Underride Truck Accident Lawyers Serving Massachusetts and Connecticut
When Trucks Ignore Safety Rules, Raipher Fights for the Win
Underride crashes are among the most violent and preventable truck accidents on the road. When a smaller vehicle collides with the rear or side of a tractor-trailer and slides beneath it, the outcome is almost always catastrophic. Rear underrides often occur when a truck stops suddenly or lacks a functioning guard, while side underrides happen when a trailer crosses a lane or turns without adequate lighting or reflective tape.
Across Massachusetts and Connecticut, from the Mass Pike and I-91 to I-84 and Route 15, these devastating collisions continue because trucking companies fail to maintain essential safety equipment and visibility standards that federal law requires.
These cases demand legal firepower. With more than $100 million recovered for injury victims and families, Raipher, P.C. has the experience and courtroom results to hold negligent trucking companies fully accountable. We offer free consultations and work on a contingency fee, so you pay nothing unless we win. If you were injured or a loved one was killed in an underride truck accident, contact us now to protect your rights and get answers to your legal questions.
Why underride crashes happen
Federal regulations require trucks to be equipped with rear underride guards and, in some cases, side guards. Yet too many carriers ignore these standards or fail to maintain their equipment, putting everyone else on the road in danger. In New England’s heavy traffic, that neglect turns deadly.
Common factors include:
- Missing or Defective Underride Guards: Failure to install or maintain required safety bars.
- Poor Visibility: Dirty, faded, or broken reflective tape and lighting that make stopped trailers nearly invisible.
- Illegal Parking or Sudden Stops: Trucks stopped or slowing in active lanes without warning signals.
- Improper Maintenance or Inspection: Companies skipping required checks to save time or money.
These are not unavoidable tragedies. They’re violations of safety laws and basic duty of care. Raipher’s attorneys work with reconstruction experts, engineers, and federal safety consultants to prove when companies put profits over lives.
The injuries and losses families face
In underride crashes, occupants in smaller vehicles rarely walk away. Those who survive face catastrophic injuries that permanently alter their lives. Most cases involve wrongful death, with families left to rebuild after an entirely preventable loss.
Common outcomes include:
- Traumatic Brain Injuries and skull fractures
- Spinal cord trauma and paralysis
- Multiple fractures and crush injuries
- Internal bleeding and organ damage
- Wrongful death and fatal decapitation injuries
The aftermath is financially and emotionally overwhelming. Medical bills, funeral costs, lost income, and long-term care can devastate a family. Raipher’s trial-ready approach ensures insurers and trucking corporations pay what justice demands. Not what’s convenient for their bottom line.
Proving fault in underride truck accidents
Underride cases require precise investigation. The trucking company’s defense will almost always claim the driver of the smaller vehicle was “following too closely” or “not paying attention.” Our firm dismantles those excuses with evidence.
Raipher’s team secures:
- Crash Data Recorders (Black Boxes): Proving speed, braking, and lighting conditions.
- Maintenance and Inspection Logs: Showing skipped guard repairs or failed inspections.
- Manufacturer Data: Linking design defects or guard failures to the crash.
- Police and NHTSA Reports: Documenting noncompliance with federal safety standards.
- Witness and Expert Testimony: Supporting how visibility and safety violations caused the death or injury.
These details matter. We know how to prove that trucking companies and manufacturers bear responsibility under both state negligence laws and federal FMCSA regulations.
The Raipher difference in fatal underride cases
Massachusetts and Connecticut law allow wrongful death claims against all negligent parties, from truck drivers to carriers and equipment makers. Raipher uses that reach to maximize recovery, pursuing every layer of liability until the full picture of negligence is exposed.
Our truck accident attorneys are recognized nationwide for preparing every claim as if it will go to trial. That reputation pushes insurers and defense counsel to settle for true value rather than risk a verdict. We work relentlessly to recover compensation for medical costs, loss of income, loss of companionship, and the immense emotional toll families suffer after a fatal underride crash.
If you lost a loved one or suffered life-changing injuries in an underride accident on a Massachusetts or Connecticut roadway, Raipher can help. Contact us to schedule a free consultation today. We’ll take on the corporations that failed to keep you safe and fight for the win.