Jackknifing is a unique risk for articulated vehicles like 18-wheelers and other semi-trucks that can lead to severe injuries. If you have been hurt in a devastating jackknife accident in Greensboro, you could be entitled to significant compensation. The truck accident lawyers at Ward Black Law are ready to help you pursue the money you need to rebuild your life.
Contact us today at (336) 333-2244 to discuss your case for free with a jackknife truck accident lawyer in Greensboro.
How Our Greensboro Jackknife Truck Accident Lawyers Can Help
Ward Black Law is an award-winning law firm that has been helping severely injured people for more than 30 years. We have considerable experience handling challenging cases, such as 18-wheeler jackknife accident claims – and we know what it takes to win.
When you hire us to handle your jackknife truck accident claim, you are free to focus on resting and recovering, knowing that you have a team of professionals working hard to seek the money you deserve. We do that by:
- Investigating what caused the truck to jackknife and identifying all parties who may be at fault for it
- Working with experts to calculate the personal and financial costs of your injuries
- Reviewing insurance policy language to determine how much compensation is available
- Sending demand letters and negotiating with insurance adjusters for a fair settlement
- Taking your case to trial if the insurance company will not agree to pay you fairly in a settlement
We are prepared to start work on your truck accident case right away, at no upfront cost to you.
What Causes Jackknife Truck Accidents in Greensboro?
Jackknifing is a hazard specific to vehicles that tow trailers, such as semi-trucks or tractor-trailers. It causes the trailer and the truck pulling it to become misaligned, causing the driver to lose control. The trailer starts pushing the truck until it spins, with the truck and trailer pivoting at the connection point like the closing of a pocketknife.
Common causes of jackknifing include:
- Heavy or abrupt braking
- Slick road conditions
- Equipment failures
- Excess speed
- Sharp turns
- Improperly balanced cargo
Types of Roads Where Jackknife Truck Accidents Commonly Happen
Common road types prone to jackknifing include:
- Sharp curves and winding mountain roads
- Highways that become slippery during rain, snow, or ice
- Steep downhill grades
- Busy interstates and high-speed freeways
- Construction zones and narrow merging lanes
Common Injuries in Jackknife Truck Accidents
Commercial trucks are big and heavy, meaning they impart considerable force in a crash with a smaller passenger vehicle. That is why jackknife accidents often result in serious injuries, such as:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Back and neck injuries
- Broken bones and fractures
- Whiplash
- Internal injuries and organ damage
- Severe cuts, burns, and lacerations
Who Can Be Held Liable in a Jackknife Truck Accident?
Anyone whose actions or inaction cause a truck to jackknife can be held responsible for a subsequent accident. At-fault parties might include:
- A truck driver who caused the jackknife by speeding, braking too aggressively, or taking a turn too fast
- The trucking company the truck driver works for, particularly if the trucking company encouraged the truck driver to cut down on route times or hired inexperienced truck drivers
- The cargo loading company that unsafely loaded or secured the cargo in the trailer, if a shifting or unbalanced load made the trailer unstable
- The company that manufactured the truck or its components, if a defect caused the trailer’s brakes to seize up or wheels to lose traction
Recovering maximum compensation means identifying each party who played a role in the jackknife crash and including them as defendants in your Greensboro truck accident case.
What if You Were Partially at Fault for the Crash?
North Carolina applies a strict contributory negligence rule to personal injury cases. If the court finds that you were at all at fault for the crash that injured you, the contributory negligence rule bars you from recovering any compensation. That is true even if only 1 percent of the blame for the crash is assigned to you.
North Carolina’s contributory negligence rule makes it critical to work with our experienced truck accident lawyers after a jackknife crash. We are ready to fight any attempts by the insurance company to unfairly shift blame onto you in an effort to avoid paying you the compensation you deserve.
How Federal Trucking Regulations May Affect Your Case
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) oversees the interstate trucking industry, regulating everything from how many hours a driver can work to how cargo must be secured to the truck to how often carriers must inspect their vehicles. A violation of a federal regulation could be used as evidence of negligence per se, which could make the person or company that committed the violation liable for an accident that resulted.
What Compensation Can You Recover After a Jackknife Truck Accident?
If someone else caused the jackknife truck accident that hurt you, you can demand that they pay for your:
- Medical bills
- Future medical expenses
- Physical and occupational therapy
- Lost income and reduced earning potential
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Property damage
How Long Do You Have to File a Truck Accident Lawsuit in North Carolina?
North Carolina’s statute of limitations on personal injury cases gives you three (3) years in most circumstances to file a jackknife truck accident claim. Wrongful death claims are subject to a shorter two-year deadline. If you attempt to file after the deadline has passed, the court hearing your case will likely dismiss it as untimely. Only very narrow exceptions can extend the filing deadline.
You can set yourself up for success by getting help from our Greensboro tractor-trailer accident attorneys right away. The more time we have before the deadline, the more time we can spend building a strong case and negotiating for a fair settlement.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Greensboro Truck Accident Lawyer?
As our founding attorney Janet Ward Black, now deceased, said, our mission is to “seek justice, give generously, and love lavishly.” That is why we charge no upfront fees for our work, but instead get paid from the compensation we recover on your behalf. That means you are at no financial risk, as you are not paying out of pocket to get our help.
Speak With a Greensboro Jackknife Truck Accident Lawyer Today
Ward Black Law delivers meaningful results for victims of personal injury accidents like jackknife truck crashes in Greensboro and throughout North Carolina. Read our testimonials to hear from our satisfied clients about their experiences with our law firm.
Contact us today at (336) 333-2244 or contact us online for your free, no-pressure consultation with our experienced Greensboro truck accident attorneys.