Tens of thousands of street sweepers are employed by cities and communities across the United States for the removal of debris, trash, and the cleaning of the street. Street sweepers built on large truck chassis weigh thousands of pounds and are difficult to maneuver. Every year, hundreds of individuals suffer serious life-threatening injuries caused by roadway accidents involving street cleaners and sweepers. Common injuries caused by street sweeper accidents include traumatic brain injury, severe burn injury, crushed limbs resulting in amputations, broken bones, facial lacerations, and scarring.
Victims of serious injuries resulting from the negligent or intentional conduct of others have a right to compensation for their losses. Our personal injury law firm is dedicated to the pursuit of justice for the injured. If you have any legal questions regarding compensation for your injuries, contact our law firm toll-free at (855) 385-2529. All consultations are free of charge.
Common Causes of Street Sweeper Accidents:
Street sweeper operators generally work at many different hours of the day. They can clean the streets from the early morning to late afternoon; as a result, there are many opportunities for the drivers to get into accidents. A varying sleep schedule could cause the drivers to be drowsy at different times during their routes, leading to an increased likelihood of crashes. Further, at some points, traffic is extremely congested and the roads are populated by people who are in a rush to get to work on time. These people are more likely to cause accidents due to their rushing. It is common to see civilians speed around public vehicles like buses, taxis, garbage trucks, and street sweepers.
Other causes of street sweeper accidents include:
- Negligent operation of a vehicle (reckless or careless driving, not paying attention to the road)
- Distracted Driving (using cell phone or other technological device)
- Failure to properly maintain vehicle (driving with broken parts that can cause accidents or injuries)
- Failure to properly inspect vehicle (not checking to see if the vehicle were in proper working condition)
- Improper training of driver (regular civilians may find it difficult to operate such a unique vehicle)
- Defective manufacturing of street sweeper (parts do not work properly)
- Drunk driving or driving under the influence of an impairing substance (alcohol, illegal drugs, sleeping medication, pain medication)
Filing a Lawsuit – Legal Representation:
If you have been injured in a car accident by a street sweeper, you should consider filing a lawsuit. Victims of serious injuries caused by the negligent or wrongful conduct of others are entitled to monetary recovery under the law. In order for you to receive any compensation for an injury sustained in a car accident, you must be able to prove that:
- You were owed a duty of care. All drivers on the road owe other drivers and pedestrians a duty of care; that is, they will keep them safe by not driving in a manner that will place people at risk. Injury prevention is extremely important, and those in vehicles must do everything they can to preserve the health of others.
- The duty of care was breached. This duty may be breached in the event a driver commits a crime or drives in a particularly reckless or careless manner. He may run a stop light, change lanes without signaling, drive under the influence, or do something similar to place others in danger.
- The breach resulted in an accident. By driving in a careless manner, there is a chance that this breach of duty caused some kind of car accident to occur. By ignoring the right of way of a turning car, for instance, he may have caused a crash.
- The accident led to actual physical harm. A car accident that leads to no physical injuries cannot be used as grounds for a personal injury claim to collect certain damages. Only if you were injured in a car crash, such as by sustaining neck damage, a brain injury, a broken leg, or otherwise, can you pursue more than property damage compensation.
If you can show that the accident had these four points of negligence, you will be able to file a personal injury claim against the responsible party. With the help of an attorney, you can seek financial compensation for your injuries in addition to the costs of repairing or replacing your vehicle. Plaintiffs are entitled to compensation for:
- Medical bills and rehabilitation care, including coverage for surgery, hospitalization, medication, and more.
- Lost wages and loss of future income resulting from the injury or the recovery process
- Pain and Suffering, which includes emotional damage, mental scarring, psychological distress, fear, anxiety, PTSD, and more
- Punitive Damages, which are doled out in the event of gross negligence or intentional actions that cause harm. These damages are paid out as additional compensation and are meant to further punish the defendant; however, they are very difficult to win, and only a skilled attorney will be able to net them for you.
Complete a Free Case Evaluation form or call (213) 389-3765 today.
Filing a Lawsuit in Time: Injured individuals should be aware of the time limits placed on their rights to file personal injury claims. Under Califor, ia law the statute of limitations for filing a personal injury lawsuit against the liable party is generally two years from the date of the accident. Lawsuits against government entities require the filing of a claim with the government agency in question within 6 months of the date of the accident. Failure to file a claim within the statutory time limit imposed by law may eliminate your chance for recovery.
Claim For the Death of a Loved One: Truck accidents and accidents involving street sweepers have an extremely high mortality rate. Eery year, dozens of innocent individuals are killed in accidents involving street sweepers. In certain jurisdictions, family members of the deceased have the right to file for a wrongful death cause of action in the court of law. Family members of the deceased are able to recover:
- Loss of financial support, income, or household services
- Lowered quality of life, which can include the loss of emotional support and intimate relations
- Medical and burial expenses
Free Legal Consultation: To speak to an attorney regarding your case, call (855) 385-2529. All attorney consultations are free of charge. You can speak with an experienced lawyer who will give you everything you need to know about your case and walk you through the legal process. If you choose to let us represent you, your claim is taken on a zero fee guarantee – we promise that you will pay no out of pocket expenses for our services. We are only paid in the event we win your case, and the fees come from the settlement itself. If we lose, you owe us nothing at all.
Contact Downtown L.A. Law Group for more information.