Wide Turn Accident Lawyer in Indianapolis

Wide Turn Accident Lawyer Indianapolis: How We Can Help

At Crossen Law Firm, our experienced truck accident lawyer team specializes in the legal representation of victims of wide turn truck accidents in Indianapolis and throughout Indiana. These complex Indiana truck accident cases require specialized knowledge of both state and federal regulations governing commercial trucks and the trucking industry.

When a truck accident involving a wide turn occurs, the consequences can be devastating. Victims often face severe injuries, mounting medical bills, lost wages, and significant pain and suffering. Our seasoned truck accident attorneys understand the physical, emotional, and financial toll these accidents take on victims and their families.

Our experienced legal team has successfully handled numerous truck accident cases involving wide turns, and we have the resources and knowledge to build a strong claim on your behalf. From investigating the accident scene to identifying all liable parties of vehicles involved and securing compensation, we guide you through every step of the legal process.

If you or a loved one was hurt when a wide turn truck accident occurred, don’t face the insurance companies alone. Our Indianapolis truck accident attorneys will fight tirelessly to protect your rights and ensure you receive the fair settlement you deserve for your serious injuries and losses. Contact us today: 317-401-8626.

What Is a Wide Turn?

A wide turn occurs when a large vehicle needs extra space to complete a turn safely. Due to their substantial size and length, commercial vehicles like tractor-trailers and other large trucks cannot make turns like passenger vehicles.

Why Trucks Must Make Wide Right and Left Turns

Commercial trucks, which can weigh up to 80,000 pounds when fully loaded, require significantly more space to maneuver than standard cars. The average tractor-trailer is approximately 70-80 feet long, making tight turns physically impossible without using additional road space.

Semi-truck drivers must execute wide turns due to the physical limitations of their vehicles. When making a right turn, a commercial driver must often swing wide to the left before turning right to accommodate the semi-truck’s length and turning radius. Similarly, left turns may require extra space to ensure the trailer follows the cab properly around the corner.

The challenge with wide turns is that they often temporarily occupy multiple lanes or encroach into spaces where other vehicles might be traveling. This creates a significant risk of truck collision with passenger vehicles that may be alongside the truck or approaching from another direction.

When executed properly with appropriate signaling and caution, wide turns are a necessary driving technique for truck safety. However, when done improperly or without adequate warning, wide turn commercial truck accidents involving smaller vehicles can result in catastrophic consequences for occupants of smaller vehicles.

Why Wide Turn Truck Accidents in Indiana Occur

Wide turn commercial truck accidents in Indianapolis and throughout Indiana occur for numerous reasons, most of which involve some form of negligence. Understanding the cause is crucial when pursuing a truck accident claim.

One of the most common causes is driver error. Some truck drivers fail to properly signal their intentions before making a wide turn, leaving other motorists unaware of their planned maneuver. Other times, semi-truck drivers may misjudge the space needed for their turn or fail to check their blind spots for other commercial vehicles.

Insufficient training is another major factor in many truck crashes. The trucking company has a responsibility to ensure their drivers are adequately trained in making safe wide turns. When trucking companies cut corners on training to save money, they put everyone on the road at risk.

Fatigue also contributes significantly to wide turn commercial truck accidents. Despite federal regulations limiting hours of service, many drivers feel pressured to meet tight deadlines, leading them to drive while exhausted. A fatigued driver making a complex wide turn has reduced reaction time and decision-making abilities.

Improper loading of cargo can also cause wide turn accidents. When cargo is improperly secured or distributed, it can shift during a turn, potentially causing the truck to tip over or jackknife.

Poor weather conditions and visibility issues compound these risks. Rain, snow, or fog can make it challenging for truck drivers to accurately gauge distances and clearances needed for wide turns.

In some cases, mechanical failures such as brake problems or steering malfunctions contribute to wide turn accidents. Regular maintenance is essential for preventing such failures, and negligence in this area can lead to serious accidents.

Understanding the specific cause of a wide turn truck accident is crucial for determining which parties may be held liable. This is why a thorough investigation by an experienced truck accident attorney is essential in these complex cases.

