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    Dallas Garbage Truck Lawyer

    Have you been in a car accident with a garbage truck? If so, it’s time to exercise your rights. Garbage truck accidents can cause severe damage to your vehicle, as well as injuries and even fatalities. If you’re dealing with the fallout from a garbage truck accident, you deserve compensation.

    Garbage trucks are a common sight in Dallas. They are an essential part of public sanitation. These large vehicles help keep our city clean by transporting waste from homes and businesses to proper treatment facilities. Without waste disposal services, our Texas communities wouldn’t be a pleasant place to live.

    Yet despite all the ways garbage trucks help our cities, they can also be responsible for brutal automotive accidents. According to OSHA, there were 11 fatalities related to garbage truck accidents on job sites in 2019.

    For help in the aftermath of a garbage truck collision or other incidents involving garbage trucks, call (214) 496-5227 to speak with one of our lawyers. Our Dallas legal team has worked on a variety of cases involving truck accidents. We’re standing by to help you and your family. Consultations are 100% free, and you won’t pay for our services unless we help you win.

    Different Types of Garbage Trucks Involved in Accidents

    Several different types of garbage trucks can be involved in automotive accidents. Additionally, it’s important to note that these waste disposal vehicles may carry other materials than garbage. These trucks can be used to transport recycling, “green” waste such as tree trimmings, building materials discarded during renovations, and more.

    In general, in Dallas and elsewhere in the United States, you most likely see the following types of garbage trucks on the road:

    Front Loading Garbage Trucks

    A front-loading garbage truck usually serves commercial businesses, municipal buildings, schools, and large apartment buildings that use dumpsters rather than waste bins. These vehicles use a specialized hydraulic “fork” to lift dumpsters high into the air, then flip them back to empty them into the truck bed. A front-loading garbage truck can sometimes weigh up to 15,000 pounds.

    Rear Loading Garbage Truck

    A rear loading garbage truck is more substantial than a front loader, usually weighing in around 35,000 pounds — not counting the weight of garbage. As the name implies, these large vehicles load trash in the back. Sometimes, they use a powered mechanical arm to dump waste bins or dumpsters into the bed. Other rear-loading trucks are aided by workers who collect garbage bags and throw them into the back.

    Side Loading Garbage Trucks

    Finally, there are side loading garbage trucks. These garbage trucks can weigh around 33,000 pounds when empty. Sideloading garbage trucks offer an advantage over front and rear loading trucks because they can pull up right next to a waste bin or dumpster without requiring any backing up or other maneuverings. As with rear loading garbage trucks, they may use an automatic arm or may operate with manual loading.

    4 Garbage Truck Dangers

    Garbage trucks, also known as waste collection vehicles or refuse collection vehicles, are on the road almost every day serving different neighborhoods in Dallas, Texas. Most people see a garbage truck near their home or work at least once a week. Although garbage trucks usually travel the same familiar routes and drive at slow speeds, they can still cause accidents.

    Some of the dangers of garbage trucks are caused by the following:

    1. Distracted or Impaired Drivers

    Garbage truck accidents can occur if the driver is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, distracted, or otherwise impaired. Often, garbage truck drivers work very long shifts. These shifts may begin as early as 3 AM in some areas in Dallas. If the driver hasn’t had enough sleep, it negatively impacts their ability to react to hazards and control their vehicle.

    2. Low Visibility

    Similar to other large vehicles, garbage trucks have significant blindspots. Additionally, the driver may have reduced visibility due to the time of day. Many garbage trucks operate early in the morning before the sun has come up, a time of day often identified as more dangerous for drivers in general. They may also be unable to see due to seasonal morning fog or other weather conditions.

    3. Mechanical Problems

    Most garbage trucks use sophisticated engineering systems to lift dumpsters and waste bins. If this equipment hasn’t been adequately maintained, it can fail and cause an accident. Poorly maintained engines, brakes, and safety components can also cause accidents if they break down on the job. That’s why garbage truck owners must make sure their vehicle is always well maintained.

    4. Sudden Stops

    Garbage trucks make frequent, sudden stops to collect waste on their routes. Although these large vehicles are hard to miss, they can cause accidents by disrupting the normal flow of traffic. Other drivers may, in turn, cause accidents by swerving around or passing the stopped garbage truck.

    How to Handle a Garbage Truck Accident

    If you find yourself getting into an accident with a garbage truck, you may worry that the situation will be more complicated than a regular car accident. “How do you determine who’s at fault in a garbage truck accident?” is a common question our lawyers address.

    In a garbage truck accident, there may be several parties who share liability:

    • The garbage truck driver
    • The owner of the garbage truck fleet
    • The city or private service employing the garbage truck

    In some instances, the owner of the dumpster or waste bin may also share partial responsibility if it is positioned illegally.

    Regardless of who’s at fault in the incident, our Dallas lawyers will help you receive any compensation you may be owed in a garbage truck accident. Call us today at (214) 496-5227 to speak to an attorney about your garbage truck accident. Consultation calls are entirely free, and there’s no obligation. Find out how our team can assist your case.

    Call (214) 305-8277 for your free consultation.
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