Modern tractor-trailers are comprised of two separate and free-moving parts: the cab, which generates the truck’s forward momentum and dictates its direction, and the trailer pulled behind the cab. This design gives the truck a lot more mobility in tight spaces and allows trailers full of cargo to be separated easily from cabs before and after transit. However, it also makes trucks susceptible to “jackknifing”—in other words, skidding in a way that the trailer kicks out to the side or even fully ahead of the cab.

Jackknife truck accidents in Brentwood and throughout the state of Missouri tend to collect multiple vehicles at once and cause especially serious injuries to anyone unfortunate enough to be caught up in one.

If you have been injured in a wreck like this recently, working closely with a capable truck crash attorney could be vital to building a strong legal claim and recovering fair payments from the people responsible for your injuries. Our team of dedicated legal professionals at OnderLaw will be with you every step of the way to help seek the justice you deserve.

How Do Jackknife Truck Wrecks Happen?

Jackknife truck accidents in Brentwood generally stem from the tires of a semi-truck’s cab or trailer losing traction with the road while the truck is traveling at a high rate of speed. With that in mind, truck drivers who go over the posted speed limit or drive faster than recommended on steep slopes dramatically increase the risk that they might lose control of their vehicle and end up jackknifing in an ensuing skid.

Other common causes of jackknife truck crashes include:

  • Failure to replace worn-down tires;
  • Poorly maintained or defective brakes;
  • Impairment by alcohol, drugs, or fatigue;
  • Failure by a truck driver to adjust to poor weather or road conditions; or
  • Loading a trailer with too much cargo or not properly securing cargo inside a trailer before transit.

Our qualified truck accident lawyers can help identify exactly how your specific crash occurred, determine who is responsible for it, and ensure those people pay appropriately for every economic and non-economic loss you experience.

Possible Obstacles to Civil Recovery

Our OnderLaw attorneys can also assist you with navigating around common legal and procedural roadblocks that might otherwise get in the way of getting the compensation you need. For example, trucking companies and insurance providers fighting against jackknife truck accident claims in Brentwood often accuse injured people of being partially at fault for causing their injuries. Representation from an experienced lawyer can be essential to contesting these allegations and avoiding a reduction in the damages award you receive.

Likewise, our legal representatives can ensure you comply with all applicable filing deadlines set by state law for your claim. Most people have just five years at most to file suit after getting hurt in any sort of truck accident, and collecting all the evidence you’ll need to construct the strongest possible claim can make that time pass deceptively quickly.

Seek Help from a Brentwood Attorney After a Jackknife Truck Accident

Jackknifing trucks are some of the most dangerous hazards anyone can encounter on a Missouri highway. Anyone who contributes to causing a jackknife truck accident in Brentwood should be held accountable for their actions—but as anyone who’s tried to file suit over a truck wreck knows, getting that kind of outcome from a civil claim is far from a simple process.

Guidance from the trusted and knowledgeable truck accident team at OnderLaw could make all the difference in what kind of outcome your case has and what amount of money you can obtain for your damages. Call us today to schedule a free consultation with a compassionate legal professional who is ready to take on your cause.