Important Trucking Industry Evidence Needed for an Accident Claim

Building a strong wide turn truck accident claim requires gathering and preserving critical evidence specific to the semi-truck industry. This evidence often proves crucial in establishing liability and securing fair compensation for accident victims. In addition to industry-specific records, the police report from the accident scene provides crucial initial documentation of the crash circumstances, including officer observations and preliminary fault determinations.

Hours of Service

Federal regulations strictly limit the number of consecutive hours a commercial truck driver can operate their vehicle. Truckers must maintain detailed logbooks documenting their driving time, rest periods, and breaks. These logs—whether paper or electronic—can reveal if a driver was violating hours-of-service regulations at the time of the accident.

Fatigue is a major contributor to semi-truck accidents, and hours-of-service violations may indicate driver fatigue was a factor in your accident. Our experienced legal team knows how to obtain and analyze these records to identify any regulatory violations that may have contributed to your accident.

Background Checks and Training

Trucking companies are required to conduct thorough background checks on all drivers before hiring them. These checks should reveal any history of traffic violations, accidents, or other concerning patterns. Additionally, companies must provide adequate training, particularly for complex maneuvers like wide turns.

Records of driver qualifications, training programs, and performance evaluations can provide important insights into whether a trucking company exercised proper care in hiring and training the driver involved in your accident. If a trucking company hired a driver with a history of unsafe driving or failed to provide proper training, it may share liability for the accident.

Black Box

Most modern large trucks have electronic control modules or “black boxes” that record crucial data about the truck’s operation:

• Vehicle speed before and during the accident
• Braking patterns
• Steering inputs
• Engine RPM
• Airbag deployment
• Hours of operation
• Seat belt usage

This data can provide objective evidence about how the truck was being operated in the moments leading up to the collision. However, this information can be overwritten or lost if not promptly preserved. Our legal team knows how to send preservation letters to ensure this valuable evidence is maintained.

Maintenance and Inspection Records

Federal regulations require trucking companies to regularly inspect, maintain, and repair their vehicles. Companies must keep detailed records of all maintenance activities, inspections, and repairs.

These records can reveal if mechanical issues, such as brake failures or steering problems, contributed to the accident. If a trucking company failed to properly maintain the vehicle or address known mechanical issues, this negligence could establish its liability in the accident.

Obtaining this type of specialized evidence requires knowledge of the semi-truck industry and federal regulations. Insurance companies know most truck accident victims don’t have access to this information, which is why having an experienced large truck accident attorney is essential for building a strong claim after a wide turn truck accident.

How Expert Witnesses Can Help Prove Fault in a Wide Turn Truck Accident

In complex large truck accident cases, expert witnesses help establish liability and explain technical aspects to juries. Their specialized knowledge can make the difference between winning and losing your case.

Accident reconstruction experts are often essential in wide turn truck accident cases. These professionals use physical evidence, vehicle specifications, and scientific principles to recreate how the accident occurred. They can determine vehicle positions, speeds, and the sequence of events leading to the truck collision. Their analysis can demonstrate whether the truck driver executed the wide turn properly or negligently.

Semi-truck industry experts provide testimony about standard practices, safety protocols, and federal regulations governing commercial vehicles. They can identify deviations from industry standards that contributed to the accident and explain to a jury why these deviations constitute negligence.

Medical experts help establish the connection between the accident and your injuries. They can explain the severity of your injuries, required treatments, long-term prognosis, and how these injuries impact your quality of life. This testimony is crucial for calculating appropriate compensation for medical bills, future medical needs, and pain and suffering.

Engineering experts may analyze vehicle components to determine if mechanical failures contributed to the accident. If defective parts played a role, this could implicate the truck manufacturer or maintenance provider as responsible parties in your claim.

Economic experts calculate the financial impact of your injuries, including lost wages, diminished earning capacity, and the cost of ongoing care. Their analysis helps ensure you receive full and fair compensation for both current and future financial losses.

At Crossen Law Firm, we work with a network of highly qualified expert witnesses whose testimony strengthens our clients’ cases. Their specialized knowledge helps us build compelling arguments that insurance companies cannot easily dismiss, increasing your chances of securing the compensation you deserve.

Who Besides the Truck Driver May Be at Fault

While the truck driver often bears significant responsibility in wide turn accidents, multiple parties may share liability. Identifying all potentially liable parties is crucial for maximizing your compensation.

