Jackknifing Accidents

Statewide Trucking Accident Attorneys — (859) 253-0088

Commercial trucks and tractor-trailers are commonly constructed as articulated vehicles, which means they have a cab, where the driver sits, and a trailer, where the cargo is contained. Due to the construction of these commercial rigs, trucks and tractor-trailers can be difficult to maneuver, slow, and hard to stop. They can also easily lose control. Sometimes, this causes trucks to jackknife.

Jackknifing accidents involve trucks that fold at the point where the cab and trailer connect. They earned their name because trailers can swing and make 90-degree angles that resemble folding pocketknives. While the comparison to a folding knife is simple, jackknifing trucks can cause devastating accidents, injuries, and deaths caused by heavy swinging trailers containing cargo. If a truck jackknifes along a freeway, such as Kentucky's busy I-75, it can block and endanger all lanes at once.

Our Lexington truck accident attorneys at Goeing Law have leveraged extensive experience to recover millions of dollars in compensation on behalf of injured victims and families throughout Kentucky, including victims harmed in all types of truck accidents. If you or a loved one has been harmed in a jackknife accident or any other wreck involving a commercial vehicle, you can feel confident about bestowing your trust in our proven team to guide you along your personal injury claim and toward the financial compensation you deserve.

What Causes a Truck to Jackknife?

Articulated trucks are prone to jackknife accidents as a result of their construction, but there are many outside factors that can increase the likelihood of jackknifing. These include:

• Excessive speed
• Swerving or sudden stops
• Improperly loaded cargo
• Tired drivers
• Drunk or drugged driving
• Curving roads or steep inclines
• Poor weather
• Equipment malfunction

Determining the cause of a jackknifing accident is critical to determining who can be held at fault and liable for victims’ damages, including pain and suffering, lost income, and medical bills. By conducting investigations, our legal team can pinpoint whether violations may have led to the crash, or whether negligence committed by drivers and operators more likely than not caused accidents and injuries. Because trucking companies have a legal obligation to abide by trucking regulations and take reasonable steps in protecting the public from preventable harm, they can be held accountable for their failures.