Semi Truck Accident Law
A semi-truck collision can result in an injury that is serious enough to cost a person a fortune in medical bills. It can also result in permanent disabilities that require expensive equipment and long-term physical therapy.
After a crash, it is essential to retain an experienced New York truck accident attorney on your side. A qualified lawyer will assist you in proving your case using evidence such as police reports or surveillance footage, for instance.
Poorly maintained vehicles
Owner-operators and companies that operate trucks often don't take the necessary steps to ensure their vehicles are in good condition. This causes many preventable accidents every year.
Semis and tractor trailers require more frequent maintenance than cars used for passenger transport because of their larger size and heavier load. However keeping deadlines and increasing profits is often prioritized over maintaining a fleet. Trucks can be prone to mechanical issues that could cause disastrous accidents.
The brakes of trucks are especially important because they must be able to stop the vehicle and slow it down at a moment's notice. When brake pads, lines or return springs on a truck get worn out and break, it could lead to serious accidents and fatal injuries. It is crucial to have these parts regularly checked and replaced as required to keep them in good condition.
Tires that aren't well maintained may be a major factor in truck accidents. Tires that are worn out could lose traction, causing the truck to roll over or slide. Tires that aren't working either because of inadequate tread design or air pressure may fail catastrophically.
Trucks need routine inspections along with regular maintenance to detect mechanical problems before they cause an incident. If an inspection is performed incorrectly or the repair shop doesn't follow the manufacturer's instructions it could cause an accident. In these situations, the company that hired or supervised the maintenance or repair shop could be held responsible.
Poorly functioning lights, signals and reflectors are a common cause of truck accident. These devices must be correctly working to enable drivers to see their truck and anticipate its movements, particularly in rural areas or at night. However, trucking companies could not inspect and maintain these components or the driver may fail to conduct regular safety inspections.
A Houston truck accident attorney will review your case and determine who might be responsible for your damages in the event you were injured by a deteriorated maintenance of a commercial truck. These investigations can reveal evidence that shows the defendant's negligence in the accident and assist you recover the compensation you are entitled to.
Distracted Drivers
Accidents involving commercial trucks can be catastrophic. These huge vehicles can weigh up to 25 times the weight of your car and cause much worse injuries in an accident. Distracted driving is just one of the many factors that cause accidents. A distracted truck driver can lose control of the vehicle or miss an opportunity to avoid a road accident and cause serious and life-threatening injuries.
Truck drivers must adhere to strict rules and regulations formulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This includes a ban on texting and the use of cell phones while operating their vehicles. Even when truckers adhere to the rules, they may be distracted and result in an accident. This can be a result of manual distractions such as taking a hand off the wheel or cognitive distractions such as thinking about something else other than driving.
While the majority of people are aware that it is dangerous to text and drive, few realize that other activities such as eating or changing the radio station, and even conversing with a passenger could also be deemed as distracting. If a truck driver is distracted, they could get lost in a lane or not be able to see an obstruction in front of them. When a truck driver's attention is diverted, it only takes one second for a massive vehicle to collide with a car.
If a car accident is caused by a distracted driver It is essential to snap photos of the scene of the crash as well as collect the name and contact information of witnesses. It is essential to know the name of the driver, the business that they work for and who owns the vehicle in case it's an independent contractor. This could affect who is accountable for your accident as the trucking company is responsible for hiring skilled and competent truck drivers. If the trucking company is found to be at least partially responsible for the accident, they may be liable for your economic as well as non-economic damages.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions with trucks are common and can cause serious injuries. They can occur in a variety of settings like at a red light or stop signal when the trucker fails to check their surroundings for traffic in the direction of oncoming traffic. It can also happen when a car cuts across the truck's route, causing the driver of the truck to stop at a rapid pace without warning. The trucker may then slam the car from behind.
It can be hard to prove fault in the event of rear-end collisions as it isn't always evident the vehicle that was at fault. A knowledgeable attorney can collect evidence to prove that the driver in the back caused the accident by following too closely or driving distracted. This could include evidence like photos, police reports, eyewitness testimony and skid marks on the road.
Sometimes the driver in front might be responsible for the accident in addition. This can happen if they cut off someone else or fail utilize a turn signal in the same manner as any reasonable person. In these situations, modified comparative negligence laws could be used. The jury will assign a percentage of blame to each of the parties. Damages will be reduced accordingly.
Lacerations, Bruises and Bruises
The rear of the vehicle is the most impacted area during a rear-end collision which means that the occupants could suffer serious injuries after hitting their head against the dashboard or the back window. The impact of the crash could also cause broken bones if the occupants are thrown around the interior of the vehicle. The spine is a vulnerable area and injuries to it can be extremely severe. The spinal cord contains many nerves that control the body, and any injury to the spinal column can cause long-lasting and serious issues for those affected.
In addition to these types of injuries, a victim may suffer from psychological and emotional trauma from being involved in a devastating crash. They may have trouble being able to sleep or concentrate, which can cause anxiety and depression. If they're unable to work due to the extent of their injury, this can cause stress and financial burden. An attorney can examine the possible causes of liability to help a victim receive the right amount of compensation for their loss.
The trailer hitches are faulty.
All vehicles, regardless of whether they're a car or van, truck, flatbed, or van should be securely connected to their trailers. If a trailer goes unhitched, it could cause catastrophic accidents that result in severe injuries or death. If you've suffered injuries in an accident involving an unhitched trailer, call a qualified vehicle accident attorney that specializes in cases of failure of the hitch as soon as possible to discuss your legal options.
A defective trailer hitch could be the result of a variety of factors, ranging from inadequate security to design flaws. It could be caused by an issue on the part of the manufacturer in which case the product liability laws could apply. The company or person at fault for a faulty trailer is liable for medical bills of victims, auto repair costs, as well as other losses that result from the incident.
For example there was a fatal crash that took place in January 2014 on an Ohio road locally known as "Devil's Backbone," a trailer came free from the truck and crashed directly into two cars in front of it. Initial investigations attributed the accident to the driver's lapse in inspect and secure the hitch. In June 2015, however, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began investigating the possibility that a flaw in the hitch the Ultra LT manufactured Fontaine Fifth Wheel in Trussville, Alabama, was responsible for the crash.
lake charles semi truck accident lawyer to the faulty hitch, the trailer struck the sides of the vehicles and then crashed into them head-on. This resulted in multiple fatalities and serious injuries to the drivers of the vehicles.
The truck driver involved in the incident was found guilty of vehicular murder, however experts suggest that he could've avoided the crash in the event that he had conducted an extensive inspection of his trailer to make sure all connections were in good order. Faulty trailer hitches can cause major catastrophes. These kinds of incidents are usually fast and can easily smack motorbikes or smaller vehicles. In these instances the trailer can distort the car's frame and cause razor-sharp metal fragments that can impale passengers.