Houston Garbage Truck Accident Lawyers

Depending on the type of truck and the weight of its load, a garbage truck may weigh tens of thousands of pounds. Your standard side loader trash truck can carry 30,000 pounds of waste, and a commercial roll off truck can carry about 20,000 pounds. A collision with a vehicle and load of this magnitude can easily spell disaster—most often for the occupants of other vehicles, not the driver of the garbage truck.

If you were driving, walking, or cycling in the Houston area and you were hit by a garbage truck, you should first seek medical attention. If you’re not taken to the emergency room right away, exchange information with the other driver and take pictures of the scene if you can. Then see your doctor or visit your local urgent care center or emergency room to get a medical evaluation and whatever treatment you need.

Once you’ve seen a doctor, take this opportunity to talk to an attorney about your rights. You may be facing thousands, tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills and lost earnings. You may be dealing with significant emotional trauma. An attorney who has experience with Houston garbage truck accident cases can handle your claim and all communication with the insurance company so you don’t have to.

The right attorney can pursue the compensation you need to rebuild and move on with your life.

Most garbage truck collisions can be traced to the negligent or illegal conduct of a driver. This may be the driver of the truck or another motorist and may include drunk driving, driving while distracted, speeding, or violating a traffic law. Other garbage truck accidents may be caused by fatigued or overworked truck drivers, negligently maintained trucks, defective truck or auto parts, or dangerous roads. Finding out what caused your collision can help our attorneys build a strong case that helps you recover the compensation you deserve.

Dump Truck Accidents on Construction Sites

Frequently, dump truck accidents involve construction workers. In fact, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in a 15-year period, more than 800 construction workers were killed in incidents involving dump trucks. Breaking down the data further, 343 of those fatalities were workers who were outside of the vehicles.

Some of the ways dump truck operators and workers can reduce these accidents include:

• All dump truck operators should wear seat belts;
• Dump trucks should not dump at riverbanks or embankments;
• Cameras and radar should be used to enforce stopping at railway crossings; and
• All dump trucks should have a backup alarm, spotter, or other method to warn about blind spots.

Unfortunately, these safety recommendations are not always followed—and the results can be catastrophic. Injured workers or individuals can often suffer serious medical obstacles long after the accident took place.

Commercial Licensing for Drivers of Dump & Garbage Trucks

Licensing requirements differ from state to state, but those who drive dump and garbage trucks are required to be specially trained to do so. Most states require some degree of a commercial driver's license (CDL). In cooperation with the Department of Transportation (DOT), a potential driver must pass an examination and may have to pass a drug test, as well.

The DOT requires that drivers wishing to obtain a Commercial Driver’s License must comply with these regulations:

• Must be at least 21 years old (although some states do not hold to this standard)
• Must never drive with a BAC above 0.04%

If a driver does not have the proper licensing and causes an accident, they and their employer may be held liable for any damages.

Garbage / Dump Trucks & Pedestrian Safety

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has detailed information on how to decrease the amount of injuries caused by dump and garbage trucks. Up high on the list of accidents reported against the industry are "struck by" accidents, which involve pedestrians being struck by a moving garbage or dump truck.

According to statistics, nearly 30% of these types of accidents are due to:

• Backing up without adequate visibility
• Poor blind spot checking
• Failure to adhere to warning sounds

To help prevent these tragic accidents, garbage and dump trucks all come equipped with side mirrors and loud “beepers” that are intended to notify people when they are backing up. However, passenger vehicle drivers can often speed up or illegally try to pass dump trucks, often causing accidents due to lack of visibility beyond the truck. Even with the beepers and other safety features in place, garbage and dump trucks can still hit pedestrians, causing severe injuries.