Jackknifing Accidents

Traveling on a road that commercial trucks like 18-wheelers and semi-trucks are using can be an intimidating experience, even knowing that commercial drivers are highly experienced and skilled in their profession. As a passenger vehicle driver, you accept these risks each time that you drive out onto a main road, and it is important that you understand your rights as a driver. In the event that you are involved in an accident with a commercial truck, due to a jackknife accident in Fresno, or any other type of crash, you have rights as a victim that the team at Grossman Law Offices are happy to help you protect, and get the money that you deserve as the victim of this type of accident.

Find An Attorney You Can Trust

Working with a commercial trucking insurance company can be a very complicated experience, especially when the insurance policy is of particularly high value. In these cases, you can be certain that the insurance company will have its top attorneys handling your claims in order to protect their finances as much as possible. The only logical way to respond to this is by hiring your own aggressive attorney who can help you push back and ultimately get the settlement you deserve.

Read more below to learn more about jackknife accidents, including what they are, how they happen, and the type of damages they can cause. Contact the team at Grossman Law Offices as soon as possible to schedule an initial consultation, where we will be able to discuss the specifics of your accident, your injuries, and get a better idea about how we can move forward as your Fresno truck accident lawyers.

What Is a Jackknife Accident?

“Jackknifing” is a term used for an accident that happens when an articulated vehicle, such as a tractor-trailer or a passenger vehicle towing something, is turned in such a way that it resembles a folded knife, with the vehicle facing in an acute angle from the trailer, forming an L or a V shape. Typically, these accidents happen when the vehicle and/or the trailer lose traction and are sent out of control.

What Causes a Jackknifing Accident?

When a trailer is loaded with cargo and the truck begins to jackknife, the driver loses most, if not all, control of the vehicle, as part of the vehicle begins to slide on the road. Drivers are trained to avoid these types of situations and are also trained on how to maneuver through one of these types of accidents in a way that maximizes the safety of all those around them, but this training is still not a guarantee that you will avoid being injured. 

One of the most common causes of these accidents is a driver entering a turn too quickly, and needing to hit their brakes mid-turn, causing the cab or the tractor to lose their grip on the road. Wet pavement, high speeds, heavy cargo, and locked brakes are a combination for disaster when a commercial truck driver needs to act quickly and puts the vehicle into a jackknife position. From there, they may slide forward and rear-end vehicles in front of them, cause vehicles behind them to crash, and more. 

Common Injuries After Jackknifing Accidents

In many ways, a Fresno jackknife accident is similar to many other types of accidents, especially because they are dangerous and pose a serious threat of injury. Like any accident, the types of injuries that you sustain depend on an immeasurable number of variables that make each collision unique, but the following are some of the most common injuries represented in jackknife accident claims. 

Fractures

A fracture is a broken bone, although there are common misunderstandings about the two being different types of injuries. These types of injuries occur when the bone is bent or forced beyond its limits, and since a bone has very little elasticity, causes the fibers in the bone to break apart. These injuries can be very painful, and often require a cast, splint, and even medical intervention in order to heal properly.

Traumatic Brain Injuries

A traumatic brain injury can range in severity, from a minor and almost unnoticeable concussion to permanent brain damage and even death. These types of injuries are known as “silent killers” because there oftentimes there are few, if any, physical indications that the victim has been injured. Common symptoms include headaches, confusion, trouble focusing, mood swings, and more. If you suspect that you or someone you know has suffered from a TBI, it is very important that this injury is addressed by a medical professional as soon as possible.

Whiplash

Whiplash is one of the most common types of injuries that a car accident victim encounters, simply because of the nature of the injury. Whiplash occurs when the head is jerked forward, down, and then back in one rapid “S” motion, tearing the soft tissues, disks, and ligaments in the neck. In nearly all cases, the treatment plan for this type of injury is rest and stabilizing the head until the tissues and muscles are able to repair themselves.