Every driver should be familiar with blind spots—the places where it is difficult or impossible to see around your vehicle. Mirrors—and even technological devices like cameras—can help drivers see in their blind spot areas, but they are only partially effective. The larger the vehicle, the larger the blind spots, so, it should come as no surprise that big rigs and other commercial trucks are almost completely surrounded by blind spots.
You have probably seen the signs on tractor-trailers reminding drivers that if you cannot see their mirrors, the truck drivers cannot see you. Truckers have special training on how to use their mirrors to help them detect vehicles in their blind zones; still, even a momentary lapse can result in an accident with severe injuries or even death. If you or a loved one has been injured in a blind-spot truck accident in Goodlettsville, our experienced semi-truck crash attorneys at Ponce Law can help you seek compensation.
Because of their size and height, big trucks are surrounded by blind spots, and not only in the places other drivers expect obstructed vision. The entire passenger side of the vehicle is a blind spot—if you cannot see a trucker’s side mirror, the trucker cannot see you. The same is true for much of the driver’s side, though the trucker can see from the door forward on that side.
Many road users are not aware of blind spots in the front or back of a truck. Unlike passenger vehicles, trucks do not have rear view mirror capabilities—the trailer blocks the rear view, and mirrors cannot capture the area immediately behind the truck. This means drivers are effectively blind for several car lengths behind their trucks.
Even more alarming is the fact that, because of a truck’s elevation and the size of the cab’s front, truck drivers cannot see for about 20 feet in front of them—which is about two vehicle lengths in traffic. On open highways, responsible truckers try to position themselves where their blind spots are clear, but in any traffic, that can become more difficult. The burden is on the trucker to ensure that their blind spots are clear, and a skilled Goodlettsville attorney can examine whether the trucker met that burden.
Defensive driving for passenger vehicles suggests that the safest way to drive is to avoid getting into a trucker’s blind spot. While the trucker has the primary responsibility to ensure that they are clear, there are some scenarios where another driver’s actions may contribute to a blind-spot tractor-trailer collision in Goodlettsville.
Tennessee Code Annotated § 29-11-101 discusses comparative fault in the state. Tennessee is a modified comparative negligence state, which means that a person can still recover damages from the other party or their insurance company, even if they contributed to the negligence. The deciding factor is whether a victim was 50 percent or more at fault—if that is the case, they cannot recover damages.
In Tennessee, if you are less than 50% at fault, then you are responsible for your share of the damages. For example, if you were injured in a blind-spot accident and the court determined that you were 40 percent responsible, they would reduce your damage award by 40 percent.
Injuries from truck accidents run the gamut from minor bumps and scrapes to fatalities. Because of the size of the vehicle, they are much more likely than passenger vehicle accidents to result in severe injuries. Commercial vehicles weigh roughly 10 times as much as passenger vehicles, which translates to 10 times the force in an accident.
Potential injuries from blind-spot truck crashes in Goodlettsville include:
Often, these injuries are life-changing, impacting your ability to work or even provide essential self-care.
Recovering from a blind-spot truck accident in Goodlettsville can be painful, lengthy, and expensive. For many victims, a full recovery is not possible, and they must adjust to an entirely new way of life. The damage also has a ripple effect, impacting their family and friends.
At Ponce Law, we are renowned for fighting on behalf of personal injury victims. We are the only law firm in Central Tennessee to win the Torch Award for Ethics, and we have been the Tennessean’s Best of Music City Awards choice for Nashville’s Best Law Firm multiple times. Schedule a free consultation today to see how we can help you.
