The difficulty of winning a jackknife truck accident claim in Louisiana will rely on the specifics of your case. Depending on the cause of the jackknifing, you may have to prove that a driver, a loading company, a trucking company, or a manufacturer is liable. The ease of this will depend on the evidence supporting your claim. If fault is contested, it can be harder to obtain compensation. If you work with an attorney, it may be easier to secure financial recovery.
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New Orleans Jackknife Accident Lawyer
Jackknife Accident Attorney in New Orleans, LA
Jackknife accidents occur when the trailer in an articulated vehicle swings forward in front of the truck cab. Often, these accidents involve commercial trucks like 18-wheelers, and can cause multi-car pile-ups due to the trailer affecting several lanes of traffic and causing the driver to lose traction with the road. It’s important to work with a skilled New Orleans jackknife accident lawyer to file a claim against the trucking company or other negligent party and financially recover.
Murphy Law Firm: Diligent New Orleans Jackknife Accident Attorney
If you or someone you love was involved in a jackknife accident, it is not easy to know what to do next. When so many people are involved in these accidents, it’s difficult to determine who to hold liable. At Murphy Law Firm, we can help you uncover the truth of the crash. With over 150 years of combined legal experience, our team can provide you with the support you need. We have experience securing millions in truck accident settlements and verdicts.
The Dangers of Jackknife Accidents
Jackknife accidents can block several lanes of traffic or even cause a rollover accident, leading to large collisions involving many vehicles. This both worsens the severity of the damages in the accident and makes it more complicated to resolve. In Louisiana, there were 13 suspected injury crashes where the first harmful event was a jackknife in 2024, as reported by the Center for Analytics & Research in Transportation Safety.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), there were jackknifing vehicles involved in 4,000 property damage accidents, 1,000 injury crashes, and 169 fatal crashes in the U.S in one recent year. Of the 169 fatal crashes, 27 involved jackknifing as the first harmful event, while 142 were a subsequent event in the crash.
After an accident, medical care is crucial. Once you are able to leave the scene according to the onsite officer, you need to get medical treatment, even if you received emergency medical care.
What Causes a Jackknife Accident?
Commercial trucks can jackknife as a result of another collision, but they can also jackknife without an initial collision. There are several reasons that this could happen, including:
- Equipment failure. Bad brakes can lead to jackknifing accidents, as well as other mechanical failures. Improperly maintained vehicles are more likely to have equipment failures. Truck companies have to inspect and repair vehicles under federal regulations, and failure to do so can cause severe accidents for which the company is liable. Faulty brakes can also be attributed to a manufacturing defect, which the manufacturer may be liable for. In these cases, a skilled New Orleans defective truck equipment accident lawyer can trace failures to maintenance records and component defects.
- Overloading or improper loading of cargo. Cargo in a truck trailer needs to be properly secured and weighted. If the cargo is overloaded, unevenly loaded, or comes loose during transport, it can impact the balance of the vehicle and lead to a jackknife accident. The party that loaded the cargo, such as a shipping company, could be liable for the accident.
- Improper braking. If a truck driver is inexperienced, jackknifing accidents are more likely. An untrained driver may fail to apply trailer and cab brakes simultaneously or may not understand proper maneuvers for the vehicle. If the truck company did not provide the right training or did not ascertain that drivers had the right experience, the company could be liable.
- Driver negligence. This could include driving under the influence, distracted driving, speeding, driving while fatigued, or other reckless and negligent driving. Speeding is especially dangerous because the trailer and cab will slow down at different rates due to their weight difference, increasing the risk of jackknifing.
- Poor road and weather conditions. Slippery roads, potholes, and other road defects and hazards can cause trucks to have less contact with the road. This causes tires to lose traction and skid, potentially leading to a jackknifing accident.
When you hire a jackknife accident lawyer in New Orleans, they can investigate the accident you were involved in. Using their resources and professional connections, an attorney can determine the cause and at-fault party in your accident.
Meet Our Attorney
Peyton Murphy
Peyton Murphy, a Louisiana lawyer with 30+ years of experience, specializes in personal injury cases. He founded Murphy Law Firm in Baton Rouge in 1993 and fights for his clients’ compensation.
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FAQs
How Much Are Most Jackknife Truck Accident Settlements in New Orleans?
The value of a jackknife truck accident settlement will depend on the injuries and other damages caused to others, and how severe those injuries are. More serious injuries tend to have higher medical expenses and more lost wages. The settlement may also be limited by insurance coverage limits or partial comparative fault. On average, settlements for accidents involving commercial trucks are higher than other accident settlements because they cause much more serious injuries and other damages.
How Long After a Jackknife Accident Can You File a Claim in Louisiana?
You have a limited period of time after a jackknife accident to file a claim in Louisiana, called the statute of limitations for a civil personal injury claim. However, you should first file an insurance claim with the insurer of the at-fault party, which has an even shorter deadline. If negotiations with the insurer cannot reach a fair conclusion, then you could file a civil claim. It is important to remain aware of the relevant deadlines for your case.
Skilled Personal Injury Attorneys in New Orleans – Hire a Jackknife Accident Lawyer
If you have been involved in an accident on Highway 90, the I-10, or elsewhere in New Orleans, you don’t have to manage the aftermath of a catastrophic jackknife accident alone. Murphy Law Firm can help you assess your damages and recover the maximum compensation possible from the at-fault party and their insurer. Whether the truck driver, another driver, the trucking company, or another entity is at fault, we can help. Contact our firm today.
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