New Mexico Underride Accidents Attorney
Sharing the road with large trucks in New Mexico can be dangerous. The height and weight of tractor-trailers present unique hazards to smaller vehicles and their occupants. One example is the possibility of an underride accident, where a car travels under the trailer of a semi-truck. If you get involved in this type of accident in New Mexico, you may be eligible for financial compensation for your injuries and property damage.
What Is an Underride Accident?
An underride accident occurs when a standard motor vehicle collides with the rear or side of an 18-wheeler’s trailer and slides or gets wedged beneath it. These accidents can be catastrophic, as the trailer may shear the top off of the smaller car upon impact. This can result in catastrophic injuries and fatalities for the occupants of the smaller vehicle.
Common Injuries From Truck Underride Accidents
Underride accidents are one of the most dangerous types of truck accidents in New Mexico. When the top of a motor vehicle gets crushed, crumpled or sheared off upon impact with the side or back of a truck, the vehicle’s occupants may sustain a variety of severe injuries, including:
- Head and skull injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Internal organ injuries
- Chest and abdominal injuries
- Broken bones
- Facial injuries
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Decapitation
- Amputations
- Psychological injuries
Sadly, many truck underride accidents in New Mexico are fatal. If you lost a loved one in this type of crash, your family may be able to pursue financial compensation through a wrongful death claim. Otherwise, you can file a personal injury claim for the injuries you have suffered.
How Can Underride Accidents Be Prevented?
An underride accident can occur as a result of a rear-end collision or side-impact accident between a passenger car and a commercial truck. There should be safety systems in place to prevent this type of truck accident. For example:
- A commercial truck equipped with a rear-impact guard to prevent smaller cars from sliding beneath it.
- A truck keeps its lights on when it is stopped in the road.
- A truck driver comes to a steady and controlled stop rather than abruptly slamming on the brakes.
- A truck’s brakes, lights, reflectors, warning signals and other safety equipment are in proper working order.
- Trucks make warning sounds when reversing so other drivers know they are backing up.
- Truck drivers make wide turns slowly to warn surrounding drivers that the truck is turning.
- Truck drivers choose other routes instead of making unsafe or illegal turns, including U-turns.
- Truck drivers prevent jackknife accidents, which can swing the trailer of the truck out toward other vehicles.
Adequate truck maintenance and proper truck driver training by a trucking company can reduce the risk of underride accidents. If a trucking company or the owner of the truck is negligent, or fails to act with proper care to prevent these accidents, that party can be held responsible for a related underride crash.
How a Truck Accident Attorney in New Mexico Can Help
Underride accidents can happen under a variety of circumstances. If you believe that a trucking company, truck driver or another party was negligent and that this is what caused your underride accident in New Mexico, consult with a New Mexico truck accident attorney near you for legal advice. If you are eligible for financial compensation, your attorney can help you bring a strong claim against the responsible party.
Discuss your case today at no cost or obligation by contacting The Fine Law Firm at (505) 889-3463.