Pennsylvania Underride Truck Accident Attorney
Underride accidents are among the deadliest types of truck crashes. These catastrophic collisions occur when a smaller vehicle slides underneath a tractor-trailer, often shearing off the roof and causing fatal or life-altering injuries. At Siddons Law Firm, we represent victims and families devastated by underride truck accidents throughout Pennsylvania.
What Is an Underride Truck Accident?
An underride accident happens when a passenger vehicle travels beneath the trailer of a large commercial truck. Because the trailer sits significantly higher than the hood of most cars, the smaller vehicle can become wedged underneath, with the trailer crushing the passenger compartment. These crashes can occur from the rear or the side of a truck and are almost always catastrophic.
Rear Underride Accidents
Rear underride crashes occur when a car strikes the back of a stopped, slow-moving, or decelerating truck. Federal law requires rear underride guards on trailers, but many guards are inadequately designed, improperly maintained, or fail upon impact. When these guards fail, the results are devastating.
Side Underride Accidents
Side underride accidents happen when a vehicle slides beneath the side of a trailer during a turn, lane change, or at an intersection. Currently, federal law does not require side underride guards, despite overwhelming evidence that they save lives. The NTSB has repeatedly recommended mandatory side underride protection, but FMCSA has not yet implemented this requirement.
Common Causes of Underride Crashes
Our investigation into underride accidents frequently reveals negligence by trucking companies and drivers. Common causes include trucks stopped on roadways without adequate reflective tape or warning devices, missing or defective rear underride guards that fail to meet FMCSA standards, trucks making wide turns across traffic lanes, poor visibility due to inadequate lighting or reflectors on trailers, trucking companies failing to maintain or replace damaged underride guards, and drivers failing to use hazard lights when stopped or slow-moving.
Injuries in Underride Truck Accidents
The nature of underride collisions means injuries are typically severe or fatal. The roof of the passenger vehicle is crushed or sheared away, exposing occupants to direct impact with the trailer structure. Common injuries include traumatic brain injuries and skull fractures, decapitation and fatal head trauma, spinal cord injuries and paralysis, severe facial and neck lacerations, crush injuries to the chest and upper body, and wrongful death.
Federal Regulations and Underride Guard Requirements
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (49 CFR 393.86) require rear impact guards on most trailers manufactured after 1998. These guards must meet specific strength and energy absorption requirements. However, many underride guards on the road today are outdated, damaged, or never met current standards. Our attorneys thoroughly investigate whether the truck and trailer involved in your crash complied with all applicable FMCSA regulations regarding underride protection equipment.
The Stop Underrides Act
Congress has repeatedly introduced the Stop Underrides Act, which would require side underride guards and strengthen rear guard standards. While this legislation has not yet passed, it reflects the growing recognition that current regulations are insufficient. Our firm stays at the forefront of underride crash litigation and uses the latest safety research to build the strongest possible case for our clients.
Proving Liability in Underride Accident Cases
Underride cases often involve multiple liable parties. The trucking company may be liable for failing to maintain underride guards or equipping trailers with substandard protection. The truck or trailer manufacturer may bear responsibility if the underride guard was defectively designed. The trailer owner, if different from the trucking company, may be liable for maintenance failures. Our legal team works with accident reconstruction experts and engineering specialists to determine exactly how and why the underride guard failed to protect you.
Compensation for Underride Accident Victims
Given the severity of underride crash injuries, compensation in these cases is often substantial. Victims and their families may recover damages for emergency medical care and long-term treatment, permanent disability and loss of function, wrongful death and funeral expenses, lost income and diminished earning capacity, pain and suffering, and loss of companionship for surviving family members.
Why Choose Siddons Law Firm for Your Underride Accident Case
Underride truck accident cases require specialized knowledge of federal trucking regulations, trailer manufacturing standards, and crash dynamics. Attorney Michael Siddons brings focused experience in truck accident litigation, a deep understanding of FMCSA underride guard requirements, and a commitment to holding negligent trucking companies accountable. We handle every aspect of your case while you focus on recovery.
Free Consultation for Underride Accident Victims
If you or a loved one was injured or killed in an underride truck accident in Pennsylvania, time is critical. Evidence must be preserved and the truck and trailer must be inspected before repairs are made. Contact Siddons Law Firm today at (215) 513-2121 for a free, confidential consultation. We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we win your case.