Statistics show that nearly 2,500 fire truck collisions occur each year in the United States, resulting in 1,100 injuries and deaths. Typically, it is easy to spot these big red trucks with their lights on and horns blowing; however, on occasion, individuals fail to yield to these trucks, thus resulting in accidents. As a result, these accidents are known to cause serious injuries and possible death due to the large size differential between these trucks and passenger vehicles.
If you or someone you love has been involved in a fire truck accident, the victim may be entitled to compensation for their losses and damages. At Jonathan Perkins Injury Lawyers, our lawyers believe that it is the duty of the negligent party to pay for the damages and losses they have caused, and will seek to obtain maximum compensation for all damages.
To learn more, simply complete the Free Case Evaluation form on this page – it’s 100% FREE.
Fire Truck Accident Causes
Often times, a fire truck collision is the result of an individual failing to yield the right of way. However, there are times where these accidents are also caused by a speeding fire truck trying to get to a burning home on time, which raises the risk for an accident to occur due to increased negligent driving habits. Additionally, fire trucks must travel in all sorts of conditions, including driving in close proximity with other vehicles in congested traffic, which has also been known to increase accidents with these large vehicles.
Some other situations that are known to cause accidents include:
- Excessive speeding – As fire truck drivers are typically in a hurry to save burning houses and lives, they must quickly respond to emergency calls and make it to their destination in a timely manner. Unfortunately, this is linked to the cause of many automobile accidents due to the increased speed and lower mobility of these vehicles.
- Bypass road rules – As fire truck drivers have specific rules set, which they are required to follow, these rules are often ignored to make it to the scene of the fire or accident on time.
- Right of way – In most instances, fire truck drivers assume that everyone understands the emergency at hand when a fire truck is in their presence; however, some drivers continue to refuse to get out of the way as they are expected to do so, thus causing an accident.
- Equipment check – As fire truck drivers have a lot of equipment that must be assembled in a quick manner, failure to properly set up this equipment has become a cause for accidents more recently.
A report conducted by the United States Fire Administration shows that automobile accidents are the second leading cause of death for firefighters. Unfortunately, there is only so much a firefighter can do to avoid an accident while driving such a large vehicle. Recognizing that these trucks are in an emergency, and they do have the right away will help reduce the number of fire truck collisions on our Connecticut roadways.
Frequent Fire Truck Accident Injuries
As firetruck may weigh up to 10 times more than the typical passenger vehicle, these large vehicle crashes typically cause extreme damages, injuries and possible death to anything in their path. There are also several different forms of injuries that can arise from these accidents.
Some injuries caused by fire trucks include:
- Back and neck injuries
- Broken bones
- Burns and lacerations
- Concussion injuries
- Dental injuries
- Herniated discs
- Nerve damage
- Rib and torso injuries
- Seat belt injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Whiplash injuries
- Wrist injuries
…Just to name a few
If you have been involved in a collision with a fire truck, it is advised to seek the attention of a medical professional to prevent any further injuries.
Contact An Experienced Fire Truck Accident Attorney
At Jonathan Perkins Injury Lawyers, we are proud to help the injured receive the justice they deserve in the court of law. If you or someone you love has been injured in an auto accident, it is imperative to seek the legal guidance of an experienced fire truck accident lawyer. By utilizing the services of an attorney, you may become eligible to receive compensation for losses and damages caused during an accident.
We have offices in New Haven, Bridgeport, Hartford, Waterbury and New London, and serve clients throughout Connecticut. To learn more about how our Connecticut fire truck accident attorneys may be able to assist you in your time of need, or to schedule a free no-obligation consultation, contact us at 800-PERKINS and a member of our intake staff will collect information about your crash and connect you with one of our experienced attorneys.
Start here by filling out the Free Case Evaluation form on this page – it’s That Easy!