5,000 of the over 500,000 trucking accidents that occur annually in the United States are fatal, and the majority of the remainder leave the victims with severe and horrific injuries. These momentously destructive accidents occur when trucks weighing 10,000 pounds or more slam into smaller vehicles or pedestrians. Jackknifed 18-wheeler truck accidents are responsible for 1 in 8 motor vehicle accident fatalities.

18-wheelers jack knife for a variety of reasons which include: brake failure, truck driver exhaustion, truck drivers operating 18-wheelers under the influence of alcohol or drugs, inadequately accommodated blind spots, reckless driving on the part of the truck driver such as speeding or tailgating, tire failure and unsecured cargo shifting in the payload section. These causes are direct and obvious, but the pressure trucking companies and trucking deregulation applies to truck drivers to work at higher speeds and maximize efficiency can result in the big rig drivers regularly exceeding posted speed limits and behaving in other high-risk ways. In fact, government statistics on jackknifed 18-wheelers show that 20% of large truck accidents are caused by speeding.

Jackknifed 18-wheeler accidents are among the most dangerous trucking accidents not only for the truck driver but for all other motor vehicles or pedestrians in the vicinity when the accident occurs. A jackknife occurs when an 18-wheel truck skids and the rear trailer swings out to the right or left side to form a 90* angle. Jackknifed truck's wheels can lock and if the road is slick due to weather conditions or oil then the entire vehicle can slide forward, cause multiple car pileups and lead to numerous fatalities.

Those fortunate enough to survive this sort of jackknife accident are usually left with serious injuries, the degree to which depends on the speed they and the truck were moving at the time of impact and location of the impact. Head-on and side collisions are the most destructive and may cause brain injuries, spinal cord injuries which lead to paralysis, amputations, disfigurement and severe contusions or multiple fractures. Each one of the injuries listed above will at the very least result in the staggeringly large medical bills and are likely to cause permanent disability or pain. These long-term conditions can dramatically affect one's ability to earn and may even negatively transform one's personal life to result in separation or divorce.

There is no doubt that the effect of accidents involving jackknifed 18-wheelers can be devastating. Victims of these accidents deserve maximum compensation for the immediate and long-term financial burdens that result. Trucking companies and insurance policy providers may be righteous but will always operate with their best financial interests in mind; if you have been the victim of such an accident contact a personal injury lawyer instead of relying on those who stand to lose in your settlement.