Were you injured in a collision involving an 18-wheeler or another large commercial vehicle? Did the driver of the vehicle hit yours while making a left-hand turn? Left turns, while some of the most common driving actions, can also be some of the most dangerous – especially if the driver doesn’t pay attention or fails to exercise adequate caution.

The Morristown truck accident lawyers at The Terry Law Firm want to help if you have been hurt in a crash with a truck turning left. Our Morristown left-hand turn truck accident attorneys have over 50 years of experience representing crash victims. Our experience and unwavering dedication to our clients have helped us recover millions of dollars on behalf of truck accident victims.

To learn more about our services, contact our office for a free case review.

Why Left Turns Are Dangerous for Semi-Trucks

Making a left turn in a truck can be challenging, and collisions frequently happen when commercial drivers try to execute these types of turns. In fact, UPS drivers are discouraged from making left turns if at all possible while making their deliveries for reasons of fuel economy as well as safety.

In looking at hard data, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) discovered that in over 22 percent of crashes during a recent year, turning left was the critical event leading to the accident.

When a truck is turning right, other vehicles on the truck’s right side can be pinned between the truck and the edge of the road.

But there are a few factors that make left turns particularly hazardous for trucks, such as:

  • Intersection design — Because of how traffic intersections are designed, a vehicle turning left has to cross in front of traffic coming from the opposite direction before the vehicle can complete the turn. This configuration leaves the turning vehicle exposed until the left turn is complete. Because of their length, semi-trucks take longer to complete turns and block traffic for a longer duration during the turn.
  • A short window to make the turn — Unless a semi-truck is in a protected left-turn lane (meaning a lane with a dedicated green left-turn arrow), it must yield to other traffic before the driver can make a left turn safely. But because of how heavy semi-trucks are and how long it takes them to get up to speed, truck drivers have an extremely narrow window to make the turn. This thin margin of error makes accidents much more likely when a truck is turning left. Truckers often make turns when it’s not safe to do so.
  • The size of semi-trucks — A semi-truck towing a trailer can easily weigh 10 to 20 times more than a typical passenger car. This extra weight means that if a truck strikes another vehicle while turning, anyone in the other car will likely suffer significant injuries. In contrast, the truck driver may only sustain minor injuries.

Types of Truck Accidents Involving Left-Hand Turns

Some of the types of truck accidents that occur when trucks turn left include:

  • Head-on collisions — If a truck starts to turn left when oncoming traffic is too close, the truck can plow directly into the front of a vehicle.
  • T-Bone accidents — If a truck starts a left turn too early or too late, it can strike another vehicle proceeding through the intersection from the side. T-Bone accidents can also happen if the truck is hit from the side in the middle of a turn. With left-hand turns, timing is everything.
  • Rollover accidents — Trucks can overturn if a driver takes a turn too quickly or a truck’s cargo is not balanced correctly. If a semi-truck rolls over in the middle of a turn, it could crush other vehicles or cause them to hit the overturned trailer.
  • Sideswipe accidents — Trucks can sideswipe another vehicle during a left turn if the truck driver is not paying close attention or loses control in the middle of a turn.

Injuries That Can Result from Left Turn Crashes Involving Tractor-Trailers

In general, people involved in accidents with large trucks face a significant risk of serious harm.

Left-turn accidents involving semi-trucks could leave other drivers suffering from the following:

Proving Liability for a Left-Hand Turn Accident in Morristown, TN

To recover compensation after a collision with a semi-truck turning left, you will have to show that the truck driver or another party acted negligently and caused your injuries. A truck accident lawyer can help you find evidence of negligence by the truck driver or another party, such as:

  • Information from police accident reports
  • Photos from the accident scene
  • Medical records
  • Traffic camera footage
  • The truck driver’s logs
  • The truck’s electronic data recorder
  • The truck driver’s cellphone records
  • Eyewitness accounts
  • Expert testimony

Multiple parties may share liability for a left-hand turn truck accident.

