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Colorado Injury Firm

Lakewood Garbage Truck Accident Lawyer

There has been an unprecedented increase in fatalities associated with recycling and garbage truck accidents, according to the Solid Waste Association in North America. This is due to many factors, including the time by which garbage trucks operate, lack of proper maintenance, and driver error.

If you suffered injuries as a result of a collision with a dump or garbage truck, get in touch with a Lakewood garbage truck accident lawyer today. A professional attorney could take the time to determine your eligibility to obtain monetary damages as well as help you calculate the damages owed to you.

What are the Common Scenarios Involving Garbage Truck Collisions

Garbage trucks are among the most dangerous heavy trucks for several reasons. First, they are often operating early in the morning when the streets are still dark, will start and stop frequently, and will often stop in the middle of the road to save time instead of pulling over.

In addition, they enter and exit alleyways and will frequently pull out of the alley over the sidewalk before adequately checking the sidewalk to the right and left. Even if a check is made, given the blind spot of the garbage truck, they may not see pedestrians on the walkway. City and municipal waste management trucks seem to have a better record than private companies in terms of injuries arising from garbage and recycling trucks, but accidents can still occur nonetheless.

What are the Common Fact Patterns of Garbage Truck Accidents?

Unfortunately, garbage truck accidents often involve pedestrians. This is because garbage truck drivers may not be suspecting someone walking or jogging in the early morning in the presence of a large garbage or recycling truck. In addition, due to the lack of drivers on the road at the time garbage trucks are working, drivers operating these heavy vehicles may feel tempted to ignore any streetlights or traffic signals. Also, considering the tight deadlines some employees are bound by, garbage truck drivers may feel pressured to work long shifts, potentially causing fatigue. Lastly, some trucks will often drive on the wrong side of the road in preparation for the next pickup.

 Who is Held Liable in Garbage Truck Accidents?

It may be that a governmental notice must be made within a prescribed number of days following the accident. If that notice is not given to the government, it may be that the claim is barred. That’s why it’s important for victims of truck accidents involving city vehicles such as garbage and recycling trucks to notify attorneys immediately and retain attorneys immediately, so that they don’t encounter a bar from the governmental entity to the prosecution of the case.

Victims looking to hold the at-fault party accountable for a garbage truck accident are required to file an injury claim against their local government. If a claim is not presented against the government within a prescribed number of days, their claim may be barred no matter the level of validity.

Cases Involving Improperly Maintain Garbage Trucks

If the truck has been improperly maintained and the accident arises as a result of poor maintenance of the truck, the fault may lie with the employer rather than the driver of the truck. If the driver’s violation of the driving statutes or careless operation of their vehicle results in an accident, then it may be the fault of the driver rather than the company for improper maintenance of the vehicle.

This is why it is important to investigate all elements of a garbage or recycling truck accident to determine whether it was the employer through lack of maintenance, whether it was the driver through careless driving, or some combination thereof due to improper training of the driver.

Consult a Lakewood Garbage Truck Accident Attorney Today

Dump and garbage trucks provide an essential service to the benefit of the Lakewood area. However, those who operate these massive vehicles can be prone to error, placing the safety of unsuspecting driver’s in jeopardy.

If you suffered a collision with a garbage or dump truck, get in touch with a Lakewood garbage truck accident lawyer today. Doing so could have a massive benefit on your ability to recoup compensation.

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