Baytown’s flat terrain and proximity to Galveston Bay make the city particularly susceptible to inclement weather conditions. When those conditions cause bad weather truck accidents in Baytown, other motorists can suffer grievous injuries.
The truck accident and injury lawyers at Schechter Shaffer & Harris have recovered millions of dollars in damages for individuals who have suffered serious injuries in accidents with semi-trucks. We have an in-depth understanding of truck operation and technology, and know how bad weather can substantially increase the risk of accidents if the truck’s driver does not adapt to that weather.
How Bad Weather Increases Truck Accident Risks
Rain, heavy wind, fog, and other adverse weather conditions in Baytown can increase truck driving hazards and the risks of accidents by several orders of magnitude. Consider:
- Wet conditions reduce tire traction, cause hydroplaning, increase a loaded truck’s braking distance, and exacerbate the risks of jack-knifing
- Heavy or gusty cross winds against broad trailer surfaces can push trucks out of driving lanes, cause rollovers, and reduce the stability of lighter or unloaded trucks
- Rain and fog substantially reduce visibility and limit a truck driver’s ability to react to changing traffic conditions
- Storms can force trucks to make wider turns as winds push trailers out of a turning arc.
Federal Regulations Impose a Higher Duty of Care When Weather is Bad
Section 392.14 of the Federal Motor Safety Carrier Regulations requires truckers to exercise “extreme caution” when bad weather “adversely affect visibility or traction.” Drivers who cause Baytown truck accidents in any kind of bad weather are inevitably liable for negligence when they violate this regulation.
To show that violation, an experienced truck accident lawyer will combine evidence from the driver’s paper and electronic logs, police reports about the accident, eyewitness testimony, and data from truck accident reconstruction experts. When that evidence demonstrates that the driver did not adjust his driving to prevailing conditions during a storm or other weather event, the lawyer will have a clear argument that the driver failed to exercise the required extreme caution.
Preserve All Evidence When You Are Injured in a Bad Weather Truck Accident
Your top priority when you are injured in a Baytown truck accident, regardless of weather conditions, should be to tend to your injuries. Then, in view of the importance of evidence in your case, you should collect and retain all evidence about the crash, including:
- Photographs of the accident scene
- Contact information from everyone involved and any bystanders or eyewitnesses
- Police reports
- Weather reports specific to the time of the accident from credible sources.
Do not discard any property that was damaged or destroyed in the accident, as that property may offer further proof of a truck driver’s failure to exercise the necessary extreme caution for prevailing weather condition.
In every case, contact a truck accident attorney as soon as you can to begin the process of developing your bad weather truck accident claims while all available evidence is still fresh.
Call our Baytown Attorneys After a Bad Weather-Related Truck Crash
Our combination of local knowledge and legal experience have fostered our high reputation as the premier attorneys for lawsuits involving bad weather truck accidents in Baytown.
Please call any of our offices to schedule a complimentary consultation with a team member after you have suffered serious injuries in a crash. If you retain our services and we accept your case, we will fight to recover the largest available damages award to compensate you for your losses and injuries.
