We normally do not think about garbage trucks when we talk about accidents on the road. Even so, we should be aware of this possibility. Although we do not often think about hitting a garbage truck, the truth is more collisions happen between passenger vehicles and garbage trucks than we would like to believe. These can be caused by several factors. According to lawyers for garbage truck accidents, the very common ones are:

  • Improper braking. This can be due to the operator or the spotter’s negligence. A garbage truck has to respect specific rules so that it prevents death and injury when trash is collected.
  • The truck drivers keep backing even if they do not have visual contact with the on foot workers.
  • Not using a spotter.
  • Keeping backing even if visual contact with the spotter is not reality.
  • Negligence in maintaining truck safety. A garbage truck always has several safety devices equipped, like horns, sensor technology, mirrors, lights, and back-up cameras. If the truck workers do not use the safety features or the safety features do not work because of improper maintenance, accidents can happen.
  • Defective parts. The garbage truck includes several pieces. They are heavy-duty equipment and if anything is defective, it can easily cause huge collisions. This is especially the case when referring to brakes and steering components.
  • Frequent stops. The truck driver needs to often stop in order to pick up the trash. Such trucks will perform very risky maneuvers in very tight alleys or even along very busy roads. Even something as simple as having sanitation workers not being cautious when signaling that they do work can lead to accidents.
  • Working under extreme pressure. There are tight guidelines that have to be respected and very strict ordinances are in place. Because of all the pressure, accidents can appear.
  • Negligence. This can be in relation to several things, from hiring to training.

Garbage truck drivers need special licenses. Without them, they are not allowed to operate very large vehicles. If the garbage truck companies do not guarantee the training of their workers, catastrophic accidents will surely occur.

Collision Liability

Whenever injured in an accident with a garbage truck, your injuries can be really serious. In so many cases, the accidents are devastating. This is simply because a garbage truck is so much heavier and larger than a regular passenger vehicle. The people injured will end up having to deal with substantial damages that involve property damage, lost wages, and very high medical bills.

The truth is that you could obtain a settlement alone but in most cases, insurance companies get involved. This is a huge problem because insurance adjusters are professionals at tricking people into agreeing to much lower deals than what the law allows. Since you want to receive maximum compensation for what you suffered, the best thing you can do is to hire an experienced truck accident attorney, preferably one that does know everything about garbage truck injury claims. The help of the lawyer will be invaluable and should never be neglected.