Wide Turn Truck Accident Lawyer in Indiana

Truck loaded with debris that might cause injuries

Tractor-trailers and semis have a wide turning radius. Many truck accidents involve trucks swinging wide into the oncoming traffic lane to make a 90-degree turn. If a truck driver attempts a wide turn without adequate room or clearance from other vehicles, the trucker may cause a serious accident.

In Indiana, more than 150 people were killed in semi-truck accidents in a recent year, and hundreds more sustained injuries. In truck accidents in which the truck driver was at-fault, about one-third resulted from a truck driver’s poor decision, such as making a wide turn without an adequate room.

If you have been injured in a truck accident, you may be struggling to manage mounting medical bills, lost wages, and physical and emotional effects. Fortunately, an experienced Indiana truck accident lawyer can help you seek fair compensation. Contact the Indiana wide turn truck accident attorneys at Craig, Kelley, and Faultless, LLC today for a free case review.

What Is a Wide Turn?

A wide turn involves a truck crossing into a different lane during a 90-degree turn. For example, a truck makes a wide turn if the truck partially enters the right lane while making a left turn rather than staying completely in the left lane. The truck moves to the left to create more space to navigate a right turn.

It takes experience and skill on the part of the truck driver to make a wide turn properly.

Why Do Trucks Need to Make Wide Turns?

Large trucks need more room to operate and make turns. The combined length of a truck and trailer is about 70 feet. A truck may weigh up to 80,000 pounds when loaded. Because of their length and weight, large trucks must carefully negotiate wide turns and often need more space than a single lane provides while turning.

Types of Right-Turn Accidents

When a truck swings wide to turn right, several different types of intersection accidents may occur. A head-on crash may happen if a truck swings into an oncoming lane and another vehicle is traveling in the opposite direction. A sideswipe accident could also occur if the truck enters another lane when attempting to execute a wide turn.

In some instances, a truck may cause another vehicle to be pinned between the truck and another object, such as a concrete median. If a vehicle’s doors are blocked in the accident, it will take longer to begin medical treatment if someone is injured in the vehicle.

If a truck takes a turn too quickly, it may result in a rollover accident. While rollovers constitute only a small percentage of accidents, their results can be tragic. If flammable materials leak from an overturned truck, the flammable substance may catch fire and cause an explosion.

Common Causes of Wide Turn Accidents

Determining the cause of a truck accident can be challenging. Some factors that may play a role include:

A major reason for accidents involving large trucks is a truck entering another lane. Entering another lane is often the result of a wide turn. Another vehicle may already be in the truck’s path, or a vehicle may enter the truck’s path simultaneously, unaware that the truck driver is making a wide turn.

When a truck driver makes a wide turn while turning right, another vehicle may be coming in the opposite direction, resulting in a head-on crash. While the truck may be traveling at a slower speed when making a turn, the results of a collision can still be catastrophic due to the weight of large trucks.

In some cases, a truck may turn right without the truck driver activating the turn signal in advance. Another driver behind the truck may believe the truck is making a left turn because it initially swings left. A collision may occur if the trailing vehicle attempts to pass the truck on the right.

Poor decisions, such as bad timing of a wide turn or a poorly executed wide turn, may be the result of other factors such as:

An investigation is often necessary when determining fault in a truck accident. An investigation will help establish what factors contributed to the wide turn accident.

Determining Fault for a Wide Turn Accident

Determining fault for a wide turn truck accident requires an investigation by a skilled truck accident lawyer.

The types of evidence that our attorneys seek to review generally include:Policeman is reviewing files and documents

  • Police reports
  • Driver logs, to note the time spent driving compared to resting
  • Intoxication reports determining if the truck driver was intoxicated at the time of the accident
  • Driver medical reports to determine if the driver was fit to operate the truck
  • Company employment records
  • Driving records of the truck driver
  • Physical evidence from the accident scene
  • Security camera videos of the accident scene

The police report may identify the at-fault party or determine the cause of an accident. While this determination is not controlling in court concerning who is at fault, it is helpful to have and may be admitted into evidence in some circumstances. The driver log may help reveal if the truck driver was resting sufficiently between trips per federal regulations. Medical tests may show that the driver should not have been on the road in the first place.

Knowing the measurements of the area where the truck accident occurred may help determine whether the truck driver was negligent. It may help determine whether the truck driver committed a wide turn traffic violation, supporting a case for negligence.

Your attorneys may travel to the scene or send an investigator to the scene to take photographs and measurements. There may be skid marks or other signs of the accident.

The investigation will help determine if the truck driver was at fault. A determination must be made regarding the fault of the company employing the driver. If the truck driver was an employee of the company, the company might also be liable for the truck driver’s negligence.

Determining whether a truck driver is considered an employee of the company or an independent contractor involves consideration of several factors such as:

  • How much the company controls the schedule of the driver, based on the agreement between the company and the truck driver
  • Whether the truck driver has his or her own business
  • Whether the truck driving is usually done with or without supervision
  • The owner of the truck
  • Whether the truck driver is paid by the hour or the job
  • Whether the truck driver or company believe they have created an employer-employee relationship

The most important factor is who controls the details of the work and the driver’s schedule. Factors to consider may include:

  • Who decides how the truck gets loaded
  • Who sets the driver’s work schedule
  • Whether a particular route is required
  • Whether the truck driver must adhere to an employee manual while driving

In addition to a company’s liability for the negligence of its employee, the company also may be liable to compensate the injured victim of a wide turn driving accident for other reasons. If the company was negligent in hiring the truck driver and that negligence played a role in the accident, the company may be ordered to compensate those injured in the accident.

Failing to investigate the driver’s background or failing to comply with federal regulations applicable to commercial vehicles can show negligence on the part of a trucking company. The company may be negligent by giving a driver an unreasonable delivery schedule and incentivizing the driver to disregard hours of service rules.

Compensation for a Truck Accident

If a truck driver has injured you in a wide turn driving accident, you may be entitled to seek compensation related to:

  • Medical bills, including current and future costs
  • Lost wages, including current and future wages
  • Pain and suffering, including current and future effects

An experienced Indiana, wide turn truck accident lawyer can help determine the extent of your injuries and losses.

Talk to an Experienced Truck Accident Attorney in Indianapolis

If you have been injured in a wide turn driving accident, you need a skilled truck accident attorney on your side. Understanding the applicable statute of limitations and time allowed to file an injury claim and against whom to file a claim are issues you should not face alone.

The truck driver who injured you in a wide turn accident will have a lawyer protecting the driver’s interests. The trucking company will, too. You should have legal representation as well or you will be at a disadvantage.

The Indianapolis personal injury attorneys at Craig, Kelley, and Faultless, LLC have more than 30 years of experience handling truck accident cases. If we determine that you have a valid truck injury claim, we will be prepared to fight for you. Don’t delay in seeking experienced legal guidance after a truck accident. Contact us by phone or online today for a free consultation to discuss your situation.