Snowplow accident

Snowplows are life-savers for many residents in Illinois during our cold winters. Although they are very useful, they can also be very dangerous in some cases to those in its vicinity. If you or a loved one were injured in a snowplow accident, contact us for a free consultation to see if you may be entitled to compensation.

What kinds of accidents and injuries can occur?

Snowplow accidents can be devastating due to their enormous size. When they collide with another vehicle, the other party is often much more injured and damaged. A snowplow accident can occur due to failure to obey traffic laws, driver fatigue, driving irresponsibly under inclement weather conditions, distracted driving, or drunk driving. In any of these cases, one party’s negligence while driving around others would be the cause of the accident and resulting injuries. Also, a snowplow accident maybe due to driver inexperience or poorly trained drivers. Snowplows are very large and relatively intricate vehicles to operate, so drivers should be properly trained before taking the wheel. Snowplow accidents may also occur due to defects in the truck which cause malfunctions.

Snowplow accidents can occur when another vehicle attempts to overtake the snowplow. Other drivers must understand that the road is in the best condition behind the snowplow. Overtaking the snowplow may make for a far more dangerous situation as the plow moves much of the snow ahead of it to its side; the side on which the driver chooses to overtake the truck may be the side that snow has been pushed aside. They may also risk clipping the “plow” of the truck.

There is also the risk of keeping a dangerous following distance from a snowplow. Since the trucks are so large, it may be difficult to see how the conditions ahead of them may affect their driving, especially in snowy conditions. Drivers may follow snowplows too closely and crash into them when the snowplow runs into a risky condition. Injuries that result can be whiplash, concussions, broken bones, neck and back injuries, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, fractured bones, and much more.

Who is liable?

Negligence is the basis of these types of accident lawsuits. Negligence occurs when one party breaches the duty of care that they owe to others on the road and injuries directly resulting from the accident. If a snowplow accident is due to driver fatigue, drunk driving, irresponsibly driving under inclement weather conditions, distracted driving, or reckless driving, then whoever displayed negligence in the accident would be liable for the damages. This may entail an attorney investigating the accident and going over any possible footage to see who is at fault.

If the accident was due to driver inexperience or a poorly trained driver, then the business or municipality that owns the snowplow or hired the driver can be liable for negligent hiring. They are liable since they hired an individual who is unqualified to complete a task that can put others in danger as they do so. Also, if there is a defect in the snowplow, the manufacturer of the truck can be liable under product liability laws for releasing a faulty product to the public which can hurt others. If the defect is due to a lack of inspection or maintenance on the truck, the truck’s owner (the business or municipality) may be liable for neglecting to maintain its proper functioning.

If the accident was due to a driver overtaking the snowplow or keeping too close of the following distance, the other driver would likely be liable for damages. This is because they should reasonably see or know that taking those actions would be dangerous. If there are no signs indicating any danger to others on the back of the snowplow, the case may get more intricate and complicated. It is always best to consult an attorney to get their opinion on what kind of case you are working with.

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Helping our clients is about counseling, advocating, and ultimately solving problems. With years of experience successfully representing the people, not the powerful, we will take care of the insurance adjusters, your medical bills, your property damage, your lost wages, and monitor your treatment so you can focus on healing and getting your life back to normal. Our unique formula has earned us over 950 outstanding client reviews on our website, an A+ BBB rating, and over 130 five-star reviews on Google. Call 888-572-0176, email us at michael@agrusslawfirm.com, or schedule a meeting with us here. We’re here 24/7.