Construction zones can be an extremely dangerous place to be, which is why there’s no room for complacency. Despite the fact that construction zones are often clearly marked to help truck drivers, it can be difficult to maneuver an enormous vehicle properly around a construction zone. What’s more, traffic in work zones is often congested, as lanes tend to be narrow. Construction zones are therefore vulnerable to truck accidents involving multiple vehicles.
Truck Accidents on Active Construction Sites
With so many trucks and vehicles in construction zones, they can all too easily get crowded. Not only can traffic quickly back up, but speed limits are often also much slower. Despite this, truck accidents in construction zones are often caused by speeding. And, without paying proper attention, tired or distracted truck drivers can easily contribute to catastrophic truck accidents. In some cases, drivers may not notice that they are entering a work zone if they aren’t properly paying attention to the road ahead, or are tired after working long hours behind the wheel.
California truck accident lawyers at the Law Offices of Samer Habbas & Associates have a thorough understanding of both the legal and medical issues surrounding serious big rig accidents. If you or a loved one are involved in an accident involving a semi-truck, it is important that you speak with an attorney who is experienced in helping clients with California truck accident litigation.
With multiple offices located in Irvine, Anaheim, Los Angeles, El Segundo, San Diego, and Riverside, our auto accident injury lawyers represent victims across California. For more information or to schedule a complimentary consultation with one of our attorneys, please call 949-727-9300.
Causes of Construction Zone Truck Accidents
It’s a well-known fact that the sheer size and weight of commercial trucks make them much more dangerous than other vehicles. This danger is multiplied even more in a construction zone. Traffic will often stop unexpectedly in construction zones, adding to the risk and danger.
Due to its weight, stopping a big, heavy truck takes more effort than stopping a smaller vehicle. In narrower lanes and stop-and-go traffic, a truck driver who is even slightly distracted, drowsy, or is driving a vehicle that isn’t able to stop properly can cause a devastating incident. A lack of appropriate slowing down by truck drivers can also pose a threat to those working in a construction zone. While some construction crews fail to provide appropriate signage and notice to drivers, but in other cases, it is the truck driver’s error that causes an accident.
If a truck accident occurs in a construction zone, a professional lawyer is often required to determine liability. In many cases, trucking companies and drivers may try aggressively to find someone other than themselves to blame for errors that cause injuries or even fatalities to other drivers or construction workers. When a lawsuit is being filed, there might be a fair amount of back and forth between a truck driver, a trucking company, and a construction company. This is a key reason why a professional attorney is often required to determine exactly what happened and who is to blame.
In order to determine how and why trucking accidents in construction zones can be so devastating, it’s important to know exactly what traffic risks are posed by construction zones.
- Speeding: Accidents involving trucks in construction zones are often caused by disregarding the lower speed limit. Because of their weight and size, the stopping distance of trucks is much longer than that of passenger vehicles, so when operators misread road conditions the consequences can be catastrophic. In a construction zone, the driver of a truck may not be able to avoid hitting traffic that has slowed or stopped if he is traveling at a high rate of speed.
- Distracted driving: The truck driver may not be able to stop in time if they are distracted by their phone, or if they are under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Distracted driving can also be a side-effect of the long hours on the road alone that truckers must endure.
- Merging: The sides, front, and back of commercial trucks have blind spots which prevent drivers from seeing other vehicles on the road. There is always a risk of side-impact collisions in construction areas because of the narrowing of lanes and this inability for drivers to see properly.
- Inadequate warnings: Construction crews are responsible for displaying traffic signs, cones, and barrels in order to warn approaching vehicles about road hazards. The risk of truck drivers hitting stopped vehicles increases greatly if construction crews fail to properly mark construction zones.
What To Do After a Truck Accident in a Construction Zone
In many cases, construction zones cause traffic to be narrowed to a single lane. Truck drivers are required to reduce their speed and allow sufficient time before merging into the proper lane to try and prevent accidents from happening. In an area where there are many cars, providing sufficient stopping distance is imperative to avoid rear-ending another vehicle with a heavy truck. Due to this, many passenger vehicles get into collisions with trucks in construction zones.
A California injury lawyer can help you decide how to best assert your claim if you are hurt in a construction zone. There is a risk of being rear-ended by a truck from behind, and such an accident can result in major consequences, such as serious injury and even death. In order to recover damages from the truck driver or trucking company, their negligence and liability need to be proven. An experienced attorney can assist in gathering the evidence required to build a strong case against a driver or company who is responsible for an incident.
Who is responsible for construction zone truck accidents in California?
In California, negligence on the part of a truck driver can be established if it is determined that they caused an accident due to negligence or lack of care. Truck drivers who were at work and acting within the scope and course of their employment may be held responsible for a wreck. A driver should be considered negligent if, for example, a truck rear-ends you while speeding in a construction zone while in a hurry to deliver their cargo.
Such cases are often extremely complex since multiple parties may be partially liable for an accident. In the event of a truck accident in a construction zone, you need to seek the assistance of a skilled attorney with specific experience in trucking accidents in order to protect your rights and seek appropriate compensation. Victims may be able to claim compensation for problems such as medical bills, rehabilitation costs, loss of income, or emotional or psychological trauma caused by the accident.
What damages can an injured person recover after a construction zone trucking accident?
In the majority of Californian cases, injured victims often seek compensation for reasonable medical treatment costs for injuries caused by a trucking accident. If your doctor expects you to need ongoing medical intervention, such as surgery, future medical expenses may also be included. Additionally, a person might have to claim lost income if they were unable to work following injury and thus did not receive their full, paycheck.
In addition to injuries and a loss of income, there are numerous other reasons why a plaintiff may seek and win compensation in trucking accident cases. According to your unique circumstances, the amount of money you can recover from your losses will also vary.
Regardless of the circumstances, victims should hire a professional trucking accident attorney in order to help determine liability and get them the compensation they deserve.
Contact an Experienced California Construction Zone Accident Attorney
If you or a loved one has been in a construction zone accident in California, you should discuss your legal options with an attorney as you may be entitled to compensation. The California construction zone accident lawyers at the Law Offices of Samer Habbas & Associates can then help determine if you have a valid accident claim.
With multiple offices located in Irvine, Anaheim, Los Angeles, El Segundo, San Diego, and Riverside, our auto accident injury lawyers represent victims across California. For more information or to schedule a complimentary consultation with one of our attorneys, please call 949-727-9300.
