Meridian Jackknife Accidents
Trucking Accident Attorneys Serving the Meridian Area
When a big rig loses control of the trailer it is hauling, all bets are off. Jackknifing is a term used when the trailer behind the truck starts to skid in an opposite direction than the truck is traveling, forming a distinctive “L” shape. This frequently occurs due to driver negligence and can be the result of improper braking, speeding, or careless driving in inclement weather conditions. When truck drivers lose control, a big 18-wheeler can turn into a mechanism of destruction, and an accident can injure numerous people spanning multiple cars. If you have been injured in a jackknife accident, the Meridian truck accident attorneys at Nahon, Saharovich & Trotz are here to help you. We have over 30 attorneys and more than 120 support staff members that are experienced in handling complex trucking accident cases. Let us be on your team and fight for your rights.
Why Does Jackknifing Occur?
Jackknifing is the result of a trailer’s tires losing traction and not maintaining their grip on the road. Federal trucking regulations require interstate trucking companies to properly train their drivers on how to operate these vehicles. Through proper training, drivers should learn how to safely maneuver a big rig truck. Jackknifing may be caused by any of the following factors:
- Equipment failure
- Icy roads
- Improper braking
- Speeding
- Driver negligence
- Poor training
Handling a Jackknife Accident Case in Mississippi
Victims of truck accidents in the Meridian area can suffer critical injuries requiring immediate medical care. Hospital and doctor bills can pile up, and victims may have trouble paying them if they are too injured to immediately return to work. In order to recover compensation for these direct losses, in addition to pain and suffering, Mississippi law requires the victim to assert his or her case. If the victim passed away, the claim does not disappear. Instead, survivors may utilize Mississippi’s wrongful death laws.
Our lawyers can seek to promptly begin investigating your accident by obtaining the accident report, contacting witnesses, and retaining experts if appropriate. To recover damages, you will likely need to show the truck driver acted negligently or unreasonably under the circumstances. For example, let’s say a truck driver was speeding as he approached a traffic jam on Interstate 20. He slammed on his brakes, causing the trailer to jackknife and strike your car in an adjacent lane. You could show that the trucker breached a legal duty owed to you to drive safely by disregarding the speed limits and slamming on the brakes.
After handling truck wreck cases for more than 30 years, our 18-wheeler accident attorneys understand the importance of not only proving what happened, but identifying all potentially responsible parties. In Mississippi, the trucking company could be held liable if the trucker was operating in the normal course and scope of his employment. This is a legal theory known as vicarious liability. For instance, if the driver was making a delivery at the time on his authorized route, then the trucking company could be liable for the damages to the injured party.
Investigating the accident could reveal more direct forms of negligence against the trucking company itself. Two common forms of negligence are negligent hiring and training. Negligent hiring can be established by showing the company failed to conduct proper background checks or hired someone who was not qualified for the position. Negligent training, on the other hand, concerns the steps taken by a company to ensure its drivers understand how to safely operate these large vehicles and abide by pertinent federal regulations.
Call a Meridian Lawyer Today
Proving negligence in a jackknife accident case requires skilled representation. At Nahon, Saharovich & Trotz, our lawyers can retain qualified experts to help you satisfy your legal burden under Mississippi law. For a free consultation with one of our trucking accident attorneys, call 800-529-4004 or fill out our online form. We can take steps to help protect your legal rights and fight for the compensation you deserve. Our legal team helps victims of motor vehicle wrecks throughout Meridian, Lauderdale County, and surrounding areas, so let us show you why NST is the way to go.
Most car accidents are preventable and occur as a result of errors by one or more drivers. To prove liability, you will need to establish by a preponderance of the evidence that the driver owed you a duty of care, which was breached, and that your injuries resulted from the driver’s carelessness. Damages that may be available in these cases often include medical expenses, lost income, mental anguish, loss of consortium, and pain and suffering.
Truck drivers are required to follow numerous detailed regulations, including rules related to hours of service, keeping a logbook, and maintenance procedures. Many of these regulations are intended to protect other people on the road from harm. In some states, if a driver violated a law that was enacted to protect the public, the violation can create a rebuttable presumption of negligence. Trucking companies are also required to follow a number of regulations, including rules related to background checks of drivers and proper supervision. They often may be held directly or indirectly liable for a truck accident.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) evaluates applications for disability benefits. Although many people pay into this system throughout their lives, many legitimate claims are initially denied, and this process may be less straightforward than claimants expect. The SSA uses a five-step sequential evaluation to determine whether to grant benefits to an applicant. Each step is considered in a set order. We can present your case in a persuasive manner and help you appeal a denial of a meritorious claim if needed. This could include representing you in a hearing before an administrative law judge.
Workers’ compensation functions slightly differently in each state. In Tennessee, for example, businesses that employ five or more employees must carry workers’ compensation insurance. If you are injured on the job, you may recover benefits, such as medical costs and disability. Neither your employer’s nor your own culpability for your injuries will prevent you from collecting these benefits. However, it may still be a struggle to obtain benefits from your employer’s insurer. We can help you navigate this challenging process.
If you were harmed by a health care professional’s failure to use the appropriate level of care in providing treatment to you, you may be able to recover compensation. Most medical malpractice lawsuits require retaining an expert to determine the accepted standard of care and explain what the defendant did that fell short of this standard, as well as how the inappropriate conduct caused the patient’s injuries.
When you buy a toy, car, medication, or other product, you do not expect to be hurt. If you are injured, you may have grounds to file a product liability lawsuit. There are three types of defects that may be actionable: manufacturing, design, and marketing (also known as failure to warn). Manufacturers may be held accountable under multiple different theories, including strict liability, negligence, breach of warranty, and concealment. For example, if you take a drug that causes you to develop cancer, but you were not told that a potential side effect of the drug was developing cancer, you may have grounds to hold the manufacturer strictly liable for its failure to warn you of the risk.
Nursing home residents are often elderly or disabled, and thus they are especially vulnerable to neglect, physical abuse, and exploitation by staff members. Unfortunately, many nursing homes are understaffed or employ staff members who are inadequately trained to deal with potentially frustrating situations. Nursing homes are required to protect their residents from physical, mental, and emotional harm by providing a safe environment, as well as adequately training and supervising staff. A failure to do so may be grounds for a nursing home negligence lawsuit for damages.
Property owners have a duty to keep their property reasonably safe. In most situations, this includes an obligation to inspect the property for dangerous conditions and fix them or provide warnings about them so that visitors are not harmed. One type of dangerous condition, which may present a particular problem in apartment complexes or shopping centers, consists of inadequate security measures such as broken locks, poor lighting, or a lack of security guards. A failure to take security measures when appropriate may allow third-party criminals to assault, rob, rape, or otherwise harm visitors and tenants. You may be able to recover damages if you can prove that the defendant knew or should have known about a history of attacks similar to yours and taken appropriate security measures to reduce the risk of further incidents.
Consult a Personal Injury Lawyer in Memphis or the Surrounding Regions
If you are dealing with a devastating injury or medical condition, the Memphis personal injury attorneys at Nahon, Saharovich & Trotz can evaluate and explain your options. Our firm has 30 attorneys and more than 100 staff members, and we serve injured people in many areas of Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri, and Kentucky, including Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Jonesboro, Little Rock, Jackson, Meridian, Tupelo, Columbus, Grenada, Starkville, Oxford, Hayti, and Caruthersville. Contact our office toll-free by calling 800-529-4004 or by completing our online form to set up a free consultation with a personal injury, workers’ compensation, or Social Security Disability lawyer. Once you have learned more about our vigorous advocacy for the rights of the injured, you will realize that NST is the way to go.