Dump Truck Accidents

You can tell which vehicles adults find most impressive by the prices these vehicles fetch.  The Lamborghinis and Jaguars of the world were designed for an audience of people who can afford them and people who wish they could.  If kids ran the world, however, dump trucks would be the world’s most sought-after vehicle.  Simply seeing a dump truck sitting idle at a construction site, its bed empty, is the highlight of a preschooler’s day.  Actually seeing a dump truck lift up its bed and deposit a hill of gravel on the ground is a lifelong cherished memory.  While dump trucks do not hold as much entertainment value for adults as they do for children, they are still prized for their utility.  Construction projects would take even longer than they do if it were not for dump trucks.  These endearing vehicles can cause serious damage in a collision, though.  If you have been injured in an accident involving a dump truck, contact a Columbia truck accident lawyer.

How Dangerous Are Dump Trucks?

The good news is that you will rarely find a dump truck barreling down a city street at 80 miles per hour.  You tend only to find dump trucks at or near construction sites, and they usually do not travel very fast.  As for how much of a danger dump trucks pose to the general public, it depends on the location of the construction site and how well organized it is.  Sometimes dump trucks are present at the sites of road work on major roads.  During road construction projects, the city or county may only close down some lanes of traffic while the construction crews are working, leaving the other lanes of traffic open.

Ideally, vehicular traffic would not be able to get very close to the road work, but this is not always possible.  Likewise, dump trucks and other construction vehicles may sometimes need to drive out into traffic in the course of their work.  It is difficult for dump truck drivers to see vehicles that are beside or behind them.  Therefore, workers outside the dump truck should advise the driver of where and when it is safe to drive the truck when the driver is trying to back out into traffic.

Who Is Legally Responsible for a Dump Truck Accident?

If you get seriously injured in a collision with a dump truck, you have the right to seek compensation, but suing the dump truck driver is not a wise move.  While driving construction vehicles can earn you a decent living, dump truck drivers do not have enough money to pay tens of thousands of someone else’s medical bills.  The company that owns the vehicle or that is running the construction project is the one legally responsible for the accident.

Let Us Help You Today

The truck accident lawyers at the Stanley Law Group can help you if you have suffered a serious injury in an accident involving a dump truck or other commercial vehicle.  Contact The Stanley Law Group in Columbia, South Carolina or call (803)799-4700 for a free initial consultation.

Source:

cdc.gov/niosh/face/stateface/ca/07ca001.html