New York Truck Override & Underride Accident Lawyer
Large commercial trucks are a necessary part of commerce, but they do create special hazards on New York highways. When semi-tractors, tractor-trailers, eighteen-wheelers, and other large trucks wind up in traffic collisions with passenger vehicles, a catastrophic injury is likely to occur, and it is usually not the truck driver who suffers. Large trucks create the possibility for especially dangerous types of accidents such as jackknifing, rollovers, override accidents, and underride accidents.
If you or someone you care about has been hurt or killed in an override or underride crash in the Hudson Valley area, or any other large truck accident in Kingston, Marlboro and Ulster or elsewhere in the Hudson Valley, contact a dedicated truck accident attorney at Rusk, Wadlin, Heppner & Martuscello, LLP, for a consultation with one of our attorneys. We will pursue your claims against freight companies, negligent drivers, insurance providers, and any other parties who should be held responsible for compensating you and your family for your injuries, pain and suffering, medical expenses, and other legal damages.
What are Override and Underride Accidents?
Override and underride accidents are special types of accidents involving large commercial trucks. Override and underride accidents occur when a large truck drives over the back of a passenger car, or when a passenger car drives under the back or side of a large truck. An override accident refers to when the truck drives over the passenger vehicle, typically when the large truck is in the back and rear-ends the passenger car. The force of the rear-end collision could crush the front car between two vehicles or send the front vehicle into surrounding traffic, but when the result is the truck actually driving over the back of the passenger car, crushing it, it is called an override accident.
Underride accidents typically occur when a passenger car rear-ends a truck or runs into a truck in an intersection. The smaller vehicle becomes wedged underneath the truck bed, either getting crushed or being dragged into different parts of traffic.
Both override and underride accidents are extremely dangerous, often leading to serious injuries or fatalities for either the driver and front-seat passenger or backseat passengers, depending on where the collision with the large truck occurs. Drivers, passengers, or family members of injured drivers or passengers after an override or underride accident can seek compensation from the truck driver, freight company, or other liable parties with help from an experienced truck accident lawyer.
Common Reasons for an Override or Underride Trucking Accident
There are a number of reasons why collisions with large trucks occur. Commercial trucks are large, unwieldy, dangerous vehicles that require special training and strict upkeep to operate. The seasoned truck accident attorneys at Rusk, Wadlin, Heppner & Martuscello have years of experience investigating the circumstances of truck accidents and other traffic crashes to determine who is at fault for the accident and how best to hold them liable for their actions.
Typically, override accidents occur because the truck driver, the truck manufacturer, or the trucking company committed some kind of negligence or error. Some of the more common reasons that override accidents occur include:
- Trucker intoxication or drowsiness
- Truck tailgating
- Brake failure
- Negligent truck operation
- Failure to yield
- Speeding and other aggressive maneuvers
- Improper lane changes
- Defective tires
- Overloaded haul or unbalanced load
- Inclement weather conditions including wet roads, icy roads, and fog
Because underride accidents most often involve a passenger car in the rear, it is more common that the passenger car driver acted in some negligent manner. There are still circumstances, certainly, under which a negligent truck driver or failure of the truck can lead to an underride accident. Underride accidents are commonly caused by:
- Auto driver tailgating the truck, or otherwise driving negligently or aggressively
- Auto driver failing to notice the truck in the fog or rain
- Negligent behavior by the truck driver, such as suddenly slamming the brakes without proper justification, failing to use their lights, or failing to use under-ride guards
Whatever the nature of your accident, you may have the right to recover compensation either from your own insurance provider or from a negligent trucker, freight company, or another third party. A seasoned New York truck accident attorney can help discover the cause of a crash and ensure that you are compensated for your medical bills, lost wages, psychological harm, and other available damages.
Reach Out to a Passionate New York Truck Accident Lawyer for Help Recovering After Your Hudson Valley Override or Underride Collision
For a free consultation on your possible commercial truck accident claim, contact the dedicated truck accident attorneys at the New York personal injury law firm Rusk, Wadlin, Heppner & Martuscello, LLP, in Kingston at 845-331-4100 or in Marlboro at 845-236-4411.
