What Victims Need to Know About a Blind Spot Truck Accident

Blind spots can significantly obstruct a truck driver’s view of what is around them. As a result, these “no-zones” are the cause of many truck accidents. While commercial trucks are significant in size and weight, a truck driver’s lack of visibility can have devastating consequences for passengers of smaller vehicles, motorcyclists, and pedestrians. If you suffered injuries in a blind spot truck accident, it’s essential to understand who can be held liable and what types of damages you may be entitled to recover.

What is a Blind Spot Truck Accident?

A blind spot truck accident is a collision that occurs when a truck driver strikes another vehicle that is within its “no-zone.” As the blind spots on commercial trucks are very large, they can make it difficult for truck drivers to see smaller vehicles that may be hidden in these areas. If a truck driver fails to check their blind spots thoroughly, they risk colliding with other vehicles on the road while changing lanes, merging, or turning.

Specifically, commercial trucks have several blind spots where smaller vehicles can effectively disappear from the driver’s view. The front blind spot can obscure vehicles that are positioned near the front of the truck. The rear blind spot on a truck can make it hard for a driver to observe vehicles that may be following behind or attempting to pass. The side blind spots on each side of the cab can make it difficult for a truck driver to see vehicles traveling alongside or trying to overtake.

What Are Some Common Causes?

Blind spots on trucks can contribute to various types of collisions, including sideswipes, wide-turn accidents, head-on collisions, and multi-vehicle crashes. When a truck driver fails to observe a smaller vehicle in their blind spot and makes a wide turn, an underride accident can occur where the smaller vehicle becomes trapped underneath the truck. In addition, if a truck merges without seeing a vehicle in its blind spot, it can cause the vehicle to collide with a guardrail or be run off the road.

While every case is unique, blind spot truck accidents often involve negligence. Some common causes of these types of accidents can include:

• Driver inattention or distraction
• Inexperienced truck drivers
• Inadequate truck driver training
• Improper lane changes
• Poor road conditions
• Failure to check mirrors
• Speeding
• Fatigued driving
• Following too closely

If the blind spot truck accident was caused by someone else’s negligence or carelessness, a victim may be entitled to hold that party accountable for their wrongdoing in a personal injury action.

Who’s Liable for a Blind Spot Truck Accident?

Liability in a blind spot truck accident will depend upon the specific facts of the case. However, there are several parties who could potentially be held responsible, including the following:

• Truck driver: A truck driver may be held liable for a truck accident if their driving actions or violation of the applicable safety regulations caused the victim’s injuries.
• Trucking company: A trucking company may be to blame for a blind spot truck accident if it failed to train its driver or was negligent in its hiring practices.
• Other motorists: In the event another motorist’s carelessness or recklessness contributed to the collision, they may be held accountable for the victim’s damages.
• Vehicle manufacturer: Under certain circumstances, a vehicle manufacturer may be held liable for a blind spot truck accident, such as in cases where the truck’s design created an unusually large blind spot or visibility aids were defective.
• A municipality: A municipality could be responsible for a truck blind spot accident if its failure to properly maintain the road caused the crash.

Evidence that can help determine liability can include data from the truck’s Event Data Recorder, dashcam footage, surveillance camera footage, witness statements, and physical evidence from the scene of the collision. Many cases also require an accident reconstruction expert who can assist a truck accident attorney with analyzing the information and explain the sequence of events that led to the crash to a jury.

What Damages Can You Recover for a Blind Spot Truck Accident?

Blind spot truck accidents can lead to life-altering catastrophic injuries, lifelong disability, severe psychological trauma, and overwhelming financial hardship. In the event another party’s negligence caused the blind spot truck accident that resulted in a victim’s injuries, they may be entitled to recover a wide range of economic and non-economic damages in a personal injury action. This can include compensation for the physical, emotional, and financial impact of the accident-related injuries.

Economic damages that may be recovered for truck accident injuries can include:

• Unreimbursed medical expenses
• Hospital bills and surgery costs
• Future medical expenses
• Lost wages
• Future loss of earnings
• Out-of-pocket costs
• The costs of rehabilitation or home modifications

Non-economic damages are meant to compensate for the physical pain and emotional distress a victim experienced as a result of their injuries. It can also include compensation for loss of enjoyment of life, inconvenience, loss of consortium, mental anguish, and other non-pecuniary losses.

Contact an Experienced Washington Truck Accident Attorney

If you were hurt in a blind spot truck accident, it’s essential to have a Washington truck accident attorney by your side who can assist you with obtaining the compensation you deserve. With locations in Burien and Bellevue, Herron Law Office, PLLC is committed to helping Washington truck accident victims secure the maximum monetary recovery available in their cases. We welcome you to contact us for a consultation to discuss your case by calling (425) 600-2580.