Santa Ana Garbage Truck Accident Lawyers
Hurt in a Garbage Truck Accident in Santa Ana?
Garbage or waste disposal trucks, due to a number of factors, pose a serious danger to other road users, particularly pedestrians and cyclists. Below, we provide all you need to know about staying safe around garbage trucks and what to do if you are injured by one.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident involving a garbage truck, HN Injury Lawyers is here to help. Our Santa Ana personal injury attorneys have won over $100 million for our clients. With over 50 years of combined experience, we’re fully prepared to fight for the justice you deserve.
Reach out to us today at (657) 333-5726 to learn more about your legal options.
How Garbage Truck Accidents Occur
A number of elements specific to garbage trucks make them prone to causing serious accidents. These factors include:
- Their Size: As such large vehicles, often carrying heavy loads of waste, garbage trucks can significantly injure a person upon collision. These large trucks also require particular skills to maneuver, and poorly trained or inexperienced drivers may fail to operate these safely.
- Blind Spots: Garbage trucks also have significant blind spots, including behind the vehicle, directly below/in front of the truck, and spots where the side mirrors do not provide visibility.
- Unpredictable Movements: Garbage trucks also maneuver in sporadic, unpredictable ways to pick up trash and may abruptly start or stop, back up or inch forward, or swing onto the road.
The Risks for Pedestrians and Cyclists
Pedestrians and cyclists are particularly at risk of being injured by garbage trucks for a number of reasons, including:
- Pedestrians and cyclists are more likely to use the side of the road or sidewalks, spaces where garbage trucks frequently stop and drive along.
- Pedestrians and cyclists are more difficult to spot than vehicles, and can easily be missed by distracted drivers or fall into a truck’s blind spot.
- Pedestrians and cyclists may believe the truck is moving in a certain direction and maneuver around it accordingly, only for it to abruptly change direction.
Pedestrians and cyclists are more prone to being victims of garbage truck accidents and more at risk of suffering severe or fatal injuries if struck by one, given their lack of protection.
Determining Liability in Garbage Truck Accidents
If you or a loved one suffers an injury due to being struck by a garbage truck, the truck driver (or their company or the company’s insurer, depending on the company’s arrangement) can be liable to pay compensation.
An injured party may file a negligence claim or wrongful death claim against the relevant party with the Courts, seeking compensation for their injuries and losses. To be liable, the driver must have had a duty to keep the victim safe and failed to take reasonable steps to exercise this duty, and these actions must have caused the accident and resulting injuries.
This liability can occur due to the driver having insufficient training, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or failing to use proper safety measures such as signaling and checking blind spots before moving.
In many cases, an investigation will be necessary to determine the exact cause of the incident. Where the driver is at fault, a skilled lawyer can establish how the remaining elements of a negligence case are satisfied.
Santa Ana Truck Accident Lawyers You Can Trust
You don’t need to take on the stress of dealing with the legal aftermath of a garbage truck accident on your own. You can count on HN Injury Lawyers to provide the sound and compassionate legal guidance you need to successfully navigate every step of the claims process.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident involving a garbage truck, our Santa Ana truck accident attorneys will fight tirelessly for the compensation you deserve.
Call us today at (657) 333-5726 to schedule a free consultation. Let’s see how we can help.
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