All drivers are familiar with rear-end collisions: they are the most common type of automobile accident and are usually the result of drivers not paying sufficient attention to what is happening in front of them. Due to the prevalence of these accidents, auto manufacturers have installed a number of safety features to minimize their impact, including airbags and reinforced bumpers, and these have greatly diminished the impact of many collisions. But there is a specific type of rear-end collision that ranks among the most severe and catastrophic types of accidents that can occur on the road, and automobile safety innovations have proven largely insufficient to prevent serious injury or death.
These are underride accidents. They occur when a passenger vehicle strikes a tractor-trailer from behind. Because of the height of the tractor-trailer, the automobile’s safety features generally slide underneath and become useless. The top of the car’s passenger compartment gets crushed, and occupants suffer severe injury to head and neck. The trucking industry has been asked to install underride guards that are supposed to prevent this from happening, but many have proven insufficient and have failed to prevent injuries from occurring.
To begin exploring your legal options, contact our Connecticut truck accident lawyers at Jonathan Perkins Injury Lawyers today by completing the Free Case Evaluation form.
The Many Causes Of Rear-End Crashes
Though most drivers that see tractor trailers looming in their rear-view mirror feel intimidated and fear the trucks striking them from behind, the real danger lies in the passenger car striking a truck from behind. Passenger cars can hit tractor trailers for a number of reasons, including:
- Insufficiently lit roads
- Trucks whose brake lights or parking lights are not working or engaged
- Trucks whose drivers have failed to use their turn signals
- Drivers that are operating their vehicles under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Drivers that are operating their vehicles while distracted
- Drivers that are operating their vehicles negligently
The injuries that are suffered in underride accidents can be catastrophic and often result in death. If you or a loved one has been injured or killed as a result of an underride accident, a Connecticut truck rear-end collision lawyer from Jonathan Perkins Injury Lawyers can help. We will listen to what happened, conduct a thorough investigation of the accident, determine who is responsible for your injuries and losses and help you to recover the compensation and damages to which you are entitled.
Hold Negligent Drivers Responsible With Our Help
In many cases, injuries that are incurred in underride accidents are the responsibility of the commercial vehicle operator or the company that owns or maintains their truck. It may also be the fault of the company that manufactured the underride guard, the local, state or federal authority responsible for lighting on the road, or the driver of the vehicle that your loved one was riding in. Whoever is to blame for the injuries that you’ve suffered needs to be accountable for their negligent actions, and the attorneys at Jonathan Perkins Injury Lawyers will work to make that happen for you. Contact us today for a free consultation to see how we can help. Call 800-PERKINS or send us an email.