Indiana Personal Injury Lawyers » Tractor-Trailer Crashes

Indiana Auto Accident Attorney talks about “The Blind Spot” and Defensive Driving

John Young — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 14:37:30 +0000

Yesterday, I was coming back to our serious injury offices in Indianapolis, from Richmond. We just concluded a significant hearing. I was travelling west on I-70 near the Keystone interchange (Mile marker 83.5, just east of the I-65-I-70 split). At that location, I-70 is five lanes wide. I was in the second lane from the right. (I was travelling the speed limit, but there is not much of that at that location). There was a small car to my right. My front bumper was just about even with his back bumper. I was in his blind spot. He put on his left turn signal and immediately started to move into my lane. He obviously did not know I was there and did not bother to turn his head to look before moving over. There were cars immediately to my left so I could not move left. Although there was a car on my tail I hit the brakes and the car moved into my lane with about ten feet to spare.

To my surprise, he just kept moving left. The car to my left hit the brakes and the merging car barely missed him, then his luck ran out. The merging car kept on going, but in the next lane was a semi tractor-trailer. The semi cannot slow as efficiently as a car and the merging car hit the semi on the passenger front corner. The merging car was suddenly fully in front of the semi being pushed down the road. The driver of the merging car could only see the grill of the semi as he looked left. Unfortunately both the semi and the merging car were not only moving down the road, they were also merging into the left lane. An SUV clipped either the merging cars front or the semi’s front lost control and started to roll. The SUV landed on the wheels. I do not know what happened to the merging car. I pulled over, called 911 reported the collision, gave the State Police my name and telephone number. I thought about going back to the scene, but many, many people had already stopped to help and I was on the opposite side of the highway from where they all came to a stop, so to reach the scene I would have had to cross three lanes of traffic, which oddly enough barely seemed to slow down.

The point of this story is that we want to you to be careful when merging into another lane. Every car has a blind spot. To properly merge you must signal your intent and then look to make sure no one is in your blind spot. If the merging car, in my story, had followed this simple rule, there would have been no collision and several families would have made it home safe.

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Indiana Serious Injury Attorneys Discuss Semi Tractor-trailer accident

John Young — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 17:39:23 +0000

Yesterday we discussed the dangers associated with sharing our highways with large semi tractor-trailers. As Indiana serious Injury Lawyers, representing seriously injured Hoosiers all over the State of Indiana from our Indianapolis offices, we know that there are many dangers. Sometimes the dangers stem from the way the trucking company does business. Of course there is always the risk that that truck company will put a driver who drinks behind the wheel and who will cause a drunk driving accident. Fortunately this is the rare exception. However there are many rules that that trucking companies cause to be violated by their push for profits. A trucker is only allowed to drive a certain number hours in a 24 hour period. To insure that the driver is not exceeding these limits, the truck operator must have a log, up to date within a short period of any hour. The trucker must be able to present this up to date log to any state inspecting authority or face fines. The sleep deprived trucker can be as dangerous as the drunk driver because reaction time is impaired and falling asleep behind a big rig, causing a semi tractor-trailer accident has very serious consequences including spinal cord injury, wrongful death, brain injury and other serious injuries.

Another danger is associated with failing to obtain the proper permits for wide loads and or hazardous loads. It has been revealed that the collision on I-70 west in Indianapolis which occurred on Monday April 11, 2011 which involved a semi tractor-trailer hauling an oversized load did not have a permit for the work. This is significant because the route chosen by the trucker required this wide load to move through a construction zone where the width of the lanes were constricted. Normally lanes on I-70 are twelve feet in width. In the construction zone the lanes were squeezed to 11 feet. The area of construction is also not a straight course which adds to the danger associated with a semi tractor-trailer carrying a wide load. The crash resulted in the death of Judson D. Dye.

Fellow Hoosiers this is yet another reminder to be as careful as you can, as there are dangers out there which may not be obvious to you.

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Indiana Serious Injury Attorneys Discuss Semi Tractor Trailer Accidents

John Young — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 13:22:44 +0000

Recently we wrote about the dangers associated with sharing our highways with semi tractor-trailers. We know the benefits of this arrangement far outweigh the benefits, but that does not mean that passenger cars are in greater danger on the highways of having a semi tractor-trailer collision. The danger arises from the serious injuries that are more likely in a semi tractor-trailer accident. Because the trucks are so big and the cars are so small serious injuries such as spinal cord injury, resulting in paralysis, brain injury, broken bones, blindness and even wrongful death are very real possibilities.

