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Houston, TX 77027

GARBAGE TRUCK ACCIDENT

PRACTICE AREAS

Houston Garbage Truck Accident Attorney

Garbage trucks operate to complete a very specific and essential task in neighborhoods all over the country. These waste collection vehicles pick up garbage, recyclable materials, and other waste to take it to landfills, recycling facilities, or treatment plants. In other words, it’s not hard to see why they’re so important in modern society. However, many people don’t even think of a garbage truck accident as a possibility.

On a regular basis, we see these vehicles on the roadways and in our communities. Unfortunately, if a trash truck collides with a car, motorbike, or pedestrian, the results can be devastating, even lethal. Reich & Binstock’s garbage truck accident and personal injury lawyers have a lot of experience working with garbage truck businesses. We fight for accident victims all throughout Texas. Call Reich & Binstock today at 713-622-7271 or fill out our online intake form if you need skilled legal counsel for your case.

What Are Common Causes of Garbage Truck Crashes?

A garbage truck accident might seem an unlikely occurrence, but all sorts of causes exist for these crashes. Below, we list some of the most common causes of waste management accidents in Texas.

  • Driver Error: Due to poor driver training and overworked collectors, ordinary human mistakes such as abrupt stops, unlawful lane changes, and failing to check mirrors before merging may be deadly behind the wheel.
  • Tight Deadlines: Garbage truck drivers have a strict collection schedule to adhere to. Drivers may try to make up time by speeding through residential neighborhoods or failing to come to a complete stop at junctions, increasing the danger of pedestrian accidents and side-impact injuries.
  • Extreme Weight: Garbage trucks, like commercial trucks, are significantly heavier than smaller vehicles, making them more difficult to stop quickly and more likely to inflict major damage when colliding.
  • Maintenance Issues: Many trucking companies may skip mandated inspections or skimp on safety requirements, returning unserviced cars to municipal streets.
  • Visibility Problems: Backover incidents involving pedestrians, bicycles, and young children crossing behind the trash truck are common fatalities for garbage truck victims.
  • Other Causes: These include driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, distracted driving, failing to enforce certain regulations, and dangerous or defective parts.

Why Is the Average Car No Match for a Garbage Truck?

Because of their modest pace, you may believe that your life is not in danger during a waste management accident. This isn’t always the case, though. A garbage truck is far more powerful than the average passenger car. Almost every time, the passenger car sustains greater damage than the garbage collection truck. Garbage trucks are frequently involved in rear-end crashes as a result of their unusual driving patterns. They make numerous stops on the job, and even a split second of distraction might result in a garbage truck accident.

Furthermore, these trucks are frequently quite huge and hefty. Their design prevents them from moving and operating as smoothly as a passenger vehicle. Poor visibility, many blind spots, and slower stopping speeds are all features of these vehicles. Due to their sluggish pace and frequent stops, many passenger car drivers seek to pass trash trucks. Unfortunately, this results in a lot of accidents.

What To Do After a Garbage Truck Accident?

As soon as possible after your accident, we recommend the following steps.

  • Get medical help. Even if your injuries appear minor, it is critical that you get medical treatment. Because a vehicle or truck collision frequently causes a surge of adrenaline in your body, you may not experience pain for several days. Furthermore, traumatic brain injuries are notoriously difficult to diagnose; you may not notice the consequences of brain damage right away, so it’s critical to see a specialist.
  • File a police report. Make certain that the police have a copy of the accident report. This report will include vital information that you will need if you need to submit a claim later. Similarly, if you are injured on the job, report the incident to your boss as soon as possible.
  • Gather information. Get the names, addresses, and phone numbers of all persons involved at the scene, including witnesses, if you are physically able. Obtain the names and badge numbers of any policemen who arrive on the scene.
  • Take pictures. Take pictures of the collision, the cars involved, the surrounding area, and any physical injuries you may find. A cell phone is a very useful tool.
  • Call an attorney. No matter how minor you might think the accident was, personal injury cases have the potential to be very complicated. Hiring an experienced Houston personal injury attorney is the best way to avoid unnecessary complications.

What Are Common Injuries After a Garbage Truck Accident?

Unfortunately, many garbage truck incidents include bikers and little children. This might be because big vehicles frequently operate on residential roads and take up a large section of the road. Children might easily become sidetracked while playing outside and wind up in the path of a garbage truck. Cyclists are also at risk since they are forced to ride on the sidewalk or alongside these vehicles on small residential streets. Below, we include common injuries sustained in a garbage truck accident.

Who Is Liable in a Houston Garbage Truck Accident?

Determining responsibility in a garbage truck collision, like many other commercial vehicle accidents in Texas, can be challenging at times. An accident can sometimes be caused by a driver’s carelessness. Other times, it’s the company’s fault. The sources of responsibility in a garbage truck accident are discussed below.

  • Garbage truck driver: These drivers, like all other commercial vehicle drivers, must follow the FMCSA’s laws and regulations. Distracted driving, intoxicated driving, neglecting to observe traffic regulations, failing to check blind areas, and many other behaviors are examples of irresponsible driving. If a garbage truck driver is determined to be at fault, they may be held responsible for your injuries.
  • Manufacturer: Manufacturers of vehicle components occasionally offer faulty parts. These faulty pieces of equipment have the potential to cause a garbage truck accident. Any manufacturer whose product causes an accident may be held responsible for any injuries sustained as a result. This is also covered under product liability legislation. Brakes, wheels, steering columns, and other elements are examples of parts that cause accidents.
  • Maintenance crew: Every commercial vehicle has certain standards of maintenance and upkeep, including garbage trucks. A maintenance team might be held responsible for an accident if they fail to properly maintain a truck.
  • Truck’s company: Trucking companies are responsible for hiring experienced drivers. They might be held liable if they try to save money by hiring an unskilled driver or failing to offer training.
  • Local or state government: All highways are the responsibility of the local and state governments. Trucks may be involved in accidents if road conditions are hazardous because of government neglect. Potholes, bad design, defective traffic signals, lack of adequate signage, and other hazardous situations are just a few examples.

Can a Personal Injury Lawyer Help If I’ve Been Injured by a Garbage Truck in Houston?

Absolutely. Personal injury attorneys fight for the rights of garbage truck accident victims, as well as other accident victims. We fight on behalf of victims rather than enabling waste management and insurance firms to take advantage of them. Why should you have to suffer even more since the accident was not your fault? Filing a lawsuit against businesses, manufacturers, or government agencies necessitates finances, expertise, and time that the typical citizen lacks. Personal injury law offices have everything you need for a successful settlement. Because the legal procedure might be intimidating, don’t put off hiring the best Houston personal injury attorney for your case.

Contact Our Houston Garbage Truck Accident Lawyers

If you or someone you know sustained injuries in a Houston garbage truck accident, you deserve just compensation. Reich & Binstock’s Houston garbage truck accident lawyers provide protection and advocacy for victims unlike any other practice in Texas. We maintain that victims are entitled to monetary compensation for their injuries, and we fight for it. Our office has served as a victim’s advocate in the Houston region since its inception. We’ve recovered millions of dollars for our clients and assisted them and their families in dealing with the aftermath of serious personal injuries. If you have been injured in a waste management accident and want to learn more about what sets us apart, please contact us for a free consultation. Call us at 713-622-7271 or fill out our online intake form today. Our Houston Car Accident Lawyers at Reich and Binstock are here to help.

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