Pickup truck beds are not meant to carry living things. Although, this may be obvious to some, others are unaware of the dangers of letting a person ride in an area with no seats and no protective equipment. A person can be easily thrown from a truck bed and killed during a collision, especially when there is nothing to contain them. They can even be ejected during a normal turn if the person is not prepared for the shift in movement.
If someone you love has been injured from riding in a truck bed, contact a truck accident attorney at (312) 236-2900 for a free consultation. Our team will fight tirelessly to prove that the driver who caused your accident is responsible for your injuries and we will seek compensation for you and your family.
Truck beds were never designed to carry passengers. These areas have no seat belts, and they usually do not have seats. Further, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety claims that truck beds are not designed to provide any sort of protection during an accident. When an accident occurs, the only hope for someone in a truck bed is to hold on for dear life, despite the truck driver’s best intentions.
According to the Children’s Safety Network, 50 people under the age of 21 are killed every year from riding in the bed of a pickup. In October, a 6-year-old boy was killed when he was thrown from the bed of a truck during an accident. In Arizona, where the accident occurred, there is no law against riding in a truck’s cargo space. Illinois only requires that seatbelts be present in the truck bed, but even violating this law only results in a $25 fine.
Accidents that involve death or injury while riding in a truck bed are infinitely complicated. While the driver of the pickup may not be at fault for the accident, they are responsible for putting someone’s life in danger. On the other hand, the person in the truck bed likely chose to ride there by their own free will. Since it is not illegal to ride in a truck bed in many states, the victim may be blamed. If an adult is thrown from a truck bed and injured in an accident, for example, the insurance company of the person who caused the accident will try to prove that the victim was to blame.
In most cases, a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit can still be filed against the person responsible for the accident, especially if the laws forbidding riding in a truck bed are minimal.
Car accidents can devastate every aspect of your life. From personal relationships to financial burdens, there is no area left unaffected. If you would like to file a personal injury lawsuit or wrongful death lawsuit against the parties responsible for your accident, contact our lawyers at (312) 236-2900.
Our car accident attorneys serve clients throughout the Chicago area, including Aurora, Elgin, Hinsdale, Joliet, Naperville, and Waukegan.
When you’re fighting for maximum compensation, we know what it takes to get it.
