Chicago Jackknife Truck Accident Lawyers

A jackknife truck accident is one of the most serious crashes on any roadway in Chicago. They frequently involve several vehicles and can seriously injure dozens of people in an instant. Tragically, the number of people caught up in the carnage of these accidents makes it harder for victims to identify who or what caused the crash in the first place.

If you were injured by a jackknifed truck, you can recover compensation — but only if you act quickly. As time passes, evidence can get lost or forgotten, and you run the risk of exceeding the statute of limitations.

Don’t delay. Contact the experienced commercial truck accident lawyers at Lane Brown, LLC. Our team of experienced personal injury attorneys has spent years helping Chicagoans recover compensation. In that time, we’ve won some of the most complex truck accident cases in Illinois. You can count on us to do the same for you.

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Learn more about jackknife truck accidents and how our team can help you win compensation for your damages:

• What Jackknife Truck Accidents Are and Why They’re Dangerous
• What Causes a Truck to Jackknife?
• Proving Liability in a Jackknife Semi Truck Accident
• What Legal Options Do You Have After a Jackknife Truck Crash?
• What Kind of Compensation Can I Expect?
• Why Choose Lane Brown, LLC for My Truck Accident Claim?
• Jackknife Truck Accident FAQ

What Jackknife Truck Accidents Are and Why They’re Dangerous

A jackknife truck accident happens when a semi-truck cab turns in toward the trailer, creating a sharp “V” shape like a folding pocketknife. This type of accident usually happens in one of two settings. The first, which rarely results in major injuries, is when a truck attempts a sharp turn at low speed and bumps into its own trailer. You usually only see this sort of incident in parking lots or shipping bays.

The second way these accidents happen is when the cab turns sharply, causing the trailer to sway aggressively back toward the cab, creating that same “V” or “L” shape. This type of accident often happens on fast-moving highways, like I-90/94, when a truck driver swerves while moving at a high rate of speed. Sadly, jackknife semi-truck crashes usually involve several vehicles, and due to the massive size and weight of commercial trucks, these accidents cause devastating injuries.

In many cases, due to the number of parties involved in these crashes, accident victims are left waiting weeks or even months for compensation. During that time, medical bills pile up, placing victims in a difficult financial position.

Lane Brown, LLC has handled countless truck accident claims and knows firsthand how injuries and financial strain can impact victims’ lives. That’s why we work tirelessly to hold negligent parties accountable and secure compensation that reflects the full scope of your injuries. We have been negotiating high-dollar settlements for over 30 years.

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What Causes a Truck to Jackknife?

A combination of factors tends to cause jackknife truck accidents. In the Midwest, Chicago’s notoriously bad potholes, combined with inclement weather conditions like rain, ice, or snow, make it difficult for big rigs to maintain stability.

When trucks ride into a deep pothole and blow a tire or lose traction on ice, they can veer sharply and jackknife. And when a truck’s trailer swings wildly, other cars on the road end up paying the price.

Proving Liability in a Jackknife Semi Truck Accident

Truck accidents, unlike car accidents, have several potentially liable parties, including:

• Truck drivers: In many cases, the truck driver is liable for an accident. Usually, the actions a truck driver took before their vehicle jackknifed directly led to the crash. For instance, if a truck driver speeds, changes lanes dangerously, or follows vehicles too closely, they are likely to be at fault for the accident.
• Trucking companies: Logistics companies have some control over what a truck driver does. They also control who they hire, and in many cases, how well their vehicles are maintained. When a trucking company forces drivers to operate in poor weather conditions and skip industry-mandated breaks, they can be held liable for any injuries. They may also be found negligent if they hire unqualified drivers or fail to maintain their trucks.
• Cargo loaders: Third-party companies that load semi-truck trailers are responsible for more jackknife accidents than you might expect. When cargo is poorly secured, it can topple and shift the weight distribution in the trailer. This can cause drivers to lose control and jackknife the truck.
• Municipalities: While uncommon, a city can be held accountable for its poor road maintenance practices. If a large pothole or patch of ice causes an accident and the city was aware that the location presented a danger to drivers, it could be held liable.