The potentially liable parties include:

  • The truck driver — Truck drivers can be held liable for an accident if they were impaired, distracted, severely fatigued, speeding, driving aggressively, or otherwise negligent. Typically it is driver error that causes a left-turn accident.
  • The trucking company — Trucking companies can be held liable for an accident if they failed to monitor the truck driver, violated hours-of-service rules, or failed to check the driver’s qualifications and driving record. If the driver is an employee (not an independent contractor), the company would be vicariously liable.
  • Parts manufacturers — Sometimes, left-turn truck accidents are caused by a mechanical problem, such as a tire blowout or brake failure. If a defective part caused the accident, the company that made or designed the part could be held liable.
  • Cargo loaders — A rollover accident can happen if a truck’s cargo is not correctly loaded and secured, in which case cargo crews could be held liable for the crash.

Potential Compensation for Victims of Left Turn Truck Crashes

Left-turn truck accidents often leave victims with devastating injuries and other losses. With help from a truck accident lawyer, you may be able to demand compensation for losses such as:

  • Medical bills
  • Pain and suffering
  • Emotional distress
  • Lost income
  • Reduced future earnings
  • Damaged personal property

How Our Experienced Morristown Truck Accident Lawyers Can Help You

Here are a few ways the truck accident attorneys at The Terry Law Firm can help with your case:

  • Identify all liable parties so you can pursue full compensation
  • Conduct interviews with eyewitnesses
  • Document all the injuries you suffered in the accident, including physical, mental, and financial losses
  • Gather evidence to demonstrate liability on the part of the truck driver or another party
  • File your claim before the statute of limitations expires
  • Negotiate with the insurance companies for the liable parties
  • Bring your case to trial if you do not receive a fair and just settlement offer

Contact Us Now for a Free Claim Review

Our locally focused attorneys have a strong record of serving our clients with compassion and determination. Contact The Terry Law Firm today for a free case review with a Morristown truck accident lawyer.

When you file a truck accident claim, you may be able to recover compensation for various expenses and losses you incurred due to the crash. Your case may provide you with financial recovery for your:

  • Medical and rehabilitation expenses
  • Lost income
  • Lost future earning potential and job benefits
  • Pain and suffering
  • Lost enjoyment or quality of life
  • Vehicle repairs or reimbursement of your car’s value

Yes, it’s crucial to call the police at the scene of a truck accident. The police can investigate the crash scene, gather information from the truck driver and other motorists and eyewitnesses, and prepare an accident report. Police crash reports often provide critical information for truck accident claims.

Other steps you should take at the crash scene include:

  • Check on everyone involved in the accident to see if anyone requires immediate medical attention.
  • Move your vehicle out of the path of traffic if possible, or walk to the side of the road if your car has been disabled.
  • Get the truck driver’s employer and insurance information and insurance information from any other drivers involved in the crash.
  • Take photos and videos of the accident scene, including vehicle damage, license plates, visible injuries you suffered, skid marks on the road, and traffic controls at the scene.
  • Talk to eyewitnesses to obtain a brief statement of what they saw and their contact information.

In most cases, the insurer of the at-fault truck driver or the trucking company that employed the driver will pay you compensation for your truck accident claim if they are found liable. Other parties may also have liability for the accident, including:

  • The truck’s owner
  • The cargo company
  • The truck and trailer manufacturer
  • Manufacturers of parts used on the truck
  • Third-party auto shops that serviced the truck

You should contact a truck accident attorney immediately after a truck accident. A lawyer will know what it takes to thoroughly investigate the accident and prepare a compelling, persuasive legal claim. A lawyer can also document your injuries and losses and estimate future expenses to ensure you seek total compensation. Your attorney can also deal with trucking company representatives, insurance adjusters, defense lawyers, or bill collectors on your behalf so you can focus on healing.

Although liability for the truck accident is determined under traditional state negligence laws, other laws – such as state and federal trucking industry regulations – may affect the outcome of your case. For example, a truck driver’s violation of the federal or state hours-of-service regulations may serve as evidence that they were too tired to drive safely. Speak with your attorney to learn more about the laws that apply in your case.

Here are some factors that make truck accident cases more complicated than other kinds of auto accident claims:

  • Truck accident victims often suffer more severe injuries that require longer, more expensive medical care.
  • Truck accidents can injure more people than other types of crashes.
  • Truck accidents may have multiple liable parties who will fight with each other to shift financial responsibility among themselves.
  • Truck accident claims may involve lots of complex evidence.
  • Trucking companies may have complicated corporate structures or layered insurance policies that make it difficult to determine the extent of financial assets available to the company.