States, and the Federal Government, have been taking steps to protect cars from collisions with semi tractor-trailer. One such step is median barriers. There are several different types of barriers including concrete walls, moveable concrete barriers known as “New Jersey” barriers, and more recently a series of reinforced wires. Beware, however of a false sense of safety. When a semi tractor-trailer loses control at 55-70 miles per hour it is a multiple ton missile capable of overcoming such barriers.

Take, for example, the multiple car/semi tractor-trailer accident which happened on Interstate 70 on the west die of Indianapolis on April 11, 2011. The accident started when a semi tractor-trailer drove into the “New Jersey” barriers separating traffic. The force of the impact caused the barriers to be pushed into the opposite lanes of travel. The drivers on that side of the barriers now had to swerve to avoid hitting the barriers, which just a second before were not in their path. As the first cars began to swerve and brake, they hit other cars, or were hit from behind by other drivers. Unfortunately, Judson D. Dye was killed in the collision. Four other people were injured, fortunately not with life threatening injuries. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Mr. Dye.

Please, be careful on our highways. They are there to benefit us all, but danger still lurks there.

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Tips for Sharing the Road with Semi Tractor Trailers

John Young — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 17:04:00 +0000

At Young and Young we, as Indiana Severe Injury Lawyers, we like to keep abreast of what is happening out on our roads. Our roads are a modern marvel. They allow us to travel across our great country in a couple days. They allow us to transport huge amounts of goods across our country. They allow us the opportunity to, if necessary, move vast amounts of defense equipment rapidly to respond to any emergency. However, with these benefits comes danger. We drive small passenger cars next to huge semi tractor-trailers all the while travelling at speeds between 55 and 80 miles per hour.

Some of the dangers associated with semi tractor-trailers are obvious. A significant danger, if not the biggest danger has to do with the law of gross tonnage. This law, generally speaking, states that the vehicle with the highest gross tonnage is going to win in a collision with another vehicle. Obviously semi tractor-trailers weigh a great deal more than a standard passenger car. As such, in a collision, the most damage will be done to the car. As a result most damage will be done to the passengers in the car. Serious and severe injuries often result, such a broken bones, spinal cord injury, brain injury and even wrongful death.

Other dangers with semi tractor-trailers are not so obvious. Take for instance a curve in a highway. Specifically, we are talking about curves that change the direction of travel more than 25 degrees. One of Newton’s rules of physics is at work on these curves. That rule is that things in motion want to travel in a straight line. So, A semi tractor-trailer travelling around a curve will always want to go straight. So if you are driving a passenger car on the right side of a semi tractor-trailer which is travelling on a left direction curve, the truck’s natural path is to its right, into you and your car. A corollary to this is that the truck traveling on that left curve will, if it tips at all, tip onto its right side and onto your car.

The point of this whole discussion is, do not travel on a curve on the outside of a semi tractor-trailer. Zip ahead, or lay back and wait for the curve to end, then continue on your way. We hope this helps you and your family stay just a little bit safer on the roads.

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Indiana Serious Injury Attorneys Talk About Personal Responsibility

John Young — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 15:05:58 +0000

This week, Justice Holifield, a 13 year old student at Harshman Middle School in Indianapolis, along with other students decided to ride with their teacher, Kyle Bieda, to the store to pick up some necessary items for their participation in a band contest. The trip was innocent, no allegations of the type we are used to seeing when a sad story about a student and teacher usually make the papers. Unfortunately, the teacher, Kyle Bieda appears to have failed to yield the right of way to a semi-tractor trailer resulting in a highway accident that resulted in the wrongful death of Justice Holifield. Other students in the car sustained serious injury. We are certain that Kyle Bieda did not intend the harm caused, however, as we all are taught by our mothers, Kyle Bieda is responsible for making up for the harm caused by the negligence.

Kyle Bieda cannot change that his negligence caused Justice Holifield’s death. Kyle Bieda cannot take away the serious injuries to the other students, caused by his negligence. However he can compensate those families by paying for the medical bills, funeral bills and burial costs. He can compensate the families by making up for the pain he caused. He can compensate the families by making up for the loss of love he caused. He does this by being a good citizen and following the law that requires him, and every other driver, to maintain liability insurance on his car. His insurance will make up for the harm he caused as best as humans can possibly do after such a tragedy, by compensating the victims of his negligence.

As Mr. Bieda was taking the children to the store as part of his job, the school corporation’s insurance company will also have a responsibility to help make up for the harm caused. That is because Mr. Bieda’s work is a benefit to the School corporation and therefore the school corporation must share in the responsibility for the harm caused.