The trucking company may be liable under the legal doctrine of “respondeat superior,” which holds employers responsible for their employees’ actions within the scope of employment.

Additionally, trucking companies may be directly negligent if they:

• Failed to properly train drivers on wide turn techniques
• Hired drivers without proper qualifications or with problematic driving histories
• Encouraged drivers to violate hours-of-service regulations to meet tight schedules
• Neglected to maintain their fleet properly

Cargo loading companies can share responsibility if improper loading contributed to the accident. Imbalanced or unsecured cargo can shift during turns, affecting the truck’s stability and handling.

Maintenance providers or mechanics who performed inadequate repairs or failed to identify dangerous conditions during inspections may be partially liable if mechanical failures contributed to the accident.

The truck manufacturer or parts manufacturers could bear responsibility if defective components, such as brakes, steering systems, or signals, played a role in causing the turn truck accident.

Government entities responsible for road design or maintenance might share liability if dangerous road conditions, inadequate signage, or poorly designed intersections contributed to the circumstances that made the wide turn accident more likely.

Other drivers on the road may also bear partial responsibility if their actions contributed to the accident, such as attempting to pass a truck that was clearly signaling a wide turn.

Identifying all potentially liable parties requires thorough investigation and knowledge of the semi-truck industry. Our experienced Indiana truck accident lawyers will explore every avenue of potential liability to ensure all responsible parties are held accountable for their role in your accident.

Wide Turn Truck Accident Compensation

Victims of wide turn truck crashes often face overwhelming financial burdens alongside their physical and emotional suffering.

At Crossen Law Firm, we fight to secure comprehensive compensation covering all aspects of your damages.

Medical Expenses

Medical expenses typically form a significant portion of semi-truck personal injury claims. This includes emergency treatment, hospital stays, surgeries, medications, physical therapy, and any future medical bills related to care for your injuries. Severe injuries common in semi-truck accidents, such as spinal cord injuries, often require ongoing care for years or even a lifetime.

Lost Wages

Lost wages compensate you for income lost while recovering from your injuries. If your injuries prevent you from returning to your previous occupation or working at all, you may also recover compensation for diminished earning capacity or permanent disability.

Pain and Suffering

Pain and suffering damages acknowledge the physical pain and emotional distress caused by your injuries, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

In cases involving particularly reckless behavior, punitive damages may be available to punish the wrongdoer and deter similar conduct in the future.

Wrongful Death

If you’ve lost a loved one in a wide turn truck accident, you may be eligible to file a wrongful death claim seeking compensation for funeral expenses, lost financial support, loss of companionship, and the emotional suffering caused by your loss.

Insurance companies representing trucking companies typically have substantial resources and experienced legal teams working to minimize payouts. They may quickly offer a settlement that falls far short of covering your long-term needs. Our Indiana truck accident lawyers understand these tactics and know how to counter them effectively.

We work with medical and economic experts to accurately calculate the full value of your claim, including future expenses and non-economic damages. This comprehensive approach ensures that we pursue the maximum compensation available under Indiana law for your specific circumstances.

How the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Act Attempts To Reduce Accidents

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Act (FMCSA) establishes comprehensive regulations aimed at reducing semi-truck accidents and improving safety. Understanding these regulations is essential when pursuing a truck accident claim, as violations often constitute strong evidence of negligence.

Hours-of-Service

Hours-of-service regulations limit how long drivers can operate without rest. Commercial drivers are restricted to 11 hours of driving after 10 consecutive hours off duty, with additional weekly limits. These rules aim to prevent driver fatigue, a major contributor to most semi-truck accidents.

Drug and Alcohol Testing

The FMCSA mandates drug and alcohol testing for commercial drivers, including pre-employment, random, and post-accident testing. Drivers who test positive cannot operate commercial vehicles until they complete the required treatment programs.

Commercial Driver’s License

Commercial driver’s license requirements ensure truck drivers have the necessary skills and knowledge to operate large vehicles safely. Special endorsements are required for certain types of cargo or vehicles, and drivers must undergo regular medical examinations to maintain their CDL.

