Large commercial trucks often need added space to complete a turn. The truck driver may first move away from the intended direction before steering through an intersection, which can place nearby vehicles in a narrowing gap beside the trailer. When this maneuver is poorly planned or inadequately signaled, other drivers can be struck or trapped beneath the truck.
A Katy wide turn truck accident lawyer could examine how the driver managed the turn and whether they used reasonable care. At KGS Law PLLC, our truck crash attorneys could assess physical evidence and carrier records to identify the conduct that caused the crash and prepare a claim for your medical needs and financial losses.
What Can Go Wrong During a Truck’s Wide Turn?
A wide turn is not automatically negligent. The question is whether the truck driver chose a safe position and signaled the movement while watching the space around their vehicle. Fault may arise when a driver swings into an adjacent lane or begins turning without checking mirrors. A collision can occur when the trailer tracks across a lane occupied by another driver.
Texas Transportation Code § 545.101 requires a truck driver making a right turn at an intersection to stay as close as practicable to the right-hand curb. Tex. Transp. Code § 545.103 allows a turn only when the movement can be made safely, and Tex. Transp. Code § 545.104 requires an appropriate signal. Our Katy attorneys could show how a violation of these rules for wide turns contributed to the semi-truck crash.
Large trucks also have substantial blind areas, so drivers must account for other vehicles that can be hidden from view. The motor carrier’s practices may require review too. The claim could extend beyond the driver if the company’s poor training or supervision contributed to unsafe turns by its operators.
Evidence Used To Determine Responsibility
Wide turn collisions often produce competing accounts. The truck driver may contend that the injured motorist entered a blind spot or tried to pass on the right, so the investigation should focus on objective evidence early. Relevant proof could include:
- Intersection video
- Dashcam recordings
- Electronic logging data
- Photographs of the vehicles’ final positions
- Driver qualification files
- Inspection records
Our Katy crash attorneys could review evidence carefully to address issues such as the tractor-trailer’s path during the wide turn or the carrier’s safety controls. Preservation letters are important because carriers may keep some records only briefly. Witness interviews and inspections place those materials in context. Together, the evidence could show whether the driver signaled in time and left adequate space for surrounding traffic.
Compensation Under State Law
An injured person may seek compensation for medical treatment and lost income. A claim could also address reduced earning capacity or physical impairment when the effects continue past the initial recovery.
Texas follows a proportionate responsibility system. Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 33.001 bars recovery when a claimant is assigned more than 50 percent of the responsibility. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 33.012 reduces the recovery by the assigned percentage when that share is 50 percent or less. When insurers attempt to shift fault for the commercial truck’s wide turn collision by emphasizing your lane position or passing conduct, our attorneys in Katy could challenge them.
Most personal injury lawsuits must be filed within two years of the injury under Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003. Although exceptions could apply, early investigation usually means better access to video and witnesses before the company purges any records.
Call a Katy Attorney for Your Wide Turn Truck Wreck Case
A wide turn crash requires analysis of the entire maneuver, not just the point of impact. The truck’s approach and the trailer’s movement often explain why the collision happened.
A Katy wide turn truck accident lawyer at KGS Law PLLC could evaluate the available evidence and handle communications with insurers. Contact our office today to discuss your case.