Large commercial trucks are challenging to drive in the best conditions. When severe weather hits, they can be even more challenging to handle. If the driver loses control of their vehicle, a serious accident can result.
Truckers and trucking companies are responsible when their negligence causes injuries to someone else. Contact Phillips Law Group when you sustain injuries in a bad weather truck accident in Phoenix, AZ that was caused by someone else’s negligence. Our skilled truck accident attorneys can ensure you receive reasonable compensation for your injuries.
How Weather Conditions Can Affect Trucks
Many people have seen videos or photos of huge pileups caused by black ice or white-out conditions. Trucks are usually in the picture somewhere. Severe winter conditions are unlikely in this area, but the weather in Phoenix can still be problematic for truck drivers and result in devastating wrecks.
Sudden Rainstorms
Torrential downpours can cause water to pool on highways. A truck risks hydroplaning when it moves through the water, meaning the tires cannot grip the road. Even a skilled truck driver could lose control and jackknife or overturn in a hydroplaning incident.
High Winds
High winds can severely impact trucks. The large surface area of a tractor-trailer can “catch” a wind gust like a sail. This can force the trailer into adjacent lanes or cause it to jackknife or overturn. Trucks are also vulnerable to wind gusts while turning or traveling along curves. Empty or partially loaded trucks are especially vulnerable to high wind gusts.
Extreme Heat
Hot weather can wreak havoc on a truck’s performance. A truck’s brakes can overheat; in extreme conditions, the brake fluid could boil, rendering the brakes inoperable. Additionally, maintaining proper tire inflation in higher temperatures is tricky, and drivers could experience heat-related flat tires and blowouts.
Weather-Related Distractions
Truck drivers must be keenly attuned to their surroundings to operate their vehicles safely. Driving through bad weather conditions or even anticipating challenging weather can hijack a driver’s focus and lead to increased fatigue. These factors can lead to impaired decision-making and accidents.
Proving Negligence in a Weather-Related Truck Accident
Nobody can control the weather, but everyone can control the decisions they make and the risks they take. When a truck is in a weather-related accident, our Phoenix, AZ attorneys can investigate whether the truck driver or their employer was negligent.
It is often best for truckers to stay off the road when poor weather conditions are forecast. When a trucker decides to continue their trip through bad weather, they must take appropriate safety precautions. The prudent response depends on the type of extreme weather, but changing to a less viscous brake fluid in extreme heat and greatly reducing speed in wet weather are examples.
A trucking company is liable for its negligent decisions as well as its driver’s. Sometimes, a trucking company imposes an unreasonable delivery schedule that requires a trucker to drive through bad weather or face financial consequences. In other instances, they may defer maintenance on their vehicles. In any of these situations, the trucking company could be liable for injuries others sustained in a truck accident.
Seek Legal Help as Quickly as Possible
Any collision involving a commercial truck is likely to cause severe injuries to the occupants of smaller vehicles. It is critical for injured people to engage a Phoenix injury attorney immediately after a weather-related truck wreck.
Trucking companies are often proactive when they may be held liable for a crash. Their insurers might approach an injured person soon after an incident with a cash offer in return for a promise not to sue. When the injured person has legal counsel, the insurers must communicate through the attorney, leading to more reasonable offers and good-faith negotiations.
Statute of Limitations
Arizona Revised Statutes §12-542 requires an injured person to file a lawsuit seeking compensation within two years of their injury. Although most truck accident claims settle for appropriate sums out of court, the threat of a viable lawsuit is useful leverage in negotiations. Bringing an attorney in well before the deadline for filing suit expires produces better results. At Phillips Law Group, our team is not afraid to stand up against large trucking companies in court if that is what it takes to maximize compensation for our clients.
Consult a Phoenix, AZ Attorney After a Weather-Related Truck Crash
Trucks are difficult to handle in bad weather. Truckers and their employers know this, so if a truck is driving in extreme conditions and gets into an accident, the company and its driver are likely negligent.
The attorneys at Phillips Law Group handle all types of truck crash claims, including bad weather truck accidents in Phoenix, AZ. Reach out today to learn more about holding the trucking company liable for your injuries.
Our consultations are free, and you are under no obligation to work with us past this step. Arrange to meet with a member of our team today!
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