Inclement weather is often synonymous with dangerous driving conditions. Sometimes accidents occur, which can be catastrophic when one of the involved vehicles is a large truck due to its weight and size. If you were injured in a truck incident, it would be a mistake to dismiss any hope of compensation due to uncontrollable circumstances, which is what a trucking company would likely argue in its defense. On the contrary, while adverse conditions may be a contributing factor, it is also possible that other factors—such as driver inattention or speeding—are at the root of a crash.
Colliding with a large commercial vehicle during a storm can cause catastrophic injuries or even fatalities. Understanding the law as it relates to your circumstances can help you obtain the compensation you need for your losses. Having a skilled legal professional by your side will help you make the right decision at every turn. That’s where we come in.
At The Law Office of David E. Gordon, our team has helped many victims of bad weather truck accidents in Southaven obtain the compensation they need to rebuild their lives.
Causes of Truck Crashes in Storms
Poor driving conditions create countless possible hazards that cause trucks to get into accidents, such as:
- Impaired vision
- Slippery roads
- Increased braking distance requirements
- Difficulty keeping vehicle steady
- Obstructions such as debris
- Still water causing hydroplaning
Many types of weather can create adverse environments, such as wind, ice, rain, or fog. In such circumstances, it is wise to leave proof of a trucker’s negligence to an experienced Southaven attorney.
Parties that May be Liable for a Bad Weather Accident
Figuring out who the liable party is can be a complex endeavor. The pool of potential parties is somewhat limited in these cases and includes the following:
The Individual Driver
Truckers who ignore dangerous driving conditions or fail to adjust their manner of navigating the road may be held liable for a wreck. Actions that would be considered negligent include speeding, texting, or driving aggressively.
Employers
Trucking companies must provide adequate safety training to their employees. They must also provide continuous vehicle maintenance.
Government Agencies
Sometimes the local or federal government can be held accountable because it failed to maintain the road or post proper signage.
Other Drivers
Other people on the road sometimes are responsible for a crash, like cutting off trucks or distracted driving.
A qualified personal injury lawyer in Southaven, like David E. Gordon or Elissa M. Coombs, will be able to discern which parties are liable for your injuries after a collision with a tractor-trailer due to bad weather.
Proving Liability for a Bad Weather Truck Collision
To prove that someone else was negligent and thus liable for your injuries, you must provide strong evidence. An attorney can collect many different forms of evidence, such as:
- Trucker’s hour of service logs
- Black box logs
- Dashcam footage
- Eyewitness testimony
- Expert witness testimony
- Weather reports
- Text messaging threads
- Police reports
Having convincing evidence is important because Mississippi is a pure comparative negligence state. This standard allows an injured party to recover compensation even if they are mostly at fault for the accident. That means that if a person is 99 percent responsible for an accident, they will still recover damages equal to 1 percent. A well-practiced Southaven lawyer knows how liability impacts the total damages you can win after a semi-truck crash due to hazardous conditions.
Involved in a Bad Weather Truck Accident in Southaven? Call Us Today
All drivers—whether on a bike or driving a gigantic 18-wheeler—must exercise extra caution in poor weather. Collisions with semi-trucks result in some of the worst injuries, even when the sun is out and the sky is clear. When truckers fail to be cautious during bad weather, everyone around them is at risk of harm.
David E. Gordon and Elisa M. Crombs are board-certified personal injury attorneys who help injured individuals recover the compensation they need after a bad weather truck accident in Southaven. Reach out today for a free consultation and to start the path to restoring your personal and financial well-being.
