Drivers of other vehicles can also play a role in preventing wide-turn truck accidents. When you find yourself driving alongside a large tractor-trailer, be aware of the fact that you might be in a driver’s blind spot. If you can’t see the truck’s rear-view mirrors, then there’s a good chance the driver can’t see you.

You should also be cautious when next to a tractor-trailer that appears to be making a turn. If the driver turns too sharply, the truck could clip your vehicle. Right-hand turns are especially risky for sharp turns because this kind of turn calls for a tighter turning radius. It’s never a bad idea to wait behind a truck looking to make a turn rather than sit alongside it. This keeps you out of the truck’s turning radius and seriously reduces the risk of a wide-turn truck accident involving your vehicle.

Kansas’ public works departments also have a part to play when it comes to preventing wide-turn truck accidents. These departments are responsible for ensuring that roads meant for large truck traffic have adequate space for them to make wide turns. State and municipal public works departments can also use road markings and traffic signs to help prevent wide-turn truck accidents.

How Can You Prove Fault After a Wide Right Turn Truck Accident?

There are serious legal implications in wide-turn truck accidents, and legal matters that stem from proving fault for the accident. To prove fault in Kansas, drivers or their legal representatives must present evidence that another party was negligent and their negligence caused them to suffer damages. This can be a complicated task. It requires collecting evidence such as witness statements, photographs of the accident scene, medical assessments, and police reports.

Proving fault starts with proving negligence. For example, the truck driver may have been negligent in their duty to provide care for those around them by taking a turn too sharply at high speed. To prove negligence, it must be shown that the driver was traveling too fast, possibly using police reports, witness statements, or traffic cameras.

It’s also possible that the public works department was negligent by not maintaining the roadway where a wide-turn truck accident happened. This could be shown by presenting photographs of the road conditions at the scene. Lawyers working in a truck accident case typically bring in experts who can show how evidence indicates negligence.

The other part of proving fault has to do with showing that damages were suffered. This can be done by presenting assessments of damage to physical property or medical records of the victims.

Common Injuries from Kansas Wide-Turn Truck Accidents

The injuries suffered in a wide-turn truck accident can vary widely, from minor scrapes and bruises to paralysis and even death. Consider the following common injuries suffered during these kinds of accidents:

• Brain injuries. Trauma to the brain caused by a blow to the head or whiplash can result in lifelong effects. These injuries are often not readily apparent, and this is why a thorough medical exam is necessary after any kind of vehicle accident.
• Spinal cord injuries. While these injuries are known to cause paralysis, spinal cord injuries also include herniated discs and other skeletal injuries.
• Dismemberment. The high forces involved in a truck accident can easily cause someone to lose one or more of their limbs.
• Cuts and lacerations. Truck accidents often lead to broken glass flying around the interior of the vehicle, and this can easily cut the people inside.
• Internal injuries. Blunt-force trauma to internal organs can cause a life-threatening situation. As with brain injuries, internal injuries are not always readily apparent. The increased weight of a truck makes internal injuries more likely in the event of a collision with one.
• Broken bones. Breaking a bone is bad enough, but it can lead to more serious complications, such as punctured lungs or other internal injuries.
• Burns. If a truck is carrying flammable cargo or the accident causes gasoline to ignite or explode, those nearby can suffer serious burns.

If you’ve been injured in a truck accident, let our Kansas attorneys help you navigate the difficult road ahead.

Let Our Kansas-Based Team of Experienced Attorneys Handle Your Wide-Turn Truck Accident Case

At Bretz Injury Law, our team of attorneys has significant experience with all types of truck accidents. Our team is very familiar with the operation of semi-trucks and the common ways in which negligence can lead to truck accidents.

We’re dedicated to doing right by our clients, whether that means investigating truck companies, visiting the scene of the accident, or interviewing everyone involved. If you are looking for a law firm that’s willing to go the extra mile for your case, contact us online or call 620-RESULTS today.