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South Carolina’s scenic highways make road trips enjoyable, but the prevalence of semis and other trucks also makes travel in this region hazardous. Any type of trucking accident can occur on South Carolina roadways, from a rollover to an underride collision or rear-end crash. This is especially true when passenger vehicles, 18-wheelers, and construction trucks all use the same highways.
If you’ve been involved in any type of truck accident in South Carolina, Bell Legal Group is here to help you with your potential claim. Here are some of the most prevalent types of accidents we handle involving commercial vehicles:
1. Rollover Accidents
An 18-wheeler rollover accident occurs when a semi’s trailer becomes unbalanced and tips. Improper loads, excessive speeds, or driver negligence, such as an over-correction, frequently contributes to these crashes. Not only do rollover truck accidents threaten the well-being of other South Carolina motorists, but they endanger the life of the commercial driver as well.
Taking a turn too fast or over-steering can instigate a crash, but the hiring company may be at fault if the driver is undertrained or overworked. When an unbalanced load is an issue, liability may fall on the company responsible for loading the trailer, or a manufacturer that improperly palletized the product.
Bell Legal Groups’ attorneys are here to thoroughly investigate the accident and help you hold all responsible parties accountable!
2. Jackknifed Semis
When a semi jackknifes, its trailer swings out from behind the cab and hinges at a 90-degree angle. Anyone on the adjacent roadway is in danger of being struck by the flatbed or tank. An inattentive truck driver navigating South Carolina’s sloping terrain can inadvertently pick up speed and lose control of the trailer when braking. Slick roads or worn tire treads may also contribute to the trailer’s lost traction.
Even if a driver’s negligence causes the jackknife accident, several parties may share liability. Under South Carolina law, the freight company can be responsible for deploying an undertrained, impaired, or otherwise incapable driver. When maintenance issues, worn tires, or a defective hitch system contributes to the accident, the truck owner, part manufacturer, repair shop, or a combination of these entities may be at fault.
3. Rear-End Crashes
The impact a semi makes when it rear-ends a passenger vehicle can send the car off the road or into oncoming traffic and lead to substantial injuries. Common reasons a truck driver causes a crash like this include following too closely, traveling at an inappropriate speed, or inattentive driving, but mechanical failures can also contribute.
If a truck driver is distracted and fails to slow down appropriately, they could be responsible for a rear-end crash. But there are situations in which an employer could share fault if the driver is drowsy due to a demanding schedule or illegal service hours. Liability for crashes involving a steering or brake malfunction can fall on the manufacturer of the defective part, or repair personnel; if a driver’s pre-trip inspection fails to detect the issue, the operator or the employer may also share responsibility.
4. Truck Stop Accidents
Drivers pulling off at travel plazas can be tired or distracted while anticipating an upcoming break. South Carolina truck stops bustling with cars, commercial vehicles, and people, pets, and kids walking to and from the amenities require attentive driving. It’s easy for a sleepy 18-wheeler operator to miss a fellow truck driver performing an inspection or someone walking through the parking lot, and when a person is hit by a large truck, their injuries are often serious and sometimes fatal.
A commercial vehicle operator who enters the truck stop too fast, fails to check their blind spot, or reverses into a passerby may be solely responsible for the accident. Under South Carolina law, the freight company may share responsibility if they hired a negligent driver or the operator’s work schedule contributed to the truck stop accident.
5. Underride Collisions
In an underride collision, a smaller vehicle slides underneath a commercial truck’s trailer. This impact can shear off the vehicle’s top or severely crush its front end. Many large trucks are outfitted with guards to prevent this, but these aren’t mandated on every vehicle type. These collisions can occur when an 18-wheeler is parked in the roadway without appropriate markers or when the truck driver makes an illegal turn.
When a semi driver’s negligence causes an underride collision, they may be responsible for injuries and damage. If the driver’s record shows a history of these accidents, the employer may also be liable for negligent hiring. Faulty hazard lights or a poorly maintained rear guard may extend liability to those responsible for the fleet inspection and maintenance.
6. Head-On Crashes
There is a low survival rate in head-on accidents, especially with an oversized truck. A truck driver who is fatigued, impaired, or distracted can easily drift over the centerline and crash head-on into oncoming traffic. Improper passing or misinterpreting construction cones in a work zone can also cause a semi to collide with an oncoming vehicle.
The root cause of the crash will help determine which parties are liable. When a truck driver’s negligence or impairment led to the accident, they can be held accountable. If an attorney for the truck accident discovers the driver wasn’t qualified to transport in South Carolina, the equipment was poorly maintained, or safety regulations were ignored, the freight company may also be liable.
7. Work Zone Accidents
Despite increased fines and penalties in South Carolina construction zones, commercial truck operators’ negligence continues to cause accidents in these areas. Tighter lanes, traffic pattern changes, and abrupt slow-downs contribute to work zone crashes, but driver negligence is often a leading factor.
Sometimes, the scene of the collision can help explain what caused a work zone accident and identify the responsible parties. Bell Legal Groups’ attorneys will review how the lanes were marked and the location of construction trucks and cones to determine whether the highway work contributed to the crash.
Investigating Semi Accidents
Identifying the parties responsible for any of these collisions requires the help of an attorney. Bell Legal Group is familiar with all types of semi accidents and would be happy to assist you! Our attorneys understand how to investigate head-on, underride, and rear-end crashes to get to the root cause and pinpoint whether the trucker, the freight company, or another entity acted negligently. Whether you were injured by a crash with a box truck, an 18-wheeler, or a construction truck, Bell Legal’s trucking accident lawyers are ready to help.