Canton Truck Accident Lawyers

Truck Accidents in Canton: Common Causes

Because Canton is a major thoroughfare for big rig trucks, there are many on Canton’s highways, like Highway 77 that cuts through Whittier Park, the Start County Fairgrounds, and Stadium Park.

The causes of truck accidents range from driver carelessness to truck malfunction. However, if you are involved in a commercial vehicle accident, the severity of your injuries can depend heavily on the cause.

• Driver Fatigue: Oftentimes, truck drivers surpass the industry limits on how long one can drive without rest to cover more ground. Not getting adequate rest can cause a driver to fall asleep at the wheel.
• Excessive Speed: Because it takes a long time for an 18-wheeler to come to a full and complete stop, speeds that exceed the limit are extremely dangerous. If there is a rear-end crash or stopped traffic ahead, it is hard for semi-trucks to stop quickly, which can cause a dangerous chain reaction.
• Improperly Secured Cargo: Tractor-trailers carry various types of cargo, from food, fuel, machinery to building materials. When loads are not properly secured, they can fall off and strike other vehicles.
• Equipment Failure: There are several possibilities when it comes to equipment failure. A common one is brake failure. This can cause a truck to go out of control, harming other vehicles on the road.
• Other Driver Error: Reckless or otherwise impaired drivers can cause dangerous and fatal crashes.

Types of Truck Accidents

There are three main types of dangerous truck accidents that are likely:

• Jackknife Accident: Sometimes, the front of a semi-truck can skid, causing the trailer to push it from behind until it spins sideways, facing toward the back. This can be caused by equipment failure, extreme weather conditions, or breaking improperly. This type of accident can be fatal because it causes the truck to go out of control and take up more than one lane as it careens down the road.
• Under Ride Crashes: This is when a passenger vehicle slides underneath a tractor-trailer. This type of accident is almost always fatal and can cause decapitation of the driver.
• Rear-end collisions: In rear-end collisions, it is often the fault of the vehicle striking from the rear. Causes for these collisions are driver fatigue, brake failure, drug or alcohol use, and inclement weather, or equipment problems.

No matter the type of commercial vehicle accident, there may be injuries that lead you to seek compensation. Our Canton truck accident attorneys are ready to help.

Truck Accident: Common Injuries

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, most truck crash fatalities involve passenger vehicles. Many Ohio drivers have survived horrific truck accidents, but have been left with many different types of injuries, such as:

• Back and Neck Injuries: The scope of these injuries is vast and can include everything from minor neck pain to more serious spinal injuries.
• Broken Bones: Oftentimes, semi-truck accidents happen at very high velocities, which can mean that bones are more easily broken.
• Seat Belt Injuries: Sometimes, seat belts can be harmful during collisions and cause injury.
• Spinal Cord Injuries: Truck accidents can lead to spinal cord injuries that lead to paralysis.
• Brain Injuries: When there is intense impact in a car, head injuries can occur which can lead to brain damage.
• Internal injuries: Tractor trailer crashes can cause powerful trauma to the body, which can lead to injuries of internal organs like the kidney, spleen, pancreas, and bladder. These types of injuries often require surgery to heal.
• Lacerations: Cuts and lacerations from broken glass, or other impacts of a collision, can cause permanent scarring.
• Wrongful Death: Unfortunately, tractor-trailer accidents can cause wrongful death. If this happens to a loved one, a truck accident lawyer can help evaluate if you are entitled to compensation of any kind.

Medical Care after a Canton Truck Accident

With considerable experience helping local personal injury victims, our Canton truck accident lawyers can help guide and assist you with documenting injuries and medical costs if you or a loved one are getting care after a truck accident.

We have strong relationships with many local Canton hospitals and trauma centers, including:

• Mercy Medical Center
• Aultman Hospital
• Select Specialty Hospital- Canton

Canton Truck Accidents: Determining Negligence & Liability

When pursuing a civil claim or insurance settlement, after an injury-causing truck accident, establishing negligence and legal liability is essential. Based on the circumstances and factors involved, one or more parties may be found negligent and therefore financially liable.

To be deemed negligent in a truck accident:

• The other party (the truck driver, trucking company, manufacturer, maintenance provider, etc.) had a duty of care toward you
• That party breached this duty by failing to act reasonably under the circumstances
• The breach of this duty caused your accident
• You suffered injuries that you can be compensated for

For example, if you believe the driver was negligent, you can potentially show they breached their duty toward you by speeding. As a result of their speed, the driver was unable to avoid a collision. Finally, you must show how the accident led to your injuries and subsequent financial losses.

Truck Driver & Employer Liability

Once you confirm that negligence occurred, you can identify the liable party for a truck accident. Depending on the facts, this can be the driver, the truck driver’s employer, various other companies, and by extension, their insurance companies.

The liable parties in a Canton truck accident include but are not limited to:

• Truck Drivers
• Trucking Company
• Truck Owner
• Cargo Loader
• Truck Maintenance Provider
• Truck Manufacturers
• Other Motorists/Third Parties

Canton Truck Accident FAQs