October 27, 2016 | By Greene Broillet & Wheeler
Garbage trucks are some of the largest, heaviest and slowest moving vehicles you will encounter on residential roadways. However, this does not mean that garbage truck drivers and garbage truck owners — the city — follow safe practices when using these cumbersome vehicles. In fact, did you know that garbage trucks cause a large number of crashes each year in Los Angeles?
Due to their weight and size, when a garbage truck is involved in a crash, it is not uncommon for severe property and bodily injuries to result. Some of these accidents involve motor vehicles, drivers and passengers, and some of them involve motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians. Nothing is a match for these massive trucks.
We’ve all seen the black garbage trucks, green compost trucks, and blue recycling trucks. The drivers of these ungainly vehicles require detailed safety training and they must employ extreme diligence and care when operating the trucks in residential areas where residents are especially vulnerable to suddenly being in the driver’s blind spot.
The fact that a lot of these trucks are not equipped with backup cameras and other safety features means that the drivers do not have full visibility, creating serious liability hazards. In addition, some of these trucks have defective parts that can result in an accident. For these and other reasons, it is important to complete a full investigation of every garbage truck accident to determine what may have gone wrong and what parties could be financially liable for the damages caused by a particular accident.
At Greene Broillet & Wheeler, LLP, we have seen numerous garbage truck accident claims and represented plaintiffs in pursuing financial compensation related to their garbage truck injuries. If you or your loved one has suffered serious or fatal injuries caused by a garbage truck, our lawyers are available to discuss the facts of your case and advise you about your legal rights and options.