Semi Truck Accident Law
A severe injury sustained in an accident with trucks can result in the death of the victim in medical costs. It can also result in permanent disabilities that require expensive equipment and long-term therapy.
It is vital to have a skilled New York truck accident lawyer on your side following a crash. A lawyer with experience can help to prove your case using evidence such as police reports or surveillance camera footage and more.
Poorly-Maintained Vehicles
In a majority of cases, trucking companies and owners-operators do not take appropriate steps to make sure their vehicles are in good condition. This negligence leads to a large percentage of preventable crashes every year.
In comparison to passenger cars, tractor-trailers and semis will require more frequent maintenance due to their size and heavier loads. Unfortunately the pressure of meeting deadlines and maximising profits often over maintaining the fleet. In the end, trucks can become prone to mechanical problems that can cause catastrophic accidents.
The brakes of a truck are particularly important because they must be able to stop the vehicle and slow it down at a moment's notice. When brake pads lines, return springs or lines on a truck fail they can cause serious accidents and fatal injuries. It is essential that these components are regularly inspected and replaced when necessary to ensure they are in good condition.
Tires that are not properly maintained can also be a major factor in truck accidents. Tires that are worn out can cause traction issues, which causes the truck to skid or even rollover. If a tire is damaged in any way, such as having the incorrect air pressure or tread design, it may fail catastrophically.
In addition to regular maintenance, trucks also require regular inspections in order to spot mechanical problems before they lead to an accident. If an inspection is conducted incorrectly or the repair shop doesn't follow the manufacturer's guidelines it could lead to a crash. In such cases, a company that commissioned the repair or maintenance shop or managed it may be held responsible.
Poorly functioning lights, signals and reflectors are another common cause of truck accident. These items must function properly to enable drivers to be aware of and anticipate the truck's movements, especially when driving in rural areas or at night. However, trucking companies could fail to maintain and inspect these items or the driver may fail to perform daily safety checks.
A reputable Houston truck accident lawyer can investigate your case to determine who could be accountable for your injuries when you've been injured in an accident with a poorly-maintained commercial truck. These investigations can uncover evidence of negligence by the defendant and assist you in obtaining the compensation you're due.
Distracted Drivers
There aren't many things more devastating than an accident involving a commercial truck. These huge vehicles weigh up to 25 times the weight of your vehicle and may cause more injuries when they are involved in a collision. While many factors contribute to accidents and injuries, distracted driving is one of the most prevalent and risky. A truck driver who is distracted could lose control of their vehicle or fail to notice an issue on the road, which can lead to life-changing injuries.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has strict rules and guidelines for truck drivers. This includes a ban on texting and the use of cell phones while driving. Even if truckers abide by the rules, they might be distracted and result in an accident. This could be due to manual distractions such as taking your hand off the steering wheel or mental distractions such as thinking about something other than driving.
While the majority of people are aware that it is risky to text and drive, very few are aware that other activities such as eating, changing the radio station or even talking to a passenger could also be deemed as distracting. When a truck driver gets distracted, they may wander off into another lane, or fail to notice a traffic jam up ahead of them. It only takes a split second for a large truck to hit a passenger vehicle when the driver's attention wanders.
If a truck crash occurs due to distracted drivers it is vital to take photographs of the scene of the accident and collect the contact details and name of witnesses. It is also helpful to determine the name of the driver who is driving the truck and the company they are employed by, as as who owns the truck if it's an independent contractor. This could have an impact on who is liable for the accident, because it is the responsibility of the trucking company to hire competent and skilled truck drivers. If the trucking company is found be partially responsible for your accident, they may be held responsible for your economic and non-economic injuries.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions between trucks are frequent and frequently result in serious injuries. These accidents can occur in many different situations, including at the stop sign or a red light when a trucker is not checking the road ahead for oncoming traffic. They can also occur when a car crashes into front of the truck, causing the driver to use their brakes without warning. The trucker might then slam the car from behind.
It is often difficult to prove fault in rear-end collisions, since it's not always clear which vehicle caused the accident. An experienced attorney can gather evidence to show that the driver in the back caused the crash due to following too closely or driving with a distraction. This could include evidence like photos, police reports, eyewitness testimony, and skid marks on the road.
The driver in front of the car may be held accountable for the incident. This could occur if they cut off someone else or fail use a turn signal like any reasonable person would do. lincoln semi truck accident law firm of situation is where modified comparative negligence laws be applied, in which the jury assigns a percentage to each party and damages are reduced accordingly.
Bruises and Lacerations
In a rear-end collision, the rear-end of the car is the part that takes the most impact. This means that drivers are most at risk of serious injuries if they strike their heads against the dashboard or the back window. The force of the crash may cause broken bones if the occupants are thrown about the interior of the vehicle. The spine is a vulnerable area and injuries to it can be particularly severe. The spinal cord houses a number of nerves that control the body. Therefore, any injury to the spinal column may cause significant and permanent issues for the victims.
In addition to these types of injuries, victims may also experience psychological and emotional traumas as a result of the trauma of a crash. They may have difficulty sleeping or concentrating which can lead them to depression and anxiety. They may also experience stress and financial strain when they cannot work because of an injury. An attorney can look into any possible liability sources and help the victim seek an appropriate amount of compensation for their loss.
Problematic trailer hitches
No matter if you're driving an automobile, a van, a truck, or a flatbed, all vehicles must to be securely attached to their trailers. If a trailer goes unhitched, it can lead to catastrophic accidents that result in serious injuries or even death. If you've been injured in an accident that involved a runaway trailer, contact a qualified vehicle accident attorney with a specialization in cases of hitch failure as soon as possible to discuss your legal options.
The reason for a malfunctioning trailer hitch can be a variety of things such as inadequate secured or defective design. It can also be the result a defect in the manufacturing process and in that case, products liability laws could apply. The company or person responsible for a trailer's defect could be held responsible for the victim's medical costs as well as auto repair costs and other losses that result from the incident.
In a fatal crash on a road in Ohio known as "Devil's Backbone" in January 2014 a trailer detached from the truck. It then crashed into two cars that were directly behind it. Initial investigation linked the crash to the truck driver's inattention to examine and secure the hitch. In June 2015, however the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration started investigating the possibility that a flaw in the hitch, an Ultra LT manufactured Fontaine Fifth Wheel in Trussville, Alabama, was the cause of the crash.
As a result of the malfunctioning hitch, the trailer struck the sides of the vehicles, before colliding into them head-on. This led to multiple deaths and serious injuries to drivers of the vehicles.
The driver of the truck that was involved in this accident was convicted of vehicular manslaughter. However experts believe he could have prevented the collision with other vehicles if he had performed a thorough visual inspection of his trailer and made sure that all connections were in good order. A faulty trailer hitch can lead to major disasters. These accidents are typically high-speed and can easily sidewipe motorbikes or small cars. In these cases the trailer could distort the frame of a car and result in sharp metal fragments to injure passengers.