The last thing that anybody expects when they get behind the wheel of a vehicle is that they will be involved in an accident with a large commercial truck. However, accidents involving commercial vehicles are not uncommon in and around the Dallas area. Recently, a big rig truck jack-knifed in Fort Worth, causing the vehicle to burst into flames. Here, we want to discuss this incident, what a jack-knife crash is, and what you can do if you are involved in an accident with a commercial vehicle in the Dallas area.
In early November 2020, a big rig truck jack-knifed near Western Central Boulevard in Fort Worth. The crash caused the truck to burst into flames, and smoke from the incident could be seen for miles. When looking at photos provided by a CBS news affiliate, we can see that this truck sustained severe damage, and the cab was completely burned away.
Police say that the driver of the semi-truck was able to get out of the vehicle before the cab was overtaken by flames. The driver only sustained minor injuries, and nobody else was hurt in the accident. However, the incident and explosions did leave a significant amount of fuel on the roadway that took some time to clean up.
When we turn to data available from the Texas Department of Transportation, we can see that there were 39,193 total crashes involving commercial motor vehicles across the state during the latest reporting year. Out of these incidents, there were:
Due to the size and weight of these vehicles, it is not uncommon for drivers and passengers in traditional cars to sustain severe injuries when they are struck by a commercial truck.
The truck crash discussed above was a jack-knife crash. These incidents occur when the trailer portion of the truck ends up travelling faster than the cab, causing the trailer to go in one direction and the cab to go in another direction. Often, a jack-knife accident will result in the truck trailer and the cab forming a 90-degree angle. These incidents have the potential to strike multiple other vehicles on the roadway when they occur.
Jack-knife accidents occur for a variety of reasons, most commonly due to:
If you or somebody you care about has been injured in an accident caused by a commercial truck driver or trucking company in or around Dallas, contact our firm for help today. Our qualified and experienced team will get to work investigating every aspect of your claim so we can obtain the compensation you need. This includes coverage of your medical expenses, lost income, out-of-pocket expenses, pain and suffering damages, and more. When you need a Dallas truck accident lawyer, you can contact us for a free consultation of your case by clicking here or by calling us at 214-295-2900.