Our prayers and hopes go out to the family of Justice Holifield. We hope that he memories will sustain you through this very trying time.

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Wire Barriers on Highways Help Save Lives- Indiana Truck Accident Attorneys

Fred Crow — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 16:01:28 +0000

Dear Hoosiers, I came to work today on roads covered with ice. As I did, I passed a large truck losing control, skidding into the median. The large truck, a semi tractor-trailer came to a stop causing no injury and little damage, though I suspect the driver might have to change his under garments. I thought back to a time when I had seen another such event, only this time there were no wire guards across the median. The truck slid across the median and into the path of a minivan. The small family never stood a chance. It was a horrible collision with no good outcome, or so I thought. Now I think that the collision that took that families life must have led, in part, to the construction of the wire barriers along Indiana major highways. Although they were not in place to save that family (and we will never know what great things the children in that van were capable of maybe they would have solved our energy crisis with some new invention, you never know) those barriers were in place today and stopped that large truck from causing serious injury, or even wrongful death today. Who knows, maybe those barriers saved the life a person who will solve our energy needs. You never know.

On a slightly different note, following up on my discussions about our civil justice system, I want to share with you a thoughtful and insightful article on the topic by Fred Thompson. Some of you may know Mr. Thompson as a former senator from the State of Tennessee. Some of you may know Mr. Thompson from a successful film acting career (See JFK) and TV Acting (See Law and Order).. Most of you will not know Mr. Thompson as a trial lawyer with over thirty years experience in our civil justice system. Mr. Thompson writes based on his experience. I have attached a link to the article. I will say no more as the article speaks for itself.

Read Mr. Thompson’s discussion about our civil justice system

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Ice From Passing Trucks Cause Highway Hazard – Accident Lawyers Young and Young

John Young — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 21:20:44 +0000

Fellow Hoosiers, we have all been dealing with ice in new and unusual circumstances. For the first time in my life I saw children playing hockey, with skates on my front yard. We want to warn you all about an unexpected danger. We are hearing reports that ice is being shed by semi tractor-trailers on our highways. Some of the ice is large enough to damage cars trailing the truck. Some of the ice is large enough to cause drivers to lose control and crash, resulting in injury. If you find yourself with property damage to your car, or injury to your body caused by ice flying off a semi tractor trailer there are a few things you can do. If you are able to obtain the license plate of the truck this is the best thing for you. The license plate number will allow the police or your insurance company to identify the truck. Identifying the truck is essential because this may be the only way for you to identify the trucks insurance company. Whether or not you obtain identifying information for the truck, call the police and make a report. This is important to document the damage to your car and to document the accident for insurance purposes. If other drivers stop and identify themselves as witnesses, obtain their name, address and Telephone number. You will provide this to the police.

If you cannot find out the name of the truckers insurance company, you may need to contact your own insurance company. We recommend that if you have uninsured motorist coverage, you turn in the claim on that insurance. In this instance you will not have to pay a deductible. If you do not have uninsured motorist insurance (If you don’t we highly recommend that you talk with your agent and purchase it. UM coverage is not expensive and protects you against those not responsible enough to purchase coverage) then you will have to file your claim under your comprehensive coverage. If you do have comprehensive coverage you will have to pay the deductible. If you have any questions, please contact Young and Young.

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Indiana Truck Injury Attorney

John Young — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 13:34:00 +0000

Representing Hoosiers seriously injured in large truck accidents has been our job since 1954. As we take only serious injury cases, semi tractor-trailer accidents are a natural part of our work. We represent every aspect of the case. We will investigate the claim, using a wide variety of experts to determine speed, direction of travel, whether the sun played a part in the large truck accident, or if the driver was sleepy from driving more than the driver is legally entitled to drive. We will speak to and work with your doctors about your injuries so that we will know how best to present those injures to a jury so that the jury understands the full impact of those injuries on your life. If you cannot work because of your serious injuries, we will talk with your employer about how much income you are losing and ask them to come to write a report of the lost wages to present to the insurance company. If you are permanently injured and cannot work, we will help you with your application for Social Security Benefits. Representing Hoosiers who have been seriously injured by other has taught us that full representation of our client’s needs makes us Social Security Disability Lawyers also. We have families. We know what pressures there are to care for your family. We know what problems arise when you are seriously injured and cannot work. We are there to help you understand all your options. We are there to make sure your receive fair compensation for all the losses you have.

