Commercial trucks do a lot to keep America running. They transport every kind of freight around the country. Some areas have more commercial truck activity than others, though.
For instance, Texas highways see more than 1.2 billion tons of freight yearly. Many different trucking companies operate in that region.
The drivers of smaller vehicles generally know to try and stay out of the way of these commercial trucks when they see them on the roads. These vehicles take up so much more space, and they’re so much larger and heavier than the average family sedan.
As a driver, you can sustain damage from a commercial truck in more ways than one, though. One of these trucks can always nudge you on the road and cause serious damage, but you might also see commercial trucks cause lost load accidents.
We’ll discuss those now. You should know what to do if you ever experience one.
What Does the Term “Lost Load Accident” Mean?
The term “lost load accident” when you’re talking about commercial trucks means one of these vehicles loses part of its load and the lost articles or items damage another car or truck nearby. Lost loads can also damage the roadway itself, storefronts, or anything else around.
Most trucking companies know to secure their loads inside the flatbed as carefully as possible. They know the damage that can occur if part of a load goes flying out.
If a lost load accident occurred, then probably two things happened. Not only did the trucking company or the individuals who packed the flatbed fail to secure all articles or items in the load properly, but they also failed to securely lock or latch the back of the tailgate.
If that combination happens, then a truck that bounces over a bump in the highway or on a local road can send part of its freight flying out of the back. That can easily injure or kill another driver. It may also harm a pedestrian who is close to the truck at the time, a cyclist, or any other person who is unlucky enough to be in the truck’s proximity.
Now, let’s talk about what you should do as a fellow driver if there’s a lost load commercial truck accident that harms you or your vehicle.
First, See Whether You Have Any Injuries
Let’s imagine a scenario for a moment. You’re driving on the highway when you get close to a commercial truck. Maybe you can’t keep a safe distance from it because the traffic pattern at that particular moment forces you toward the much larger vehicle.
The truck goes over a bump, and the rear door flies open. Part of the freight in the flatbed flies out and hits your vehicle.
If that happens, then you will need to asses whether you have any injuries. Presumably, the truck driver stopped if they noticed they lost part of their load.
Call 911 if you have a smartphone on you. Since most people carry them now, you will likely have one readily available. If you don’t happen to have one, then the trucker can call the authorities, or perhaps another driver in a passing car can do it for you.
If you’ve sustained a serious injury, then stay where you are. Hopefully an ambulance will come for you sooner rather than later.
Get Your Vehicle Off the Road
If you’re able to, try to get your vehicle out of the road as well. This presupposes that you’re not badly injured, and also the lost load that struck your car did not damage it enough so that you can’t start the engine and move it.
It is vital that you get your vehicle off the highway after an accident. Other cars will keep coming at a high rate of speed, and it’s likely one of them could hit your disabled vehicle if you leave it in the roadway.
If you can, try to get it onto the shoulder. If there’s a grassy berm alongside the highway, then you could park the car there as well.
Talk to the Police
When the police arrive, give them your statement, assuming the crash didn’t hurt you badly. If the accident injured you, then you need to get to the nearest hospital so a doctor can assess your injuries. You can talk to the police later if that happens.
Assuming you didn’t injure yourself badly, you can tell the police about the truck losing part of its load and hitting your vehicle. The police can give you a copy of the accident report.
That will feature the trucker’s name, the trucking company’s name that they work for, and other relevant details. You may need that report later if you end up suing the trucker or their company.
Contact a Lawyer
You’ll likely want to contact a lawyer in the aftermath. You will need to contact your car insurance company and let them know what happened as well.
If you are in a no-fault state, then your insurance company should pay for your medical bills, your lost wages if you have to miss any work, and the cost to repair your vehicle. If you are in an at-fault state, then the trucker’s insurance must cover those damages.
If part of a commercial truck’s load hit your vehicle, you probably have grounds for a lawsuit. You can talk that over with a qualified personal injury lawyer. If you can find one who knows about these cases and this specific area of the law, that’s great. They can help determine if suing the trucker or trucking company makes sense.
If part of a load flew out of the back of a truck and injured you, damaged your vehicle, or both, you can probably establish negligence. These kinds of accidents usually only occur if the trucking company did a shoddy job packing the products in the back of the vehicle or securing them.
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