In all cases, proving liability after a truck crash requires the help of an experienced attorney. A lawyer in this field can gather evidence showing what caused the crash, and then pursue compensation from the party at fault.

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What Legal Options Do You Have After a Jackknife Truck Crash?

After a jackknife truck accident, there are a few ways you can recover compensation, including:

• Personal injury claim: If you sustained severe injuries during a jackknife truck accident, you can file a claim against the negligent party. These claims hold negligent drivers and trucking companies responsible for the damages they’ve caused.
• Wrongful death claim: If your spouse or loved one was killed in a truck accident, you have the right to file a wrongful death claim. These claims can be made to include compensation for funeral expenses, property damage, loss of emotional support, and loss of earnings.

Filing a personal injury or wrongful death claim can earn you fair and full compensation, and both require the help of an attorney. Fortunately, Lane Brown, LLC has decades of experience fighting these cases. Even better, hiring our team costs nothing unless we win.

What Kind of Compensation Can I Expect?

Victims may be entitled to several types of compensation after a jackknife truck accident in Chicago, including:

• Lost wages: Compensation for income lost while recovering from injuries.
• Future wages: Reimbursement for decreased earning capacity due to permanent disability or long-term injury.
• Medical expenses: Coverage for past and future medical treatments, hospital stays, surgeries, rehabilitation, medication, and related care.
• Property damage: Payment for repairs or replacement of vehicles and personal property damaged in the crash.
• Pain and suffering: Compensation for physical pain and emotional distress caused by the accident.

At Lane Brown, LLC, we work to get jackknife semi-truck accident victims everything they’re legally owed. We’ll push to have every applicable type of compensation included in your total settlement.

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Why Choose Lane Brown, LLC for My Truck Accident Claim?

The aftermath of a truck accident is always overwhelming. Shortly after your crash, you’re dealing with injuries, financial difficulties, and even emotional trauma. Lane Brown, LLC, is here to fight for compensation on your behalf so you can focus on recovering from your crash.

Our capable truck accident attorneys have spent decades helping people just like you get the largest possible settlements after a crash. We’ll push hard to get you what you’re owed, so you can focus on recovering from your injuries.

Proud Advocates for Residents Across Chicago and Illinois

Get Your Claim Started Today

Under Illinois law, you have only two years from the date of your accident to file a lawsuit. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Contact the trusted Chicago jackknife truck accident lawyers at Lane Brown, LLC, now to schedule a free case evaluation. We are available 24/7, including weekends and holidays, so if you need to speak to a legal expert, you can call us and reach a legal expert, anytime of the day or night.

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Jackknife Truck Accident FAQ

Do jackknife accidents always result in rollovers?

No, jackknife accidents don’t always cause rollovers. However, these two accident types are closely linked and have a high likelihood of occurring together when a truck is speeding. Here’s a detailed explanation of each accident type and some examples of how they can lead to one another:

• Jackknife: Jackknifing happens when a trailer swings out from a semi-truck at a sharp angle. This creates a “V” or “L” shape. This type of accident tends to happen when a truck brakes aggressively or swerves, causing the trailer to move independently of the cab.
• Rollover: Rollovers happen when a truck topples onto its side or flips and rolls multiple times. Due to the size and weight of semi-trucks, multi-roll incidents are rare and primarily happen when a truck falls down a steep incline.

When a truck jackknifes at low speeds, rollovers rarely happen. However, if the truck is on a freeway or highway and traveling in excess of 55 miles per hour, the risk of a rollover due to jackknifing increases dramatically. This is because all the forward momentum of the trailer and the cab carries into the corner of the “V” or “L” shape. When all that momentum concentrates into that area, the truck can rock onto its side and roll over.

It’s important to note that a jackknife truck accident doesn’t have to result in a rollover to be serious. The real danger of jackknifing is when the truck’s trailer swings across multiple lanes of traffic and wrecks dozens of cars at once.