Vehicle Maintenance

Vehicle maintenance standards require systematic inspection, repair, and maintenance of all commercial vehicles. Drivers must conduct pre-trip inspections and report any defects or issues. Companies must maintain detailed records of all maintenance activities.

Weight Restrictions

Weight restrictions limit how much cargo trucks can carry based on their design and the roads they travel. Overloaded trucks take longer to stop and are more difficult to maneuver, especially when making turns.

Insurance

Requirements of insurance companies ensure that trucking companies maintain sufficient coverage to compensate victims in the event of an accident. Minimum coverage levels are substantially higher than those required for passenger vehicles.

Electronic Logging Device

Electronic logging device mandates require most large trucks to use ELDs to automatically record driving time and monitor compliance with hours-of-service regulations. These devices provide objective data that can be crucial evidence in accident cases.

When trucking companies or drivers violate these regulations, they not only risk FMCSA penalties but also create strong evidence of negligence in personal injury cases. Our experienced truck accident attorneys thoroughly investigate compliance with these regulations when building your case.

How You Can Lower Your Risk of Being Involved in a Wide Turn Accident

While you cannot control the actions of truck drivers or trucking companies, you can take proactive steps to reduce your risk of being involved in a wide turn accident with a commercial vehicle.

Always maintain awareness of truck signals. When you see a truck’s turn signal activated, give them extra space to complete their maneuver safely.

Never try to squeeze past a turning truck. If a truck has moved to the left before a right turn or is positioned unusually before any turn, assume they need that space to complete their maneuver safely. Attempting to pass a turning truck on the right is particularly dangerous.

Be aware of truck blind spots, often called “no-zones.” These include areas directly behind the truck, alongside the trailer, and immediately in front of the cab. If you can’t see the truck’s mirrors, the driver likely cannot see your vehicle either.

Avoid lingering alongside large trucks, especially at intersections where turns are likely. Pass trucks promptly when it’s safe to do so, or remain well behind them until they complete their maneuver.

Practice defensive driving by anticipating that large trucks may need extra space for turns. If you see a truck approaching an intersection, slow down and allow it plenty of room to maneuver.

Pay attention to truck signage. Many commercial vehicles have warning signs indicating “Wide Turns” or “This Vehicle Makes Wide Turns.” Take these warnings seriously and give these vehicles additional space.

Use extra caution at intersections, especially in urban areas where space is limited. Trucks may need to use multiple lanes to navigate tight corners safely.

Maintain a safe following distance behind trucks, which gives you better visibility and more time to react if the truck suddenly stops or makes an unexpected maneuver.

While these precautions can help reduce your risk, accidents can still occur due to truck driver negligence or other factors beyond your control. If you are involved in any accident with a commercial vehicle, even a minor one, always call the police and ensure a police report is filed. This official documentation will be essential if injuries develop later or if you need to file a claim.

Contact a Wide Turn Truck Accident Lawyer: Indianapolis

If you or a loved one has been injured in a wide turn truck accident, Crossen Law Firm is here to help. Our Indianapolis truck accident attorneys have the experience, resources, and dedication needed to handle these complex cases successfully.

Truck accident cases differ significantly from car accidents due to the severe injuries often involved, complex liability issues, and specialized regulations governing tractor-trailers. Our legal team has in-depth knowledge of both Indiana state law and federal trucking regulations.

We understand the tactics insurance companies use to minimize compensation and have proven strategies to counter them effectively. From preserving critical evidence to consulting with expert witnesses, we take all necessary steps to build the strongest possible case on your behalf.

Our truck accident lawyer firm handles all aspects of your claim, allowing you to focus on your recovery while we fight for your rights. We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay no legal fees unless we recover compensation for you.

Time is crucial in cases involving semi-truck accidents. Indiana law imposes strict deadlines for filing personal injury claims, and valuable evidence can be lost if not promptly preserved. Contact our truck accident lawyers today for a free consultation to discuss your case and explore your legal options.

Our experienced truck accident lawyer will evaluate the details of your situation, explain your rights, and help you determine the best path forward. Don’t let the trucking company and their insurers deny you the compensation you deserve. Let our truck accident attorney fight for your rights and future.

Call Crossen Law Firm today to schedule your free consultation with a truck accident lawyer that Indianapolis victims trust for aggressive legal representation: 317-402-8626.