What You Need to Know About Jackknife Accidents in West Virginia

Overhead view of a car accident and a clean up crew.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has reported that large truck deaths and injuries are at their highest level in almost 30 years. Because of this, more and more lawmakers are making it a top priority to identify the many reasons for these serious accidents that take place on our roads across West Virginia. If you have been injured in a West Virginia truck accident, you might need the experienced assistance of a personal injury attorney on your side every step of the way.

What Happens During a Jackknife Accident?

There are many types of trucking accidents that take place on our roads, from rear-ends to rollovers. Jackknife accidents are one more type of accident that leads to serious results on our roads every year. Jackknifing takes place when a truck starts to skid, which causes the trailer to spin and collide with the cab of the truck as it bends. Many people think that these accidents only cause injuries to the truck drivers involved, but this is not the case because a motor vehicle could also get in the middle of a jackknifing truck, which could lead to severe results.

How You Can Prevent Jackknife Accidents on Our Roads 

There are many ways that a truck could become involved in a jackknife accident, which is why you need to know the many ways these accidents can be prevented:

Heavier Loads: When the trailer of a tractor-trailer is filled with a heavier load, it is less likely to jackknife. The weight tends to keep the trailer aligned with the cab. Drivers who have a lighter load in their trucks should be more cautious than usual because their brakes could lock up, causing the trailer to skid. 

Gradual Braking: Jackknife accidents are more likely to happen when a truck driver slams on their brakes. This is one more reason of many that truck drivers should maintain a safe distance behind other vehicles so that they have time to stop if somebody else slams on their brakes. 

Proper Maintenance of Truck: If you want to prevent a jackknife accident, it is, of course, necessary to have your vehicle properly maintained as well. If a truck has uneven brakes, tires that are severely worn, or faulty components in the suspension, an accident could take place in the blink of an eye after a driver loses control.

Common Injuries Following a Serious Jackknife Accident 

Many other actions can lead to jackknife accidents as well, such as curvy roads, bad weather, and speeding among many others. If you are somebody who has been injured in a jackknife accident at the hands of a negligent truck driver, you are at risk of a variety of serious injuries such as broken bones, concussions, and other traumatic brain injuries, back and spinal injuries, internal injuries, and more.

Because the medical bills might continue to pile up after a truck accident or you will miss out on employment opportunities, it is imperative to remember that you have many rights to compensation under West Virginia law. Our attorneys at Katz, Kantor, Stonestreet & Buckner are skilled at navigating the legal system following your West Virginia truck accident and helping you work toward reimbursement for your losses. If you are considering bringing a personal injury claim but you do not know where to begin, please contact us at (304) 713-2014 for more information. We are waiting to hear from you.

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