Blind Spots
Truck Accident Attorneys Representing Chicago Residents
All vehicles have blind spots, which are areas that are out of reach from side-view mirrors. On an 18-wheeler truck, there are several blind spots, including below and behind the driver-side window, as well as toward the end of the trailer and directly behind the trailer. While drivers may not be able to effectively see in these areas, they are nevertheless required to use reasonable care while operating their massive vehicles. At Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca, our Chicago truck accident lawyers provide personal, attentive legal representation to victims throughout Illinois. If you or someone close to you has been injured in a collision with a commercial vehicle, we can investigate your case and pursue compensation on your behalf.
Establishing Liability for a Blind Spot Crash
Motor vehicle accidents caused by failing to check a blind spot may lead to catastrophic injuries. All drivers are required to exercise reasonable care, and when a truck driver fails to check whether they may safely turn, change lanes, or brake, they may be held legally at fault for any resulting injuries and damages. Sometimes termed “no-zones,” the large blind spots located around a truck make it difficult for the driver to see nearby vehicles.
While some drivers may increase their risk of being involved in a crash by remaining in a no-zone area, this does not make them responsible for a resulting collision. In fact, truck drivers must use caution before maneuvering, and they must check potential blind spots. Some commercial vehicles carry warning stickers on the rear, cautioning drivers about potential blind spots.
Truck drivers who fail to properly check their blind spots and surrounding areas while maneuvering their vehicles may be held legally responsible in a personal injury claim brought by a victim. Under a negligence theory, the victim would try to show that the driver owed them a duty of care and breached this duty and that this breach led directly to their injuries. Truck drivers are expected to undergo specific training regarding how to operate their vehicles, which includes learning how to manage blind spots. A driver who carelessly changes lanes or fails to conduct a thorough check for surrounding vehicles is exhibiting behavior that may be seen as a breach of the duty of care.
Under Illinois law, a trucking company may also be held liable for damages if the trucker was acting in the course and scope of their employment when they caused a crash due to failing to take a blind spot into account. The company may be joined in a lawsuit as a defendant and ordered to make payments toward the victim’s injury claim. Additionally, trucking companies that fail to complete proper background checks and hire untrained or unqualified drivers may be held liable.
Victims of blind spot accidents may recover a range of damages, which are intended to compensate them for the harm suffered in such a serious collision. Due to the weight and size of a commercial vehicle, victims may suffer catastrophic injuries in a truck crash. Medical costs, both past and future, may be recovered in an injury claim, as may wages missed from work due to the accident. The decreased quality of life suffered by truck accident victims may be challenging to quantify, but as a non-economic form of harm, this type of damages may also be recovered.
Consult a Skilled Chicago Lawyer for Your Truck Accident Case
Pursuing compensation from a person or entity that was responsible for causing an accident is a legal right that is available to victims. At Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca, our Chicago truck accident attorneys help victims prove the full extent of their injuries. We are prepared to fight for your right to compensation through settlement negotiations and, if necessary, litigation. Our office may be reached by calling 312-724-5846 or by completing our online form to schedule a free appointment with a motor vehicle collision lawyer. Our firm also represents people in Aurora, Rockford, Springfield, Quincy, Champaign, and other communities in Kane, Sangamon, Cook, Winnebago, and Adams Counties.