Ohio Truck Accident Help
A Division of Ohio Truck Accident
Common Types of Truck Accidents in Ohio
Garbage trucks operate just feet from driveways, sidewalks, and children at play, making the consequences of a crash not only catastrophic but shockingly close to home. These heavy vehicles often navigate narrow residential streets, reverse frequently, and make sudden stops, creating serious risks for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers alike.
At Ohio Truck Accident Help, we understand the unique dangers garbage trucks pose and the complex liability issues that follow. Whether the crash was caused by driver error, poor vehicle maintenance, or a failure to follow safety regulations, our attorneys know how to investigate these types of truck crash cases, uncover the truth, and hold the responsible parties accountable.
If you or a loved one has been injured by a garbage truck, we’re here to help you pursue the justice and compensation you deserve.
Contact us today for a free, no-risk consultation.
Garbage truck crashes involve vehicles that weigh between 13,700 and 20,000 pounds unloaded and up to 60,000 pounds fully loaded. Drivers are often on the road from dusk to dawn, with some clocking 11+ hours a day.
Wide turns can turn into devastating accidents, and multiple parties may be involved:
Accidents may involve federal, state, and local regulations, all of which may have been violated at the time of your accident.
For example, Licking County’s Health Department has an annual registration and inspection requirement to reduce the risk of accidents and spills. Add in commercial insurance providers who act in their own best interests, and cases are complex with a lot of moving parts.
One incident on U.S. 33 close to Thorn Lane in Fairfield County involved a garbage truck and Nissan Versa that collided when the truck driver attempted to turn westbound. As with many of these types of accidents, the truck driver walked away uninjured, while the other driver was pronounced deceased.
Legal representation is critical with this type of accident to hold the multiple parties that may be responsible for their actions. Your attorney will work to gather evidence, negotiate with insurance companies, review local, state, and government laws, and even bring in expert witnesses if it helps to strengthen your case.
Ohio has 4.8 million households, some in neighborhoods, apartment buildings, and others in rural areas where blind spots are always a concern. Garbage truck accidents often occur in residential areas, but many also occur on the state’s busiest highways: I-70, I-71, I-75, I-80, I-90, I-270, and I-480. Causes include:
Backing accidents are common in pedestrian fatalities and involve the truck driver failing to look while backing up the vehicle.
Garbage trucks have more blind spots than passenger vehicles due to the design of the vehicle and length, which often spans 33 to 40 feet in length. Accidents involving blind spots often include:
A garbage truck’s size makes stopping nearly twice as long compared to a passenger vehicle. Add in faulty brakes, and failure can lead to catastrophic accidents.
Garbage truck drivers work long hours, often logging 45 – 55+ hours per week. Driver fatigue is common, causing the trucker’s response times and reaction speeds to slow. Judgment also becomes impaired, causing the driver to engage in dangerous activities that they wouldn’t have done otherwise.
Rain, snow, and ice all reduce traction and can negatively impact a trucker’s visibility. Stopping distance increases in these conditions, adding to the risk of rear-end accidents.
Driver error is responsible for many accidents, but additional parties may also be held liable. An owner of a private waste management company may be held liable if they failed to properly maintain the vehicle, or a mechanic who made faulty repairs may be held liable for the accident.
Ohio has municipal and private waste management companies, both of which require different claims processes.
A municipal truck crash involves accidents with government public workers. For example, Cleveland has its own fleet of garbage trucks, which are operated by city workers.
Ohio Revised Code (ORC) 2744.05 caps damages to:
Accidents involving government-operated vehicles and services follow Ohio’s governmental immunity laws, which have shorter deadlines, different procedural requirements, and notices of claims that you must follow.
Tort claims provide immunity to state workers, with a few exceptions, which your attorney will review.
Ohio’s comparative negligence laws will apply if the garbage truck is operated by a private trucking company. If the driver, trucking company, or other related party is 51% or more responsible for the accident, you may be able to recover compensation for the losses you’ve suffered.
Under Section 2315.18 of Ohio law, injured victims can seek compensation for damages they incur from a garbage truck accident, including:
Ohio law does not place a cap on economic damages (e.g., medical bills, lost wages, etc.) or certain types of non-economic damages, such as physical deformity or permanent physical function injuries.
Our experienced attorneys will determine which forms of compensation are relevant to your case and pursue the maximum damages you are entitled to under law.
Garbage truck accidents can cause serious injuries, and multiple, powerful parties may be involved. Insurers and private waste disposal companies want to protect their interests and pay out as little as possible in claims.
Our attorneys fight back against liable parties that don’t want to pay a fair settlement. Here’s what we can do for your case:
Evidence can disappear quickly after a truck accident. We’ll work to immediately gather and preserve critical evidence, such as:
These pieces of evidence will play a key role in supporting your claim and help us establish liability.
We’ll analyze the facts and evidence to identify all responsible parties in your accident. If several parties share in the liability, we may pursue multiple claims.
Expert testimonies can strengthen your claim. We may work with accident reconstructionists, trucking industry experts, medical specialists, and other experts to establish negligence and support your case.
Insurance companies often make lowball offers to avoid paying fair settlements, especially when serious injuries are involved. We’ll handle the negotiations with insurers and fight back against their tactics to help secure the compensation you deserve.
Photos and video footage from traffic cams, dashcams, or security cameras from nearby businesses are some of the strongest forms of evidence to have in a garbage truck accident claim. But police reports, black box data, and testimonies from experts (such as accident reconstructionists) can be equally powerful if they are clear and definitive. An attorney will work quickly to preserve these key pieces of evidence to strengthen your case.
Crashes involving garbage trucks are complicated. Multiple parties are often involved, including municipalities, which makes claims even more challenging. At Ohio Truck Accident Help, we’ll conduct a thorough investigation and bring in experts if necessary to identify all liable parties in your claim.
Garbage truck accidents can cause serious injuries, including but not limited to: broken bones, soft tissue damage, internal organ damage, back injuries, paralysis, amputation, and brain damage. Many of these injuries require extensive medical care and long-term rehabilitation, for which you may be able to seek compensation.
Under Ohio Revised Code Section 2305.10, you have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury claim. Because you have a limited time window, starting the process as soon as possible is critical. An attorney will get right to work preserving key evidence to support your claim.
At Ohio Truck Accident Help, we understand that a garbage truck accident can turn your world upside down. Between serious injuries, insurance complications, and complex liability, you need more than just legal support—you need aggressive advocacy.
Our experienced Ohio truck accident attorneys are here to take on the heavy lifting. Whether your case ends in a settlement or needs to go to trial, we’ll be by your side—fighting for the full compensation you need.