Semi Truck Accident Law
A semi-truck crash can result in a serious injury that can cost the victim a significant amount in medical expenses. It can also cause permanent disabilities that require expensive equipment and long-term physical therapy.
After a collision, it is essential to have an experienced New York truck accident attorney on your side. A qualified attorney can help you prove your case with evidence like police reports and surveillance footage, among others.
Poorly maintained vehicles
In many instances trucking firms and owner-operators don't take the proper steps to ensure their vehicles are in good working condition. This leads to an overwhelming number of preventable accidents every year.
Semis and tractor trailers require more frequent maintenance than cars used for passenger transport because of their larger dimensions and larger weight. However, the pressure to meet deadlines and maximize profits often takes precedence over maintaining the fleet. Trucks are susceptible to mechanical problems that can cause disastrous accidents.
carson semi truck accident lawyer on trucks are especially important since they have to stop the vehicle and slow it down at an instant's notice. When brake pads lines, return springs or lines on a truck get worn out and become damaged, it can result in serious accidents and fatal injuries. These components should be checked regularly and repaired in order to keep them in good working condition.
Tires that are not maintained properly can be a major cause of truck accidents. Tires that are worn down can cause the tires to lose traction, which causes the truck to slide or even flip over. If a tire is damaged in any way, for example, having the incorrect air pressure or tread design, it could fail catastrophically.
In addition to regular maintenance, trucks must undergo regular inspections in order to spot mechanical issues prior to causing an accident. However, if the inspection is conducted incorrectly or the repair shop doesn't adhere to the guidelines of the manufacturer it could lead to a crash. In these instances, the company that commissioned the repair or maintenance shop or managed it may be held accountable.
Faulty lights, signals and reflectors are another common reason for truck accidents. These devices must function properly to enable drivers to be aware of and anticipate the movement of the truck especially in rural areas or at night. However, trucking firms may fail to maintain and inspect these elements or the driver could not perform regular safety inspections.
A reliable Houston truck accident lawyer will review your case and determine who could be responsible for your losses after you've been injured during an accident involving a badly maintained commercial truck. These investigations can reveal evidence of negligence by the defendant and help you get the compensation you're entitled to.
Distracted Drivers
Accidents involving commercial trucks can be catastrophic. These huge vehicles can weigh as much as 25 times more than a car and can cause more severe injuries when involved in an accident. While a variety of factors can contribute to accidents, distracted driving is one of the most frequent and risky. A truck driver who is distracted could lose control of their vehicle or fail to notice the dangers on the road, leading to life-threatening injuries.
Truck drivers must adhere to strict rules and regulations established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This includes a ban on texting and the use of cell phones while operating their vehicles. Even if truckers obey the rules, they might still be distracted and cause an accident. This is often caused by mechanical distractions like turning your back on the steering wheel or mental distractions such as thinking about something other than driving.
Many people are aware that texting while driving can be dangerous, but few know that other activities, like eating, changing radio stations, or chatting with passengers, can also be considered distracting. If a trucker is distracted they may wander off into a different lane and fail to notice a traffic jam ahead. When a truck driver's eye is diverted, it's only just a few seconds for a huge vehicle to hit a motorist car.
It is important to gather information on witnesses and take photos of the scene after an accident if an unintentionally distracted driver causes an accident with a truck. It is also important to determine the name of the driver who is driving the truck and the company they work for, aswell the owner of the truck if they are an independent contractor. This will affect the person who is responsible for your accident as the trucking company is responsible for hiring skilled and experienced truck drivers. If the trucking company is found be partly responsible for your accident, they could be held responsible for your economic and non-economic damages.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions between trucks are not uncommon and can cause serious injuries. These accidents can happen in many different circumstances like at the stop sign or a red light, when the trucker is not checking behind him for any traffic that is coming up. They can also occur when a car cuts in front of the truck, which forces the driver to apply their brakes without warning. The trucker may then crash into the car from behind.
It can be difficult to prove fault in the event of a rear-end collision, because it isn't always certain the vehicle that was at fault. A skilled attorney can help find evidence to prove that the driver in the back caused the accident due to following too closely or driving erratically. This can include evidence such as photographs, police reports, eyewitness testimony, and skid marks on the roadway.
Sometimes the driver in front could be found to be at fault for the crash in addition. This can happen when they cut someone off or fail to use their turn signal in the way that a reasonable person would, or hit on the brakes at the last moment and causing the driver in the back to crash into the vehicle directly in the front. This is where modified comparative negligence laws be used, in which the jury determines a percentage of the fault to each party, and damages are lowered accordingly.
Bruises and Lacerations
In a rear-end collision, the rear-end of the car is the area that experiences the most impact. This means that the passengers are at risk of serious injuries if they crash their heads against the dashboard or the back window. The force of the crash can cause broken bones if the occupants of the vehicle are thrown around the interior of the car. Spinal injuries can be very serious. The spinal cord is home to many nerves that regulate the body, and any damage to the spinal column could cause serious and lasting issues for the victims.
In addition to these kinds of injuries, a victim may also experience psychological and emotional trauma from being involved in a devastating crash. They may have trouble sleeping or concentrating, which may result in anxiety and depression. If they're unable to work due to the degree of their injury this can cause stress and financial burden. An attorney can look into all possible causes of liability and assist a victim in seeking fair compensation for their loss.
Problematic Trailer Hitches
No matter if you're driving a car, a van, truck, or a flatbed, all cars need to be securely attached to their trailers. If a trailer is suddenly unhitched, it can cause a catastrophic accident that could result in severe injuries or even death. If you've been injured in a car accident caused by a truck that has run away and you are in need of an experienced attorney who is experienced in cases of hitch failure to discuss your legal options.
A defective trailer hitch could be caused by a variety of things, from improper securing to defective design. It could be caused by a defect on the part of the manufacturer where case-by-case product liability laws could apply. The person or company that is at the fault for a defective trailer is responsible for the cost of medical bills and auto repair expenses, 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 that is locally referred to as "Devil's Backbone," a trailer came off the truck and slid head-on into two cars behind it. Initial investigations attributed the accident to the truck driver's carelessness for not inspecting and secure the hitch. However, in June 2015 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began investigating the possibility that a manufacturing defect caused the hitch involved in the crash -- an Ultra LT manufactured by Fontaine Fifth Wheel in Trussville, Alabama -- to malfunction on a high number of occasions.
The trailer slammed into the side of the vehicles, and then crashed into them. The result was numerous deaths and serious injuries for the drivers.
The truck driver involved in the accident was found guilty of vehicular murder, however experts believe that he could have avoided the crash in the event that he had conducted an in-depth inspection of his trailer to make sure all connections were in good order. Faulty trailer hitches can cause major accidents. These accidents are typically high-speed and can easily sidewipe motorbikes or small cars. In these cases, the trailer may distort the frame of a car and cause razor-sharp metal fragments to impale any passengers.