New York Truck Accidents And Blind Spots

The Top Rated and Elite Staff of Lawyers and Paralegals at the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. Fight to Obtain the Best Result for You After a Truck Accident in Buffalo, New York; Rochester, New York or Niagara Falls, New York.

Jed Dietrich, Esq., a Best Lawyer of America, has decades of experience winning truck accident cases in Western New York. The Dietrich Law Firm P.C. team has settled over $175,000,000.00 on behalf of their clients and employs a team of trial lawyers that are aggressive, tenacious and hardworking. Our Buffalo, New York truck accident lawyers have extensive knowledge of the trucking industry and will battle to attempt to obtain the best result after you have been injured by a big rig, semi truck or tractor-trailer. Call us TODAY at 716-839-3939 for a free consultation.

Our nation’s roadways are filled with tractor-trailer, big rig and semi trucks. These large vehicles transport goods virtually everywhere and take up significant space in traffic lanes. Sharing the road with massive 80,000-pound trucks can be unnerving for people driving smaller passenger cars.

Most drivers look to pass large trucks on interstate highways because they move slowly. However, this maneuver can prove to be deadly.

Tractor-trailer, big rigs and semi trucks have large blind spots, which are areas of the road that truck drivers are unable to see while looking forward or through their side or rear-view mirrors. This can make other cars, SUVs and pedestrians virtually invisible. Even though truck operators view the road from a higher vantage point and have bigger mirrors than passenger vehicles, trucks have significantly larger blind spots.

The Department of Transportation estimates that 160,000 fatal truck accidents involved the truck’s blind spot. When a truck driver does not see a passenger vehicle, this can lead to a dangerous accident. The sheer size and weight of a semi truck can crush a small car.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration refers to truck blind spots as “No-Zones.” These “No-Zones” are located:

1. 20-feet directly in front of the cab;
2. 30-feet behind the trailer or semi; and
3. Along each side of the truck.

If you are traveling close to a tractor-trailer, big rig or semi truck, these are areas of the truck that you definitely want to avoid. A diagram of safe areas to drive around a large truck can be found on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's webpage on “No-Zones.”

Research concludes that one-third of all truck accidents occur in the “No-Zone.” The most common scenarios where blind spot collisions occur are when:

1. The truck is turning: Large trucks and tractor-trailers have an increased turning radius and require more room to turn than a regular passenger vehicle. In some cases, truck operators may not see a car that is traveling alongside them, resulting in a collision. Additionally, an accident can happen when smaller cars try to sneak past a truck while it is turning.
2. The truck is backing up: Most large semi trucks do not have rear-view mirrors and backing up is a challenge for truck drivers. Being directly behind a big rig while it is backing up is extremely dangerous.
3. The truck is changing lanes: Driving fast on the highway presents risks for passenger vehicles alone, and these risks are only increased when large trucks are added to the equation. Just like cars, trucks need to change lanes. This maneuver can be dangerous because trucks are usually slower moving and unable to quickly change direction. Sometimes, passenger vehicles can be caught beside a truck while the operator is attempting to change lanes. When a truck is attempting to change lanes, the safest course of action is to slow down and allow the truck to merge, rather than speed up and risk the truck driver not seeing you.

You want the most experienced personal injury attorney in Buffalo, New York to handle your case after you have been hurt in an accident with a big rig, semi truck or tractor-trailer. Blind spot accidents occur frequently with large trucks in Buffalo, New York and can lead to serious injury and death. The highly experienced and very seasoned Buffalo, New York truck accident lawyers at the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. understand liability laws related to truck accidents and will fight to obtain the best result and maximum compensation for your medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering. Call Jed Dietrich, Esq. and his highly experienced staff 24 hours a day and 7 days a week at 716-839-3939. We return every phone call within 1 business day and there is never a fee unless we win for YOU.

Truck drivers have a responsibility to check their surroundings before making any maneuvers on the road. Although large blind spots can be a hindrance, drivers must be cautious. If a truck driver hits you, even if you were in their blind spot, the truck driver may be liable for damages that ensue.

Jed Dietrich, Esq. and his highly experienced and superb team of truck accident attorneys in Buffalo, New York will battle to show that the truck driver was negligent and therefore liable for your medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering.

Negligence can be illustrated in a truck accident blind spot case by:

1. Establishing that the truck driver has a duty to operate their vehicle safely;
2. Showing that the truck driver breached their duty by hitting you; and
3. Determining that the proximate cause of the accident was that the driver did not carefully check their blind spot before maneuvering.

Truck companies may argue that you had partial responsibility in a blind spot accident case. You do not want to fight a legal battle with these large companies alone! You want the most experienced personal injury attorney in Buffalo, New York; Niagara Falls, New York and Rochester, New York. The Dietrich Law Firm P.C. lawyers and attorneys are highly experienced and have proven results. They are a team of experienced and seasoned truck accident attorneys in Buffalo, New York ready to assist you every step of the way.

The Dietrich Law Firm P.C. is committed to battling for those who have been wrongfully injured in truck accidents. Call our experienced, expert and top rated staff immediately at 716-839-3939 because there are strict time constraints applicable to truck accident cases. The Dietrich Law Firm P.C. is aggressive, tenacious and hardworking and there is never a fee unless we win for YOU.

Call the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. immediately at 716-839-3939 so that our aggressive, tenacious and hardworking personal injury lawyers can fight to obtain the best result for your personal injury claim in Buffalo, New York. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and there is never a fee until we WIN for you!