New York Underride Accident Attorneys

Help for Serious Trucking Crashes in NYC

When it comes to motor vehicle accidents, few are as horrifying as underrides. An underride accident occurs when a car or motorcycle slides partially or completely beneath the trailer attached to a semi-tuck during a collision. These accidents are devastating, often fatal. Safety features like airbags are completely ineffective in underrides due to the trailers shearing off the tops of passenger vehicles.

Underride accidents frequently result in catastrophic injuries, head and spine trauma, and wrongful deaths. Because of the size and weight of big rigs, it's uncommon for victims to walk away unharmed. The experienced NYC underride accident lawyers at Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP, have helped many injured clients and their families get just compensation for their losses. Call our team at (212) 986-7353 to find out how we can help you.

Back to Top

Underride Causes

Underrides occur from one of three directions: from the back, the side, or the front of the semi-truck. Nearly half of fatal underride accidents occur when the passenger vehicle travels under the rear corner of the truck. These accidents typically happen because the car makes a sudden stop or merge, and the driver behind can’t slow down quickly enough. Other factors for underride accidents include:

• The truck lacked a rear bumper or protective guard (this is illegal in the entire U.S.).
• The underride guards were poorly designed or ineffective.
• The trailer lacked proper lights or reflective tape and was difficult to see.
• The truck driver failed to use warning cones when pulled over on the shoulder of a road.

Rear-end accidents. Many factors can contribute to a rear-end underride accident. One common cause is following too close to the vehicle in front, which gives the driver less time to react. Other causes include poor road conditions, heavy traffic, and driver distraction—anything that prevents a driver from being able to brake in time.

Rear-end underride accidents can have serious consequences, including severe injuries or even death. That's why it's essential to be aware of the potential causes and take steps to avoid them. If you're ever involved in an underride accident, seek medical attention immediately and contact an experienced personal injury attorney to help you protect your rights.

Side-end accidents. These underride accidents are caused when a vehicle collides with the side of a large truck, causing the smaller vehicle to slide underneath the trailer. These accidents are often deadly, as the truck's weight crushes the smaller vehicle. Side-ended back underride accidents are most likely to occur when a car makes a left turn at an intersection, and a smaller vehicle collides with the side of the truck. However, these accidents can also occur when a truck is changing lanes recklessly.

Back to Top

Required Safety Measures to Prevent Underrides

Federal law requires trucks to have rear underride guards. This has been a key regulation to prevent underrides as a result of rear-end collisions. However, not all rear guards are effective in preventing underrides.

Many trucks utilize older rear guards, which may be rusted or damaged. To get their rear guards approved, trucking companies must merely show that the guards can withstand a stationary pressure test. These tests do not do enough to show whether a guard can withstand the force of a motor vehicle hitting it full-on. There are many times when a rear guard fails in a crash at even moderate speeds.

Though rear guards can be helpful in preventing underrides at the rear of a semi-truck, there is no law mandating side guards to prevent underrides from taking place on the sides of a trailer. Though some trucking companies voluntarily put guards on the sides of their trailers, many do not. This can lead to a deadly accident if a motor vehicle ends up striking the side of a trailer.

Back to Top

Injuries Associated With Underride Accidents

The lifted nature of semi-trailers makes them a deadly hazard for any driver who happens to strike them. Victims of underride accidents are at risk of suffering horrific trauma, including:

• Traumatic brain injury
• Paralysis due to spinal cord trauma
• Broken bones
• Crush injuries and lacerations
• Decapitation
• Back and neck injuries

In a serious underride crash, victims are lucky to come away with their lives. The harm caused by underrides is emotional, costly, and can be lifelong. Most injured victims will need long-term medical treatment, physical therapy, and assistive devices, placing an unwanted economic burden on the victim and loved ones. In catastrophic injury cases like these, it can be difficult to foresee the long-term medical and financial consequences.

Back to Top

Liability and the Court Process

An experienced underride accident attorney is well-equipped to do everything necessary to prove that the truck driver was at fault for your accident, which will open the door to financial compensation for you, the victim. Determining liability in underride accidents can be complex, as multiple factors are often at play, but a lot of the time, truck drivers are found to have made a mistake by merging on top of a car or driving while impaired or fatigued.

After an underride accident, it can be helpful to collect evidence as soon as possible. If you or a friend/family member are able to, take photos of the scene including of skid marks, vehicle damage, road signs, and poor road conditions in the area. Taking down witness contact information could also be useful. Skid marks can help determine the speed and braking of the vehicles involved, while vehicle damage can help determine the impact force and the direction that both vehicles were travelling when the collision occurred. Your lawyer can help you collect evidence, too, if need be.

When it is proven that the truck or trucking company as a whole was at fault in your accident, the victim becomes entitled to compensation for their injuries, medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. An experienced personal injury attorney can help the victim of an underride accident obtain the compensation they deserve whether that settlement comes swiftly after meditation or has to be pursued in court.

Back to Top

Call Our Top New York Truck Accident Lawyers

Even though these accidents can destroy a family’s emotional and financial well-being, big insurance providers often dispute these claims on behalf of their powerful trucking company clients. If you or a loved one has been involved in a truck accident in New York, it is important to take immediate steps to protect your rights.

The experienced legal team at Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP, is here to help you get justice. We have recovered millions of dollars for truck accident victims and their families. Let us fight the trucking and insurance companies to get you the compensation you deserve. Call us at (212) 986-7353 to schedule a free consultation.

Back to Top