Florida Trailer Sway Injury Attorneys
Have you ever been driving down the road and witnessed a trailer or camper suddenly swerving back and forth only to roll over or crash into something? This is known as trailer sway and accounts for 500,000 accidents that occur each year involving trailers. What can cause trailer sway though? The biggest contributing factor is wind.
A trailer provides a very large surface area for crosswinds which can actually push a trailer so hard, the wind breaks the trailer’s friction on the ground causing it to swing back and forth behind its tow vehicle. As this swaying becomes more violent it will get to the point that it turns sideways and flips taking the tow vehicle with it, or it swings out so far as to hit on oncoming car or other object on the side of the road.
Another cause of trailer sway is the vacuum created by a passing trailer, camper, or tractor trailer. As one rig passes the back end of another it creates a vacuum that will pull the ends together. If this vacuum is strong enough it will cause the trailer to begin swaying, and unless corrective action is taken, eventually flip over.
Trailer sway is an incredibly dangerous phenomenon that occurs and is often lethal. From the period of 1975-2008 it was reported that more than 15,000 people were killed in accidents involving trailers. During that same time period, close to 470,000 people were injured in such accidents and it is estimated that 35.6 billion dollars in property damage was caused. If you consider it on a year to year basis, over 400 people die each year involving trailer accidents and over 20,000 people have to seek medical attention for injuries caused by trailer accidents each year. These accidents also cost close to 2 billion dollars each year.
Consider the case of Dr. John Barnett who was killed when his trailer began to sway after being passed by a tractor trailer, or the case of Dennis Frampton who was thrown from his truck and died because his trailer began to sway and flipped over causing him to crash into a barrier. These accidents can be scary and seeking compensation for them can be intimidating. We believe this shouldn’t be the case and that you should get the compensation you deserve.
If you, a loved one, or someone you know has been involved in a trailer sway accident that caused death, bodily injury, or property damage, we urge you to call our law firm today or fill out our free case evaluation form so you can receive justice. Our lawyers know the law and are prepared to assist you with your lawsuit to bring you the settlement you deserve. Trailer sway lawsuits can be complex and it is important to have a skilled and knowledgeable attorney at your side who will fight for you and your rights.
Our law office has a history of success in representing families and individuals who have been involved in trailer sway accidents and we want to help you be successful too. Our lawyers understand that these accidents can be costly, between medical bills and property damage and we seek to ease such financial burdens by holding the negligent party accountable for what has transpired.
If you want the peace of mind of knowing you have a team behind you that will fight with you every step of the way, or simply wish to have a free legal review to understand your rights, we urge you to call us today. We are available 24/7 and want to help you get the justice you deserve.
Sources:
- https://hensleymfg.com/trailer-sway-101/
- https://hensleymfg.com/trailer-sway-accidents/
- http://dangeroustrailerstrailerswayaccidents.blogspot.com/2008/02/dangers-associated-with-towing-trailers.html
- http://www.wusa9.com/story/news/local/dc/2016/02/19/overturned-tractor-trailer-causes-closures-beltway-connecticut-ave/80598440/
- http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/19053125/print/true.cfm
- https://www.transportation.gov/research-and-statistics
- http://www.truckingtruth.com/Articles/Trucking-Industry-Articles/trucking_johnson.html
- http://www.joshts.com/National_Trailer_Accident_Statistics.pdf