Dallas No-Zone Truck Accident Attorneys
We see them on the roads every single day. We drive past them on the interstate and see them crisscrossing our rural roads. Large trucks today are more prevalent than ever on Texas roads, but they can also pose serious safety risks. When the driver of a large truck fails to exercise caution and driver responsibly, the resulting accident can be catastrophic for everyone involved.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, as many as one-third of all crashes between a large truck and another vehicle occur in what is known as the “no-zone.” While it is nearly impossible for truck drivers to see other cars in their blind spots, called no-zones, that doesn’t mean they get a free pass when it comes to causing an accident. Truck drivers are required to exercise caution and always be aware of the surroundings, double-checking their no-zones thoroughly before making a move.
If you or a loved one has been seriously hurt in a no-zone truck accident, you are probably feeling anxious and overwhelmed. While you are struggling to recover from your injuries, you may be hounded by the trucking company and their insurers. You may even feel pressured to accept their terms, just so you can move on with your life and put an end to their persistent calls.
Before you give in to their tactics, contact The Benton Law Firm for legal advice about your situation. Trucking companies and their insurers don’t want to give you the money you deserve after an accident. They want to skirt responsibility and keep their money, money you need for your medical bills and time away from work. Let us give you a free initial consultation about your case. Call us at (214) 777-7777 for more information. You deserve compensation for your injuries.
What Is a No-Zone Accident?
The term “no-zone” refers to the areas of a truck where the driver is unable to see what is directly around them, either by looking out of the windows or with the use of mirrors. No-zones are sometimes better known as blind spots. These are areas where cars are no longer visible to the driver of a large truck.
It can be easy to assume that since trucks are so much larger and higher up off the road that the driver has a bird’s eye view of everything. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case. The large size and shape of the vehicle mean that several places can obstruct a driver’s view. These blind spots are so vast, they can engulf an entire car to the point where a truck driver may have no idea you are even nearby. Semi-trucks are also not equipped with rearview mirrors because of the size and shape of the trailers they pull.
There are several main areas where the truck driver has very limited visibility to almost no visibility at all. Those areas include the left rear quarter of the truck, the right rear quarter, and directly behind and in front of the truck at short distances.
How Do No-Zone Accidents Happen?
The saying is true, if you can’t see the driver of the truck, then they can’t see you. Motorists should always exercise caution when traveling near a large vehicle. While you should never remain in a driver’s blind spot for too long, it is also the responsibility of the truck driver to exercise caution while on the road.
These people are professional drivers and should have the training to know where their blind spots are located and to always take care before making a lane change or before accelerating or decelerating. No-zone accidents can occur when a driver is not paying attention or driving defensively. These actions can have devastating consequences for the car caught in the no-zone and for other vehicles nearby.
Some of the factors that can lead to a no-zone accident include:
- Distracted driving
- Inadequate or improper driver training
- Driver fatigue
- Defensive driving tactics
- Drug or alcohol use
No-zone accidents are dangerous because the driver can’t see the cars around them, therefore they may not realize that they are about to cause an accident. When that is the case, they won’t be properly decelerating or taking evasive actions.
Types of Injuries That Can Occur in No-Zone Accidents
When a truck driver is unable to see what is happening in one of their blind spots, several different types of accidents can occur. A no-zone accident may lead to an undercarriage collision, a side-swipe accident, or even a rollover.
A fully loaded truck can weigh close to 80,000-pounds, which means the amount of damage it can do to a passenger car is enormous. Numbers from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that in 2017, 72 percent of those killed in collisions with large trucks were the occupants of the other vehicle, not the truck driver. Surviving a collision with a large truck can mean serious injuries that may impact your way of life going forward.
Some of the more common injuries that can result from a no-zone type accident include:
- Concussion
- Head, neck, or spine injuries
- Broken bones
- Lacerations
- Burns
- Internal bleeding and damage
- Chest or rib injuries
The medical costs for recovering from some of these types of injuries can be substantial. You may even require further medical care even after you leave the hospital in the form of physical or rehabilitation therapy. Depending on the severity of your injuries, you may even require the use of specialized medical equipment or need to make changes to your home in order to accommodate your limitations.
The cost of these things quickly adds up. You can’t afford to spend your life savings, your retirement money, your child’s college fund, all on your recovery. Negligent truck drivers need to be held accountable for their actions and you deserve to collect fair and reasonable compensation for your injuries. That is what the team at The Benton Law Firm strives for – recovering the money you deserve.
Who Is Liable for a No-Zone Accident?
The question is not always an easy one to answer. In the cases of no-zone accidents, the trucking company and their team of lawyers and insurers will most certainly try to pin the blame on you. It is important to remember that they don’t want to pay you anything, and their goal is to keep as much money in their pockets as possible. They may even resort to bullying or intimidation tactics to make you think you did something wrong.
The best way to determine fault is to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident. Hiring a lawyer is your best chance to get a fair and complete investigation, here’s why.
You have been involved in a no-zone accident. That means you were in the driver’s blind spot. You didn’t see their face, which means they didn’t see you. So how are you to know what that driver was doing in the moments leading up to the crash? Could the driver have been distracted by texting or using a cell phone? Were they eating behind the wheel? Were they fatigued and fell asleep?
Truck drivers have a responsibility to operate their vehicles safely and responsibly. Properly trained drivers know they need to always be checking their blind spots before making a move. A lawyer with The Benton Law Firm has the experience and resources necessary to investigate the truck driver and what they may have been doing right before the crash took place. That means looking into cell phone records, collecting in cab-video or audio recording, gathering witness accounts, and even looking into safety inspection records and the driver’s background. Getting an attorney on your side from the beginning means they have the ability to seek this crucial evidence before it is lost or even destroyed.
In addition to investigating the crash, an attorney will also be able to look into the trucking company’s possible role in the accident. The driver may not be the only party at fault. If the company has improperly hired a negligent driver, or improperly trained the driver, they may have had a hand in contributing to the circumstances of the accident. If that is the case, they can also be held accountable.
Why Choose The Benton Law Firm To Handle Your No-Zone Accident Case?
The trucking company, their lawyers, and their insurers want you to think you are to blame for a no-zone accident. They want you to take the bait so they can get away without taking responsibility. You may feel pressured, even forced into accepting the consequences of someone else’s actions.
Before you sign over your legal rights to anyone, contact an experienced truck accident personal injury attorneys at The Benton Law Firm for help. Let us help you review all the facts surrounding your case. It may not be as clear cut as the trucking company wants you to believe. Negligent actions on the part of the driver or the company itself may be to blame for your no-zone accident.
If you or a loved one have been injured in a no-zone accident, contact the seasoned truck accident attorneys at The Benton Law Firm for a consultation. We can review the circumstances of your case and provide you with insight and sound legal advice on your situation. Call us today at (214) 777-7777 to schedule your free initial consultation.