Truck Rear-End Crash Claims in Arizona

Every year, approximately 400,000 commercial trucks are involved in vehicle crashes in the United States, according to The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Around 70,000 of these collisions are rear-end crashes. When a passenger vehicle rear-ends a truck, the injuries may be more severe than if a truck rear-ends another vehicle.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a rear-end truck crash, you may be eligible to recover compensation. Contact an experienced Arizona truck accident attorney today to explore your legal options.

For additional information about filing a legal claim, fill out theFree Case Review form on this page.

Causes of Rear-end Truck Crashes

The FMSCA conducted a study on truck rear-end crashes and found some common factors that often contribute to rear-end crashes, including:

• Either the driver of the passenger vehicle or the truck driver was under the influence of alcohol.
• Trucks have improperly working headlights or turn signals
• Trucks have malfunctioning brakes
• Poor lighting conditions

Nearly half of all fatal rear-end crashes where trucks are struck by other vehicles occur during the night or at other times when there is little remaining light.

If you have lost a loved one in a truck rear-end crash, you may be eligible to file a wrongful death lawsuit. Contact an Arizona wrongful death attorney to learn whether you may have legal options.

To schedule a free consultation regarding a wrongful death case, call: 1-800-706-3000

Failure of Underride Guards

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that 423 people occupying passenger vehicles are killed every year in rear-end collisions with large tracks. Additionally, another 5,000 vehicle occupants are injured in these crashes. Although, there have been advances in vehicle design, passenger vehicles still do not provide adequate protection in rear-end truck crashes.

Semi-trailers, also referred to as 18-wheelers or tractor-trailers, ride higher than passenger cars and the bottom of the trailer is approximately the height of a passenger car’s windshield. When a car strikes a semi-trailer, the windshield and roof pillars are the only things protecting the vehicles occupants. Even at low speeds, a car can slide under a tractor-trailer and essentially have its roof sheared off until the car hits the semi’s back tires. When a vehicle slides under the body of a tractor-trailer, this considered to be an underride accident. These collisions put the occupants at risk for serious or fatal head injuries.

Many commercial trucks have underride guard rails installed under the trailer. An underride guard can stop a car from sliding under the semi-trailer; however, it is not uncommon for underride guards to fail. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has petitioned the NHTSA to strengthen the standards for underride guards. The IIHS believes that all commercial trucks should have guard rails. Although, underride protection was first mandated in the 1950s, research has shown that the minimum requirements recently passed laws fail to adequately protect passengers. The trucking industry continues to turn a blind eye to these dangerous situations.

Arizona Truck Accident Lawsuits

If you or a loved one has sustained an injury in a rear end truck crash, you may be eligible to pursue compensation for medical expenses, lost wages and other damages. Contact a rear-end truck accident attorney at Phillips Law Group to discuss your legal options.

Our Phoenix injury attorneys have the staff and resources to handle all types of truck accident cases. We are dedicated to helping our clients recover the maximum compensation possible.

To schedule a free case evaluation, call: 1-800-706-3000 today.