Chicago’s Bureau of Sanitation collects garbage from approximately 600,000 households, with more than one million tons annually. Although the job is essential, it can be dangerous for workers and drivers as the trucks travel throughout the city.
Crashes involving garbage trucks can be deadly and often result in extensive damage or injuries. If you’ve been in a collision with a trash truck, you could be entitled to compensation.
The Chicago garbage truck accident lawyers at Staver Accident Injury Lawyers can help you collect the compensation you deserve. Use a free consultation to share your story. Call (312) 236-2900.
Why Are Garbage Truck Crashes So Dangerous?
When passenger vehicles crash, there could be damage or injuries. A crash with a large garbage truck can increase the potential for damage or injuries, sometimes with deadly consequences. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration reported 1,992 crashes involving garbage trucks in 2020. About 80 of those were fatal.
Garbage trucks are much larger, so they can have difficulty stopping. In a crash, that momentum transfers to smaller vehicles. Garbage trucks also make frequent stops when collecting garbage on their routes. Inattentive drivers may not notice a stopped truck and collide with it. It can be difficult for drivers to see around their large vehicles. With so many blind spots, garbage trucks could hit passenger vehicles as they pull back into traffic.
Garbage trucks also operate close to sidewalks, so there’s a chance pedestrians could be injured.
Common Causes of Chicago Garbage Truck Crashes
Like other drivers, garbage truck operators need to be diligent as they work. However, there could be contributing factors to a crash, like:
Distracted Driving
Just like passenger vehicles, utility or garbage trucks require drivers to pay attention to the road to avoid crashes. If garbage truck drivers aren’t focused, they risk collisions. Other drivers may expect the truck driver to use more caution, so they could be driving distracted, leading to accidents
Equipment Failure
Many garbage trucks have complicated apparatuses, like automated side-loaders, that need to be inspected. If they fail, it could lead to a crash or injuries
Fatigued Driving
Sanitation employees work long days and weeks. Their job includes heavy manual labor, and if they aren’t rested, they could be tired and crash
Frequent or Unexpected Stops
Garbage trucks are on the road for a reason: they’re collecting garbage. While many drivers expect the trucks to pull over to the curb, obstacles could stop them. If a truck stops unexpectedly or in the middle of the street, other drivers may crash into them
Inexperienced Drivers
Drivers need a Commercial Driver’s License to operate a garbage truck. They need training and time behind the wheel to pass the exam. Drivers with less experience could panic in stressful situations or cause a crash because they don’t know how to handle their vehicle
Intoxicated Driving
Like passenger vehicles, garbage truck drivers could get behind the wheel while drunk or under the influence. Any time a driver can’t focus on driving, the risk of crashes increases
Poor Truck Maintenance
Like other commercial vehicles, garbage trucks require maintenance inspections and care before each operation. Most garbage trucks have hydraulics or air brakes, so maintenance is essential to keeping them safe. Whenever that care is neglected, a crash could happen
Poor Weather
Weather conditions can affect driver safety, especially when the vehicle is a large commercial truck. Overconfidence in the snow or poor field of vision from heavy rain increases the risk to drivers
Speeding
When sanitation workers collect garbage on a route, they try to complete their work on schedule. Like any other vehicle, garbage truck drivers might be trying to make up lost time by speeding or aren’t paying attention to the speed limit. That reckless behavior can lead to crashes
Tailgating
When drivers follow a large truck too closely, they risk a rear-end collision. Oversized vehicles need more time to stop, and if there isn’t a clear following distance between vehicles, a crash is more likely
Injuries Often Seen in Garbage Truck Crashes
A crash with a truck will cause injuries you might see in other passenger vehicle collisions, like broken bones or head injuries. However, a crash with a truck will likely lead to more severe injuries.
Common injuries include:
If you’ve been injured in a garbage truck accident, seek medical attention immediately—and then speak with a qualified attorney to begin building your case.
Calculating Compensation After a Garbage Truck Crash
Every garbage truck accident is different, and your total compensation depends on the details of your case. Generally, victims can seek compensation for both economic and non-economic damages.
Economic Damages May Include:
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Medical bills (current and future)
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Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
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Vehicle repairs or replacement
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Rehabilitation or assistive care
Non-Economic Damages May Include:
Don’t rely solely on an insurance company’s estimate. Their goal is to minimize payouts. Instead, let an experienced Chicago truck accident attorney accurately evaluate your claim.
Who Is Liable in a Garbage Truck Accident in Chicago?
Determining fault in a garbage truck accident is often more complex than in typical car crashes. Several parties may share liability:
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The Garbage Truck Driver: If the driver was reckless, distracted, or impaired, they could be held responsible.
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The Driver’s Employer: Whether a private sanitation company or the City of Chicago, the employer may share liability for negligent hiring, supervision, or maintenance.
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The Vehicle Manufacturer: If a mechanical defect contributed to the crash, the manufacturer may also be liable.
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The City of Chicago: If the crash involved a city-operated garbage truck, a claim may need to go through the city’s municipal claims process.
Your attorney can investigate the cause of the crash, determine liability, and file claims with the appropriate parties or insurance providers.
Contact a Chicago Garbage Truck Accident Lawyer Today
The truck accident attorneys at Staver Accident Injury Lawyers, P.C. have helped others like you secure compensation after a truck accident. Truck drivers, like sanitation workers, should be careful when they operate large machinery. When their careless behavior hurts you, you need to hold them accountable.
Attorney Jared Staver and his team can work with you to determine your damages, what kind of medical care you need in the future, and who was responsible for your crash. Truck crashes are complicated to unravel, so work with Attorney Staver to get what you’re owed.
Call (312) 236-2900 or use our online contact form to schedule your free consultation.
