North Carolina Jackknife Accidents Attorney

Commercial motor vehicles, such as 18-wheeler trucks and semi-trucks, pose a serious risk of harm when they are involved in a collision. At Nagle & Associates, our primary goal is to maximize the tax-free compensation received by our clients, and we understand the devastating physical, emotional, and financial consequences that typically flow from truck accident cases. Raleigh truck accident lawyer Carl Nagle effectively anticipates the defense tactics deployed by insurance companies because he formerly worked as an insurance claims adjuster andthereafter as an insurance defense attorney. He handled trucking claims and defended truck drivers and trucking companies before dedicating his career solely to assisting victims of roadway collision. Our law firm now ONLY handles serious accident cases, and our Transporation Law Group has extensive experience and success pursuing claims against truck drivers and trucking companies who cause jackknife accidents and other types of truck accidents throughout North Carolina.

Establishing Liability for Injuries Caused by a Jackknife Accident

Jackknife accidents refer to the dangerous situation that takes place when the two parts of a truck, the cab and the trailer, fold to form a 90-degree angle, resembling the effect of a pocket knife folding into its handle. A common situation takes place when the wheels of the tractor/cab lock, and the trailer continues to roll and swing around the axis of the fifth-wheel. These types of truck accidents typically leave the truck entirely out-of-control, and often the truck then crosses into adjacent or opposing traffic lanes. Considering the weight of a tractor-trailer rig, these collisions are often catastrophic, causing life-altering personal injury or wrongful death.

Careless driving may lead to jackknife accidents, as may a failure of the truck’s mechanical components. Whether the truck driver or the trucking company is legally responsible for a jackknife accident, a victim can pursue all legal claims to compel payment of money damages for their resulting injuries. In a personal injury lawsuit, the victim generally would be the plaintiff, and the truck driver and the trucking company would be the defendants. In some cases, outside parties can also be brought into the case to contribute toward payment of victims’ claims. For example, if an outside vendor handled maintenance of the truck and overlooked a dangerous mechanical shortfall (i.e. defective brakes), those service facilities can also be included as defendants and compelled to pay for victim losses.

A jackknife accident may also result when a truck driver fails to evenly apply their brake pressure and loses control of their big rig. In certain situations, the wheels of the truck lock upon reaching a slick spot in the road, while the front wheels and trailer continue moving forward. Some trucks are likely to roll over if they jackknife at a high speed. At other times, they may collide with vehicles sharing the road, resulting in serious injuries and damage.

One legal defense that truck drivers and their employers may set forth is contributory negligence. This is a defense used by a defendant in a personal injury case when they claim that the victim was partly responsible for causing the accident and their resulting injuries. North Carolina’s contributory negligence law is strict and prevents a plaintiff in a personal injury case from recovering any compensation from a defendant if the plaintiff is found to have been even minimally responsible for contributing to the wreck.

Consult an Experienced Truck Accident Lawyer in the Raleigh Area

At Nagle & Associates, our statewide trial law practice stands ready to help victims of jackknife collisions understand and enforce their legal rights following an accident. Injured individuals and their families receive personalized, effective representation in claims for compensation. Our goal is to leave clients with a sense of financial stability, and for this reason we charge lower legal fees than most other personal injury firms. Of the total award obtained through a settlement, our firm receives one-quarter instead of one-third. Raleigh truck accident attorney Carl Nagle utilizes his insurance industry insight to enhance his victim advocacy, ultimately increasing the amount of monetary damages recovered for lost wages from work, hospital bills, and emotional pain and suffering, among other types of compensation. Contact our office for a free consultation with a skilled NC truck accident attorney by calling (800) 411-1583 or using our contact form on this website. We help victims and their families in Raleigh, Winston-Salem, Asheville, Wilmington, Charlotte, Greensboro, Hickory, and other areas of Forsyth, Wake, Mecklenburg, Brunswick, Durham, Guilford, Cumberland, Durham, Catawba, and New Hanover Counties.