While cement trucks and other construction equipment are commonplace on Alabama roads, most people don’t expect these vehicles to cause them harm. However, cement trucks are heavier, more unstable, and roll over at low speeds more than most people expect, putting everyone on the road at risk.
In this blog, our team outlines what makes cement trucks so dangerous, their history of crashes, and what to do if you or someone you love was hurt in a crash with one of these vehicles. Keep reading to learn more.
Cement Trucks Pose a Unique Threat to Alabama Motorists
Cement trucks are unique from other vehicles on the road. While many big trucks carry heavy loads—often up to 80,000 pounds, the cement in a cement truck sits high in the vehicle, with the center of gravity above the driver’s head. In other vehicles, the load is carefully packed in a trailer to stabilize the weight and minimize risk. Because cement trucks are top-heavy, they’re uniquely prone to rollover accidents in a way other 18-wheelers and semi-trucks are not.
The nature of cement loads adds to the risk. Cement can only be shipped wet, and it must be constantly moving to prevent the cement from hardening in transit. The cement can—and does—slosh inside the barrel of the cement truck, leading to an unstable load and high risk of rollover. Wet cement is also prone to sticking in the driver’s side of the barrel, making the left side of the truck “the heavy side.”
As a result, rolling over during a turns is common, even at low speeds. Cement trucks are also difficult to stop, maneuver, control in stressful situations, or turn in general.
Cement Truck Accidents Are all too Common
While the nature of cement trucks puts everyone on the road at risk, reckless actions add to the danger. Many trucking companies pay their drivers by the load, not the hour, which puts pressure on cement truck drivers to speed or make other dangerous choices behind the wheel in order to maximize their payout. Additionally, wet cement won’t stay wet forever; cement truck drivers must make it to the construction site in time if they want their cargo to be usable, which puts even more pressure on them to take risks on the road.
It’s unsurprising that more than a dozen people have been killed in the South since 2015 in cement truck accidents, including a 79-year-old man who was hit head-on by a cement mixer truck in Foley, Alabama in November of 2020. We know how painful these accidents are and our thoughts go out to the man and his family.
RELATED: Do Semi-Truck Accidents Go to Trial?
What to Do if You or Someone You Love Was in a Cement Truck Crash
Crashes with any large truck, concrete truck, or commercial vehicle are serious. If one happens to you or someone you love, here are steps you can take to protect your health and your options.
Get Medical Help
If you are involved in a crash with a cement truck and are injured, seek medical treatment immediately. Even seemingly minor injuries could turn into serious injuries later on and getting help right away could save you from additional medical bills, pain, and suffering.
Call the Police and Report the Accident
When a police officer responds to an auto accident, they’ll create a report detailing what happened. This report is a valuable piece of evidence and can be used to protect your legal options later.
Preserve the Evidence
If it’s safe and you’re able, be sure to collect a copy of the police report, photos of the accident scene, damage to vehicles, injuries, and witness statements before you leave the scene. You should also get the name and contact information of the cement truck driver and the company they work for.
Call Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys
Filing an insurance claim or lawsuit is the best way to recover the money you lost from not working or the medical bills related to your recovery. However, the insurance company is notoriously difficult to work with, and will do whatever they can do get you to settle for less than you need or deserve.
That’s why speaking with an experienced truck accident lawyer in Mobile is so important. They can help you determine the value of your injuries and lost wages, stand up to the insurance company, and demand they take accountability for their mistake and offer you fair compensation.
How an Attorney Can Support You and Your Family After a Crash
Navigating life after a crash is rarely easy. At Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys, we support clients every step of the way. Your goal should be to focus on your healing, not worry about conducting an investigation, determining liability, or pouring over crash forensics.
Let our team handle the details. When you hire our law firm after a crash with a cement truck, we fight for you from day one by:
- Outlining your legal options so you can feel confident about your choices
- Preserving the critical evidence in your case, like the truck’s shipping records, “black box” or other internal logs, driver history, and more
- Investigating exactly what happened in the crash
- Uncovering any history of unethical driver requirements
- Carefully examining the events to understand who is responsible and who should pay for your injuries
- Filing all the important paperwork and other legal forms on your behalf
- Managing communication between you and the hospital, insurance company, and others
- Standing up for you against the insurance company and anyone else that might try to take advantage of you or your family
We’re happy to answer any questions you might have about what happened, your case, and how our legal team can help. If you have been in a crash of this nature, call or chat online for a free consultation on your case.
Hurt by a Cement Truck? Call Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys Today
If you or someone you love has been hurt in a crash with a cement truck, our team is ready to speak with you. To schedule a no-strings-attached, private consultation with one of our personal injury attorneys, please call our office at 251-888-8888 or by completing our simple online contact form.
Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys has office locations in Mobile, Foley, Daphne, and throughout Alabama. Our truck accident attorneys have helped clients with truck accident cases from Mobile and Baldwin Counties, Coastal Alabama, the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and more, and are ready to speak with you today.
References
11Alive. The Investigators: Why are concrete mixers rolling over? Retrieved from https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/investigations/the-investigators-why-are-concrete-mixers-rolling-over/85-127930463
WKRG Staff. (2020, November 30). UPDATE: Victim of head-on collision with cement truck in Foley identified. News 5 WKRG.
The content provided here is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject.
Andy is the owner and CEO of Citrin Law Firm, P.C. He founded the firm in 1995 with the goal of helping injured people put their lives back together. His passion for protecting injured people has only grown since he opened the doors of Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys, and he has a history of winning numerous multimillion-dollar verdicts and settlements for his clients.