Truck underride accidents are among the most horrific vehicular crashes that occur on Fresno roadways. These devastating collisions happen when a smaller vehicle slides underneath a large commercial truck, often shearing off the top of the passenger vehicle and causing catastrophic injuries or death to its occupants. The disparity in size and height between passenger vehicles and commercial trucks creates a lethal scenario that standard vehicle safety features simply aren’t designed to handle.
At Berg Injury Lawyers, we’ve been fighting for injury victims throughout California since 1981. Our experienced attorneys understand the complex nature of underride accidents and the impact they have on victims and their families. We are committed to holding negligent parties accountable and securing the maximum compensation for those affected by these tragic accidents in Fresno and throughout the Central Valley.
Understanding Truck Underride Accidents
Underride accidents occur in several different configurations, each with its own particular dangers and causes:
- Rear Underride: These accidents happen when a passenger vehicle crashes into the back of a semi-truck and slides underneath the trailer. They often occur when trucks brake suddenly, have inadequate reflective markings, or when lighting is poor, making it difficult for following drivers to recognize the truck’s presence or notice when it’s slowing or stopping.
- Side Underride: Side underride crashes occur when a passenger vehicle slides underneath the side of a trailer, usually at intersections, during turns, or when a truck changes lanes. These are particularly dangerous because most trailers have minimal or no side protection systems.
- Front Override: While technically not an “underride,” front override accidents happen when a truck runs over a smaller vehicle from behind. These accidents can be just as deadly, with the truck climbing over the back of the smaller vehicle.
Severity of Underride Accident Injuries
The injuries sustained in underride accidents are often catastrophic or fatal due to the unique mechanics of these crashes. When a passenger vehicle slides under a truck, the initial impact typically occurs at windshield level, putting vehicle occupants at extreme risk:
- Traumatic Brain Injuries: The crushing impact often causes severe head trauma, resulting in permanent cognitive impairment, personality changes, or persistent vegetative states.
- Spinal Cord Damage: The force and angle of impact frequently cause vertebrae fractures and spinal cord injuries, potentially leading to partial or complete paralysis.
- Decapitation or Severe Head Trauma: In the most severe cases, underride accidents can result in decapitation or catastrophic head injuries that are instantly fatal.
- Facial Disfigurement: Survivors often face extensive facial injuries requiring multiple reconstructive surgeries and resulting in permanent disfigurement.
- Fatal Injuries: Underride accidents have a significantly higher fatality rate than other types of vehicle collisions. Those who survive often face life-altering injuries.
The long-term impacts on survivors extend far beyond the initial trauma. Many victims require lifelong medical care, experience significant reduction in quality of life, and face enormous emotional and psychological challenges. Families of victims must cope with tremendous grief, financial strain, and often the responsibility of caring for a severely injured loved one.
Liability in Truck Underride Accidents
Determining liability in underride accidents requires thorough investigation and expertise in both federal trucking regulations and California state laws. Multiple parties may bear responsibility:
- Truck Drivers: They may be liable if fatigue, distraction, impairment, or negligence contributed to the accident. This includes failure to maintain visibility equipment or making unsafe maneuvers.
- Trucking Companies: Companies may be held responsible for their drivers’ actions, as well as for inadequate training, encouraging unsafe practices (like exceeding hours-of-service limits), or failing to maintain their fleet properly.
- Truck Manufacturers: If design flaws contributed to the accident, the manufacturer of the truck or trailer may share liability.
- Guard Rail Manufacturers: Companies that produce defective or inadequate underride protection systems can be held accountable when their products fail.
- Government Entities: In some cases, poor road design, inadequate signage, or improper maintenance may contribute to underride accidents, potentially implicating state or local government agencies.
Compensation for Underride Accident Victims
Due to the serious nature of underride accidents, compensation must account for both immediate needs and long-term consequences:
- Medical Expenses: Coverage for emergency treatment, surgeries, hospital stays, and medications, as well as ongoing care needs such as rehabilitation, specialized equipment, and future surgeries
- Lost Wages and Diminished Earning Capacity: Compensation for income lost during recovery and reduced ability to earn in the future due to permanent disabilities
- Pain and Suffering: Damages for physical pain, emotional distress, and reduced quality of life resulting from the accident and injuries
- Disfigurement and Disability: Additional compensation for permanent scarring, disfigurement, or disabilities that affect daily living
- Wrongful Death Damages: When underride accidents result in fatalities, families may seek compensation for funeral expenses, loss of financial support, loss of companionship, and the victim’s pre-death pain and suffering
California law allows for both economic damages (those with specific dollar amounts) and non-economic damages (such as pain and suffering) in personal injury cases. There is generally no cap on economic damages, but the significant costs involved require experienced legal representation to ensure fair compensation.
Why Choose Berg Injury Lawyers
When facing the aftermath of a devastating underride accident, having the right legal team is essential. Berg Injury Lawyers offers:
- Experience handling complex accident cases since 1981, giving us insight into the unique challenges these cases present and strategies to overcome them
- Knowledge of federal trucking regulations and local Fresno roadways, allowing us to identify violations and potential contributors to underride accidents that others might miss
- An established network of accident reconstruction experts, medical professionals, and industry specialists who strengthen your case with authoritative testimony
- A history of successful truck accident settlements and verdicts that demonstrate our ability to secure substantial compensation for victims of catastrophic injuries
No Fee Guarantee®
You might be worried about hiring an attorney because of the potential cost, but at Berg Injury Lawyers, if you don’t win, you pay nothing. There’s also no cost or obligation to hire simply to speak to one of our lawyers. We call that our No Fee Guarantee®.
Contact Berg Injury Lawyers Today
If you or a loved one has been involved in an underride accident in Fresno, don’t face this traumatic experience alone. Our team of truck accident attorneys in Fresno understand the devastating impact these accidents have on victims and their families.
Contact us today for a free, confidential consultation. Our experienced team will listen to your story with compassion, explain your legal options, and help you understand the path forward. Let us handle the legal complexities while you focus on healing and recovery.
