Spokane area roads become treacherous when rain, sleet, and snow build up on road surfaces. The inclines of the South Hill and the mountain passes on I-90 in Northern Idaho might leave you a bit frazzled after a wintry drive.
The stress levels only rise when you are on slippery roads next to big rigs or any other type of large truck. Those trucks can suddenly go sideways to sweep smaller cars off the road. The large loads these trucks carry can make stopping a challenge on a slippery grade and send tractor-trailers into other vehicles to cause devastating collisions.
Liability in Truck Accidents during Bad Weather in Spokane
Accident rates go up whenever mother nature dumps precipitation on local highways and streets. Vehicles can go sliding and cars and SUVs can end up under enormous transport trucks or giant farm vehicles that sit up higher.
These incidents can cause serious injuries for motorists in vehicles that are much lighter and carry much less protection for passengers. Truck drivers may point to the weather conditions as the cause of their accident, but that’s actually not an excuse in a personal injury case.
The posted speed limit doesn’t always apply during inclement weather. Drivers are always required to travel at speeds safe for conditions, no matter if the speed limit sign says 65. If a truck driver is going under the speed limit, but still collides with someone on a slick road, they can be held accountable because they should have been going slow enough to allow themselves to stop safely.
Companies providing commercial truck insurance to truck drivers know they can’t avoid blame in an accident by claiming the weather caused a crash. Those hurt in a truck accident should still expect help with their recovery.
Common Injuries in Truck Accidents in Snowy Weather
Truck accident personal injury cases can involve more than one insurance policy when accident victims seek to file a claim to get help. The truck drivers may work for themselves and carry their own commercial auto accident insurance.
They may drive for a trucking company, and those businesses can also have insurance for when their employees cause accidents.
Knowing just who you can call upon for support is vital after a serious accident. You or a loved one may have suffered a major injury. The costs of medical care can be tremendous and sometimes exceed the insurance limits a single truck driver carries. That’s when a company or corporation backing the driver may have to be called upon to supply further compensation.
This care and financial support may be required for years if you’ve suffered a traumatic injury or receive a permanent disability.
These are just some of the severe outcomes for the victims of truck accidents that can leave you and your family in need of long term help:
- Brain Injuries: Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) are suffered when victims take a blow to the head. Concussions are a common result. Victims can lose control of body parts when the brain absorbs an impact. They can also deal with memory loss and other long-term issues.
- Back and Spinal Injuries: Damage to the spine can result from blunt force trauma or a cut. Function and body control can be lost in severe cases. Vertebrae can be fractured and dislocated to cause immense pain for victims. Muscles, ligaments, and tendons can receive microscopic tears that cause back pain. Back pain can affect someone over a lifetime and take the joy out of everyday activities.
- Fractured bones: Legs, arms, and chest bones are most commonly broken when vehicles get crushed by a truck. Skull fractures can lead to brain swelling and bleeding.
- Organ Damage: Chest injuries can place your internal organs in harm’s way. A broken rib can puncture a lung or endanger your heart. Truck collisions can damage the tissue that connects and holds organs in place.
- Physical Disability: In the extreme forces that are unleashed in a truck accident, victims are more likely to receive a permanent disability. Brain damage, loss of sight or hearing, an amputation, or becoming paralyzed are all possible outcomes in devastating accidents. The victims and their families will need to learn how to care for the injury. Changes in the victim’s home and work life will probably be necessary. Insurance companies should be held accountable for these costs over a lifetime.
Contact a Spokane Truck Accident Lawyer
After a scary accident with a semi, a box truck, or a farm vehicle, please allow a Spokane Truck Accident Attorney at CCD Law to go over your options with you. No matter how bad the weather gets, truck drivers and their companies can be held accountable for your entire recovery.
Contact us after any accident resulting in a serious injury or the tragic loss of life of a family member for a confidential consultation that comes at no charge to you. We will only offer you advice that is in your family’s best interest.