Sadly we report a large truck accident that has taken the life of two Purdue University students. The semi tractor-trailer accident occurred yesterday September 20, 2010 in Clarks Hill, IN. in Tippecanoe County. For reasons that are not clear, the student driver of the car involved in the accident, Truc Huynh, 18 failed to stop at a stop sign and pulled out in front of the semi tractor-trailer. The impact killed both Huynh and his passenger Ryan W. Lockwood, 18 of Lafayette. The driver of the truck was not cited. It is a sad day for these families, and our condolences go out to them. May you appreciate the good times you shared with your sons, to see you through these dark times.

If you, or a loved one, is involved in a large truck accident, we can help. Although the truck driver in the above story was not at fault, the passenger’s family can make a claim against the insurance company insuring the car in which he was a passenger, for funeral and burial bills as well as other damages. If you have questions, we may be able to help.

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Indiana Truck Accident Lawyer

John Young — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 18:01:51 +0000

Young & Young are Indiana Truck Accident lawyers. We practice out our offices in downtown Indianapolis. Young & Young has been representing Hoosiers injured in truck accidents since 1954. We represent Hoosiers who are injured in large truck accidents, semi tractor-trailer accidents, step van accidents, pickup truck accidents and generally all accidents involving any type of truck. As Young & Young represents only those with serious injuries, it was natural that we handle trucking accident cases. We have represented hundreds and thousands of Hoosier with injuries including brain injury, amputation, spinal cord injury resulting in paralysis including quadriplegia and paraplegia, broken bones, back injuries, blindness and all other serious injuries. The reason for serious injury with large truck accidents is based on the law of gross tonnage. The bigger vehicle in a collision is probably going to cause more damage to the smaller vehicle and the passenger in that vehicle.

The United States Department of Transportation Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration was established to make our road safer for all user of our interstate highway system. In order to do this one of the things being undertaken is a study on the causes of large truck crashes. The Large Truck Crash Causation Study (LTCCS) is based on a three-year data collection project conducted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the U. S. Department of Transportation (DOT). LTCCS is the first-ever national study to attempt to determine the critical events and associated factors that contribute to serious large truck crashes allowing DOT and others to implement effective countermeasures to reduce the occurrence and severity of these crashes. You can download the study data by going to the following link and following the down load instructions. http://ai.fmcsa.dot.gov/ltccs/default.asp.

At Young & Young we have the resources, experience and determination to fully and fairly represent the interests of Hoosiers injured in large truck injury accidents. We guarantee that we will charge no fee unless we obtain fair compensation for you, your family or friends. Contact Young & Young by calling toll free, 1-888-639-5161 and asking for John P. Young. You may also contact Mr. Young on the web at john@youngandyoungin.com. Call today.

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Indiana Truck Accident Lawyer

John Young — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:25:20 +0000

John P. Young is your Indiana Truck Accident Lawyer. Mr. Young has been a partner in the Indianapolis Law Firm of Young and Young for more than 22 years. The firm, started in 1954, has been representing Hoosiers injured in truck accidents since it was founded. We represent Hoosiers injured in large truck accidents, semi tractor-trailer accidents, drunk driver truck crashes and any type of highway accident. Our clients have had to deal with the long term effects of injuries such as broken bones, scarring, burns, paralysis, amputation and wrongful death.

As part of our approach to handling your case, we gather as much evidence about the collision itself, and the motor carrier involved. We find that a company’s safety record is a key piece of evidence when investigating the cause of your truck accident. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration maintains extensive records on the safety of every Carrier on the Road. Now these records are even easier to access. The following, from the FMSCA website, provides the necessary links to this valuable information.

Company Safety Records

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) maintains several Web sites that provide easy access to valuable safety-related information. Users only need a company’s name, USDOT number or motor carrier (MC) number to perform a search. Read the descriptions below to decide what you need.

Search for Motor Carrier Safety Data and find out how the FMCSA uses this data to enhance safety. SafeStat Online combines current and historical safety performance information to measure the relative safety fitness of commercial motor carriers. This information includes Federal and State data on crashes, roadside inspections, on-site compliance review results and enforcement history.

Safety and Fitness Electronic Records (SAFER) System

The Company Snapshot is a free service which provides a concise record of a company’s identification, size, cargo, inspection and out-of-service summary, crash data and safety rating (if any).

The Company Safety Profile (CSP) is a fee-based service that offers more safety-related information about an individual company’s operation, including selected items from inspection and crash reports, and results of any reviews or enforcement actions involving the requested company.

Analysis & Information (A&I) Online

If you are arranging transportation for a group, the Passenger Carrier Safety Web Site helps you select the right vehicle and find the safest passenger carrier companies.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a trucking accident, call your Indiana Truck Accident Lawyer, John P. Young.

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