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Gainesville Semi-Trailer Underride Accidents Attorneys

Accidents involving semi-trailers happen on the road every day in Gainesville. Among these, underride accidents involving semi-trailers are some of the most deadly. Some studies indicate that approximately half of all fatalities in truck accidents are due to underride crashes. If you or someone you love has been hurt in a crash, it is essential that you obtain the sound legal advice you need from our Gainesville semi-trailer underride accident attorney.

Our Attorney Understands Underride Accidents

When a passenger vehicle is involved in a crash with a semi-trailer and slides underneath the much larger truck, it is known as an underride accident. On average, passenger vehicles sit approximately 40 inches above the ground. The lowest point on a semi-trailer, on the other hand, is approximately 45 inches off the ground. During a collision, the trailer can enter the interior of a passenger vehicle, crushing the roof of the passenger vehicle or completely ripping it off. Either scenario is extremely dangerous for the passengers inside the smaller vehicle.

Our Attorney Handles All Types of Underride Accidents

All car accidents happen within a matter of seconds, but survivors of underride accidents often describe the trailer as simply appearing out of nowhere. There are two types of underride accidents which can occur, and those include side underride crashes and rear underride collisions.

Side underride collisions occur when a smaller passenger vehicle becomes trapped under a semi-trailer through the side of the truck. These crashes typically occur when truckers reverse out of a driveway or parking lot onto a road with a lot of traffic, when truckers try to make U-turns, or when a truck driver is trying to cross or turn onto a highway or street. Side underride accidents make up approximately half of all fatalities in underride collisions.

Rear underride accidents occur when a vehicle becomes trapped under the rear of a semi-trailer. These collisions typically occur because trucks and trailers are not properly marked when they are slowing down, or slowly reentering the roadway, or when emergency flashers and reflective triangles are not used after a truck breaks down.

Our Attorney Knows the Law on Underride Guards

Underride accidents are so common, the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration enacted legislation in 1953 that required all newly manufactured trucks to have underride guards installed to prevent these horrific crashes. The standards were updated in 1998 to make the legal height for underride guards even lower, offering even more protection for motorists on the road.

Unfortunately, only rear underride guards are mandatory and while some trucking companies voluntarily install these on the sides of trucks, that does not hold true for all of them. A attorney can advise on the laws that govern the trucking industry, and how they apply to your case.

Our Gainesville Truck Underride Accidents Attorney Offer Free Consultations

If you have been injured in an underride accident, or have lost a loved one, our Gainesville underride accidents attorney at Meldon Law is here to help with your case. Call us today at 800-373-8000 or contact us online to schedule a free car evaluation and to get the sound legal advice you need.

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