Truck Blind Spot Accident Claim in Indianapolis, IN
Have you suffered injuries or lost a loved one in a blind spot accident involving a semi or tractor-trailer in the Indianapolis area? Are you out of work due to your injuries and struggling to pay your household bills and medical expenses?
Truck crashes can be devastating. Commercial truck drivers have a legal duty to drive responsibly and to make sure an adjoining lane is clear before merging into it.
When a semi-truck driver fails to drive safely and causes a blind spot wreck or sideswipe accident as a result, the commercial driver should be held accountable for the resulting injuries. Usually, the occupants of the smaller vehicle suffer the brunt of the injuries.
An experienced truck accident lawyer can conduct an accident investigation and determine who is financially liable. Our goal is to help you rebuild your life and overcome your injuries and the financial hardship caused by the crash.
The Indianapolis personal injury attorneys at Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC have been handling all types of commercial truck accident cases since 1999. When you contact us, we will treat you with compassion and personal respect and apply our experience handling truck injury claims to your case.
Take a look at the comments of our former clients about our legal service, then give us a call. Contact an Indianapolis lawyer for a truck accident caused by a blind spot at (800) 746-0226 or online to schedule your free, confidential consultation today. We provide a free case review and do not charge a legal fee unless we secure compensation for you.
How Many Blind Spots Do Trucks Have and Where Are They Located?
All cars and trucks have blind spots. These are the areas of the road that cannot be seen by checking your rearview or side-view mirrors from the driver’s seat.
The bigger the vehicle is, the bigger the blind spots areas are. Tractor-trailers measure 70 to 80 feet in length. They have large blind spots around all four sides, in which the commercial truck driver has limited or no visibility. Multiple cars can be unseen in a truck’s blind spot.
A tractor-trailer truck’s blind spots extend 30 feet behind the truck and 20 feet in front on the passenger side. It also has blind spots on either side. The blind spot on a truck’s right side (passenger side) is the largest and extends three lanes over from the side of the truck. That is a lot of space in which cars can go unnoticed.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which regulates the trucking industry, has labeled the blind spots around tractor-trailers as “no-zones.”
Blind spots make it difficult for a truck driver to see cars on either side of the tractor-trailer, behind the truck, or on the front passenger side. But that doesn’t relieve a commercial truck driver of the responsibility of being sure that a lane is unoccupied before moving into it.
When a truck driver fails to keep track of whether a blind spot is clear and causes a wreck, the driver may be liable for the injuries of those involved in the accident.
Avoiding Trucks’ Blind Spots
Tractor-trailers and semis are extremely common on Indiana roads and highways. As a result, automobile drivers have to share the roads with 18-wheelers. It is important for motorists to be aware of the blind spots around large trucks and avoid them.
Blind spots are the dangerous areas surrounding 18-wheelers in which cars cannot be seen by truck drivers seated in the cab of the truck. As an automobile driver, you want to remain visible when driving around large trucks.
A collision is more likely to occur when a car or pickup truck is in a blind spot and hidden from the truck driver’s line of vision.
It is difficult for a commercial truck driver to see automobiles or pickup trucks on either side of the tractor-trailer, behind the truck, or on the front passenger side.
Even if a truck driver turns his or her head to look at the adjacent lane in the side mirrors, the driver may be unable to see another vehicle that has vanished into a blind spot.
If you need to pass a truck, pass quickly on the left side. Cars driving on the right side of 18-wheelers are involved in the blind spot accidents. Truck drivers are not expecting cars to pass on the right side.
Keep in mind that if you are unable to see the truck driver’s reflection in the truck’s side-view mirror, the truck driver is unlikely to be able to see you either. If a truck driver cannot see you, the truck may try to shift into your lane and, by doing so, cause a crash
Automobile drivers need to stay out of a truck’s blind spots while the big rig is turning, changing lanes, or backing up. Automobile drivers should not linger in the lane beside large trucks or attempt to pass on the truck’s right side. If you are in the truck’s no-zone, you are much more likely to be in a crash.
Even if you drive cautiously around trucks, you cannot prevent a truck driver from changing lanes unexpectedly or driving aggressively and causing an accident.
Who Is Liable in a Blind Spot Accident?
If you have been involved in a blind spot collision with a large truck, you may have questions about who is liable. An investigation is required to determine who is at fault.
In some blind spot accidents, both drivers are partly to blame. But a semi-truck driver who makes an improper lane change and causes a wreck cannot avoid liability simply by claiming your vehicle was in the truck’s blind spot.
The fault for a blind spot accident typically falls on the driver who tried to merge into the other lane and violated the other driver’s right of way.
All drivers, including truck drivers, have a duty to drive responsibly and check that a lane is clear before merging into it. Drivers should only change lanes when the adjacent lane is unoccupied.
A truck driver may glance in the truck’s side mirror at the adjacent lane but still fail to see a vehicle because it is hidden in the truck’s blind spot. Many truck accidents are caused by truck drivers making improper lane changes.
However, if you were speeding, following too closely, weaving back and forth between lanes, or not exercising proper caution, you may be found to be at fault or partly at fault for a blind spot accident. It is important to consult a lawyer to review the crash.
As soon as a truck accident occurs, the trucking company will start taking steps to protect the trucking company’s financial interests. That is why, as an accident victim, you need a strong attorney to protect your interests and legal rights.
It’s in your best interest to seek the guidance of an experienced lawyer for a truck accident caused by a blind spot as soon as possible after an accident in Indiana.
Insurance Stance on Blind Spot Crashes
Insurance adjusters are motivated to try to minimize their policyholder’s responsibility for an accident.
To avoid paying a truck accident claim, an insurance company representing a trucking company may argue that the automobile driver was at fault for being in the truck’s blind spot. You need a tough, experienced truck accident lawyer to push back against insurer attempts to shift the blame.
When a truck driver makes an improper lane change and causes a crash, the truck driver and trucking company should be held accountable.
If you or your family member has been injured in a truck accident in Indiana due to a blind spot, you may have a right to claim compensation from the at-fault driver.
Our blind spot truck accident attorneys at Craig, Kelley & Faultless are familiar with the tactics that insurance companies use. For more than 30 years, we have been fighting for people injured by the negligence of truck drivers and trucking companies.
Our experienced legal team knows how to stand up to insurance companies and fight for clients injured in truck accidents to receive full compensation for their injuries.
Contact a Truck Blind Spot Accident Attorney in Indianapolis, IN
When a truck blind spot accident occurs, the individuals injured by the truck driver’s inattention or improper lane change may have a right to seek compensation for medical bills and other expenses from the trucker’s insurance company.
Our team of experienced and compassionate injury attorneys at Craig, Kelley & Faultless, LLC is available to help you pursue full compensation after a blind spot semi wreck.
We are not afraid to take on trucking companies and insurance companies. Schedule a free consultation with an Indianapolis truck blind spot accident attorney at Craig, Kelley & Faultless, LLC by contacting us online.
Testimonial
“I was in an accident 2 years ago. The insurance company was quite difficult to work with. Once I retained Craig, Kelly and Faultless, I no longer had to deal with them. They took over immediately. They keep in constant contact with me, inquiring about my health and Dr visits and offering advice when needed. Even though we are in a pandemic, they still continued to work endlessly to help resolve my case.
I would recommend them to anyone who needs a injury attorney.”
Review by: Pamela S.
Date published: July, 2022
Rating: ★★★★★ 5 / 5 stars