Jackknife Accidents

Injured? Our truck accident attorneys can help you get full compensation

Jackknife truck accidents in Georgia can be devastating. These crashes involve the trailer part of a tractor-trailer folding in on itself, trapping a vehicle between the trailer and truck cab. Often, these accidents happen on highways at high speeds. As a result, serious injuries or fatalities often occur when jackknife accidents happen on busy highways like I-20, I-75 or I-85 in Atlanta.

If you were injured in a jackknife accident with an 18-wheeler, tractor-trailer, semi-truck, big rig, or any other type of commercial vehicle, call 1-800-898-HAYS right away. An experienced Atlanta truck accident lawyer can review the details of your case for free and let you know what you might be entitled to recover in compensation. Contact us today.

What causes a truck to jackknife?

A jackknife truck accident occurs when the cab of a tractor-trailer skids in one direction and the trailer behind it goes in another direction, forming a 90-degree angle that resembles a folding pocketknife. Some of the most common reasons for a tractor-trailer to jackknife include:

Speeding
Braking too quickly and having the truck’s brakes lock up
Inadequate brake maintenance or brake adjustment
Dangerous road conditions (e.g., slippery roads, debris in the road)
Oversteering
Improper cargo load
Fatigued driving
Inexperienced truck drivers
Mechanical failure due to defective truck parts

Whenever an 18-wheeler jackknifes, it can quickly turn into a dangerous situation for everyone in the tractor-trailer’s path due to the driver losing complete control of the truck. Often, these types of crashes lead to rollover accidents, which are just as dangerous and can cause a chain reaction of collisions involving other vehicles on the road.

Maybe you were injured in a jackknife accident caused by an inexperienced trucker. It could be that a negligent truck driver was speeding around a curve and lost control of the tractor-trailer. Or you may have gotten seriously hurt in a jackknife wreck because a negligent trucking company failed to appropriately maintain the truck’s brakes.

No matter what circumstances you’re dealing with, contact our law firm right away. Our Atlanta truck accident attorneys have the knowledge and experience to handle every aspect of your claim and will fight to get you maximum compensation.

How can an Atlanta truck accident attorney help?

Knowing what to do after this type of truck accident can be confusing. Even knowing what your rights are as an injury victim or surviving family member might not be clear. That's why it's important to talk to an attorney as soon as possible to learn more about your legal options.

At Gary Martin Hays & Associates, we can walk you through various approaches for addressing your legal concerns after your accident. Our experienced Atlanta jackknife accident attorneys know how the system works in Georgia and we want to put our knowledge to work for you.

Common causes of jackknife truck accidents

Jackknife truck accidents happen for many different reasons. Some of the most common causes include:

A truck driver speeding, especially around sharp corners. When the driver applies the brakes, the tractor-trailer skids out of control and jackknifes.
A truck driver stops too late, causing the truck to skid and jackknife.
A distracted truck driver loses control of the tractor-trailer.
A truck driver falls asleep at the wheel, resulting in a jackknife truck accident.
A poorly maintained truck (including defective brakes) veers out of control and jackknifes.
An improperly loaded truck rolls over and jackknifes.

Whatever the cause of your crash, no matter how straightforward or complicated it might seem, we're here to help you get your life back on track.

You have rights after your accident

Jackknife truck accidents can be especially complicated because there are often so many different people involved in such cases - the truck driver, trucking company, insurance company and sometimes even the company that loaded the truck or manufactured the products being transported.

Taking on all these people on your own can be overwhelming, especially if it's your first time dealing with a serious truck accident. Our Atlanta attorneys can help you every step of the way. We know how to investigate crashes and effectively deal with trucking companies, insurance providers and their attorneys. And if they refused to cooperate, we'll take them to court.

Your accident matters here. Find out how our law firm can help you. Contact us right now. We offer free case evaluation to all potential clients. Call 1-800-898-HAYS.