Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers | November 17, 2020 | Trucking Accident
Truck accidents, especially those involving tractor-trailers, can be extremely dangerous. Tractor-trailers are heavy, operate at high speeds, and have difficult slowing or coming to a stop. Underride accidents can be particularly devastating and the consequences can be life-changing and even deadly. You may be wondering, “What are underride accidents?”
In this article, our truck accident attorneys explain what underride accidents are and why they are a significant risk to drivers.
What is an Underride Accident?
An underride accident is a crash involving a tractor-trailer in which another vehicle gets crushed under the side or back of the tractor-trailer. Large commercial trucks like 18-wheelers are often high enough that a passenger vehicle can slip beneath the trailer, sometimes sheering off the top of the car and resulting in devastating injuries and even death.
Underride accidents are one of the most destructive types of truck accidents. In more than 35 years serving injury victims, our truck accident lawyers have handled many cases involving underride accidents, some of which have resulted in death.
Types of Underride Accidents
There are two types of underride accidents, both of which can result in injury or even death:
- Side Underride Accidents — These occur when a passenger vehicle slips beneath the side of the trailer portion of a tractor-trailer, often resulting in the destruction of the top of the car. These accidents often occur in low-light situations, frequently when a truck is turning or crossing an intersection.
- Rear Underride Accidents — These occur when a passenger vehicle slips beneath the rear of a truck or tractor-trailer. Rear underride accidents frequently occur when a tractor-trailer suddenly slows or stops, and the other vehicle’s driver is either following too closely or not paying attention. They can also happen when a truck is parked on the side of the road but poorly marked, or when the light is low.
Common Causes
There are many contributing factors that may result in an underride accident, including:
- A passenger vehicle “tailgating” or following a truck or tractor-trailer too closely
- A driver failing to see a tractor-trailer due to low light or poor visibility
- A passenger vehicle operating at excessive speed, often in inclement conditions
- Truck driver negligence including sudden stops, illegal turns, or running of red lights
Trucking company or truck driver negligence can result in an underride accident if proper safety precautions are not undertaken. These include using reflective tape, operating with proper lighting, maintaining brakes and taillights, using underride guards, and marking a parked truck with safety cones, etc.
Common Underride Accident Injuries
Due to the truck’s size, weight, and speed, underride accidents can result in horrific injuries, including:
- Broken bones
- Head injuries, including concussions
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Shoulder injuries
- Loss of limbs (amputations)
- Paralysis and semi-paralysis
- Internal bleeding and organ damage
- Cuts, scrapes, and contusions
- Death
Have You Been Injured in a Truck Accident in North Carolina?
If you or a loved one have suffered injury or death due to an underride accident involving a truck or tractor-trailer, you may be entitled to compensation and we would love to help however we can.
Since 1985, our firm has recovered millions of dollars in compensation for truck accident victims.
Together, our attorneys have more than 190+ years of combined legal experience fighting for the injured. (See disclaimer below).
There is no obligation and we don’t get paid unless you do. No win, no fee.
It is critical that your truck accident be investigated as soon as possible in order to identify witnesses, preserve evidence, and prove liability. At Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers, we have a team of dedicated investigators on staff, and we often bring in outside experts like accident reconstructionists to help strengthen your case.
We can also request the truck’s “black box” to help understand the conditions and circumstances surrounding the underride accident.
In the most heartbreaking and tragic situations, our wrongful death lawyers can help fight for justice for surviving loved ones. In cases in which an underride accident results in long-term disability, we also have Social Security disability attorneys on staff to assist with your claim or appeal, as well.
“They turned a heartbreaking situation completely around.”
–Tonya Taylor, Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers client
Justice Counts for victims of underride accidents and we would love to help you if we can.
Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer from Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers for Help Today
For more information, please contact Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation with a personal injury lawyer in North Carolina today. We have twelve convenient locations in North Carolina, including Greenville, Raleigh, Goldsboro, Jacksonville, Kinston, Charlotte, Greensboro, Durham, Fayetteville, Wilmington, Winston-Salem & Garner.
Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers – Raleigh Office
4600 Marriott Dr STE 500, Raleigh, NC 27612
(919) 876-3020
Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers – Charlotte Office
1914 J N Pease Pl Suite 142, Charlotte, NC 28262
(704) 486-5824
Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers – Durham Office
100 E Parrish St STE 200, Durham, NC 27701
(919) 728-1770
Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers – Garner Office
500 Benson Rd Suite 111, Garner, NC 27529
(800) 525-7111
Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers – Greensboro Office
7B Corporate Center Ct Suite 15, Greensboro, NC 27408
(336) 516-9066
Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers – Greenville Office
300 E Arlington Blvd Suite 2A #110, Greenville, NC 27858
(252) 397-8620
Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers – Goldsboro Office
601 N Spence Ave, Goldsboro, NC 27534
(919) 778-9700
Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers – Jacksonville Office
3391 Henderson Dr, Jacksonville, NC 28546
(910) 455-5599
Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers – Kinston Office
807 N Queen St, Kinston, NC 28501
(252) 397-8624
Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers – Fayetteville Office
2517 Raeford Rd, Fayetteville, NC 28305
(910) 387-9186
Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers – Wilmington Office
1608 Queen St Suite 12, Wilmington, NC 28401
(910) 889-4064
Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers – Winston-Salem Office
102 W 3rd St, Ste 1007, Winston-Salem, NC 27101
(336) 516-9042