Jackknife accidents are among the most serious truck accidents that can happen in Lexington, SC. When a semi-truck loses control or collides with another vehicle, the truck can fold like a jackknife and cause danger to other drivers. If you or a loved one were injured in a jackknife accident in Lexington, you could seek monetary damages in a personal injury claim. An experienced Lexington, SC jackknife accident lawyer can help.
Jackknife accidents in Lexington, South Carolina, can be caused by driver negligence, defective equipment, or other factors. An experienced truck accident lawyer can get to the bottom of what happened and who is responsible. If you face unexpected medical bills and other costs, you could pursue compensation for your losses. Contact the Lexington, SC jackknife accident lawyers at Jeffcoat Injury & Car Accident Lawyers to schedule a free consultation today at (803) 373-1302.
How Can the Jeffcoat Injury & Car Accident Lawyers Help You After a Jackknife Accident in Lexington, SC?
Jackknife accidents are usually complex and can take time to fully investigate. Understanding how the crash happened and who was legally responsible will require evidence, witness statements, police reports, and expert reports in some cases. If you face financial, physical, and emotional losses, however, you need skilled legal help.
Our Lexington, SC truck accident lawyers will review evidence from your accident to pinpoint who was responsible and how. To get the most out of your truck accident claim, it helps to have an experienced Lexington, SC jackknife accident attorney at your side.
The Lexington, SC personal injury lawyers at Jeffcoat Injury and Car Accident Lawyers will get right to work for you by:
- Meeting with you to talk about the accident and to determine its cause;
- Breaking down the evidence to determine who was responsible and how to prove fault;
- Working with accident reconstruction experts when needed to prove how the crash happened;
- Negotiating aggressively with insurance companies to fight for your claim’s value;
- Filing a personal injury lawsuit to seek damages in your jackknife accident claim;
- Taking your jackknife accident case to trial when a fair settlement is not given.
After a devastating jackknife accident, you should move quickly to seek damages from the responsible party. As you recover physically and mentally from the accident, you can trust a dedicated Lexington, SC truck accident lawyer to fight for your financial recovery.
What Causes Jackknife Accidents in Lexington, SC?
Semi-trucks include two main sections—the tractor and the trailer. Both sections connect by a single pivot joint that allows the truck to move and turn effectively. A jackknife accident happens when the tractor brakes or stops too quickly, causing the trailer to fold at an opposite angle. The movement resembles a folding knife, like a pocket knife or jackknife.
Over 4,000 fatal jackknife accidents happen across the U.S. each year, with many thousands more resulting in injuries to other drivers. Considering that a fully loaded semi-truck can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, any jackknife accident can be catastrophic for everybody involved.
Factors leading to jackknife accidents often include:
- Speeding
- Drunk driving
- Fatigued driving
- Distracted driving
- Poor driving training
- Lack of experience handling big rigs
- Improperly loaded cargo
- Malfunctioning parts, steering or brakes
- Aggressive driving
- Weather conditions
- Defective road conditions
Negligence by a driver, employer, parts manufacturer, or others can factor into an accident. Due to the size and weight of a tractor-trailer, multiple vehicles can be hit in a jackknife accident. When harm occurs, attorneys will need to prove liability to secure monetary damages for the victims.
Proving Negligence in a Jackknife Accident Case
To succeed in a personal injury claim, you will typically need to prove negligence – by the driver, their employer, or someone else.
Proving negligence in a truck accident case requires four legal elements to be shown:
- Duty. Truck drivers have a duty to operate trucks safely, and their employers have a duty to make sure their drivers are trained properly and scheduled according to regulations. Manufacturers of truck parts have a duty to sell parts that are safe for use on the roads and have no known defects.
- Breach of duty. When a party fails to follow their duty of care, they have breached their duty to others.
- Causation. The breach of duty must have caused the victim’s damages.
- Damages. You’ll have to prove actual injuries and losses in your truck accident claim. Medical bills, lost income, property damage, lost future income, and emotional distress are all examples of the economic and non-economic damages you can claim.
To prove negligence, your jackknife accident lawyer will rely on the evidence available from the accident. Your attorney will track down physical evidence, police reports, black box recordings from the truck, maintenance logs, and other pieces of evidence that support your case.
Contact a Lexington, SC Jackknife Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation
If you’ve been hurt in a jackknife accident in Lexington, SC, you deserve answers and financial compensation if someone else caused the truck accident. Our dedicated legal team will work on your financial recovery while you focus on your physical and mental health. To learn more about your options, contact our law office to schedule a free consultation with a Lexington, SC jackknife accident lawyer.
