Semi Truck Accident Law
A serious injury resulting from the crash of a semi truck can bury an individual with medical bills. It can also cause permanent disabilities that require expensive equipment and long-term therapy.
It is vital to have a reputable New York truck accident lawyer to assist you after an accident. A qualified attorney can help you prove your case with evidence such as police reports or surveillance footage, for instance.
Poorly maintained vehicles
In a majority of cases trucking companies as well as owner-operators fail to take the proper steps to ensure their vehicles are in good working condition. This leads to a large percentage of avoidable accidents each year.
Semis and tractor trailers require more frequent maintenance than passenger cars due to their dimensions and larger load. However keeping deadlines and increasing profits may take precedence over the maintenance of the fleet. Trucks are susceptible to mechanical issues that could lead to devastating accidents.
The brakes on a truck must be able to stop and slow down the vehicle at a minute's notice. If the pads of a truck's brakes lines, lines or return springs wear out, they can cause serious collisions and fatal injuries. It is essential that these parts are regularly inspected and replaced when required to keep them in good working condition.
Tires that aren't well maintained can be a major factor in truck accidents. Worn tires can lose traction and cause the truck to skid or even rollover. Tires that aren't working or damaged, whether due to an insufficient tread design or air pressure, can fail catastrophically.
Trucks require regular inspections along with regular maintenance to identify mechanical issues prior to causing an incident. If an inspection is done in a way that is not correct or if the repair shop does not follow the manufacturer's guidelines it could cause an accident. In these instances the company that hired or supervised the maintenance or repair shop could be held responsible.
The malfunctioning of signals, lights and reflectors are another common cause of truck accident. These elements must be properly working to enable drivers to see their truck and anticipate its movements, especially in rural areas or after dark. Drivers and trucking companies could not maintain and inspect these equipment, or might not conduct regular safety checks.
A Houston truck accident attorney will investigate your situation and determine who could be accountable for your damages in the event that you are injured by a badly maintained commercial truck. These investigations can uncover evidence to prove the defendant's negligence in the accident and assist you obtain the compensation you're due.
Distracted Drivers
The result of a collision involving commercial trucks could be catastrophic. These huge vehicles weigh up to 25 times more than your vehicle and can cause more serious injuries when they are involved in an accident. Distracted driving is among the many factors that can cause accidents. A truck driver who is distracted could lose control of their vehicle or fail to recognize an issue on the roadway, which could lead to serious and life-threatening injuries.
Truck drivers are required to adhere to strict rules and regulations that have been formulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This includes a ban on texting and the use of cell phones while driving. Even if truckers obey the rules they could still get distracted and cause a crash. This can be a result of distractions caused by manual actions like taking their hands off the wheel, or cognitive distractions like thinking about something other than driving.
Many people are aware that texting while driving is risky, but not many know that other activities, like eating or changing radio stations or talking to passengers, are also considered to be distracting. When a trucker is distracted the driver could drift off into another track and not see the traffic jam in front of him. When a truck driver's attention is diverted, it only takes an instant for a large vehicle to strike a passenger car.
It is crucial to gather details about witnesses and take photos of the accident scene when an unintentionally distracted driver causes a truck crash. It is also helpful to determine the name of the truck driver as well as the company they work for, aswell as who owns the truck if it is an independent contractor. This could have an effect on who is accountable for the accident, because it is the trucking company's responsibility to hire competent and skilled truck drivers. If the trucking company is found to be partially responsible for your accident, it may be liable to you for any economic as well as non-economic losses.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions between trucks are common and often cause severe injuries. These accidents can occur in a variety of circumstances like at the stop sign or a red light, when the trucker is not checking ahead for traffic coming in. They can also occur when a car comes in front of the truck, forcing the driver to slam on their brakes without warning. The trucker could then crash into the car from behind.
It can be difficult to prove fault in an accident that occurs at the rear, as it's not always clear which vehicle was responsible for the crash. However, a skilled lawyer can assist in gathering evidence that proves the driver behind caused the crash because they followed too closely or driving distracted. This can be evidence in the form of photos or police reports, eyewitness testimony as well as skid marks on the road.
The driver in front of the car may also be liable for the incident. This can happen if they cut someone off or fail make use of a turn signal, as would any other reasonable person. In this type of scenario modified comparative negligence laws may be used. The jury will assign a percentage of blame to each party. Damages are then reduced accordingly.
Bruises and Lacerations
The rear-end of the car experiences the most impact in a rear-end collision, so occupants are more likely to suffer serious injuries from hitting their head against the dashboard or the back window. They may also break bones as they are torn around inside the car by the force of the collision. Injuries to the spine can be particularly severe. Damage to the spine can have serious and long-lasting consequences for victims.
In addition to these types of injuries, a victim may suffer from psychological and emotional trauma from being in a horrific crash. They may have trouble being able to sleep or concentrate, which can cause depression and anxiety. If they are unable work due to the seriousness of their injury this could cause anxiety and financial hardship. An attorney can investigate any possible liability sources and assist the victim in seeking fair compensation for their loss.
Faulty Trailer Hitches
It doesn't matter if you're driving an automobile, a truck, a van or a flatbed, all vehicles need to be securely attached to their trailers. When a trailer becomes unexpectedly unhitched, it can cause a catastrophic accident that could cause serious injuries or even death. If you've suffered injuries in a car accident caused by a truck that has run away get in touch with an experienced lawyer who is skilled in cases involving the failure of a hitch to discuss your legal options.
A malfunctioning trailer hitch may be the result of a variety of factors, ranging from inadequate securing to defective design. It can also be the result of a manufacturer's defect, in which case laws governing product liability could apply. The company or person responsible for a defective trailer is liable for the victim's medical costs as well as auto repair costs and other losses that result from the incident.
For instance the fatal crash that occurred in January 2014 along an Ohio road referred to locally as "Devil's Backbone," a trailer came out of the truck and careened over two cars ahead of it. Initial investigations attributed the accident to the truck driver's negligence in failing to check and secure hitch. In June 2015, however, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration started investigating the possibility that a defect in the hitch, an Ultra LT manufactured Fontaine Fifth Wheel in Trussville, Alabama, was the reason for the crash.
The trailer struck the sides of the vehicle and crashed into them. The result was multiple deaths and serious injuries to the drivers.
The truck driver who was involved in the accident was found guilty of vehicular homicide, but experts say that he could've avoided the collision had he conducted a thorough inspection of his trailer to make sure all connections were in good order. The failure of trailer hitches can cause major catastrophes. illinois semi truck accident law firm of incidents are usually high-speed and can easily sidewipe motorcycles or smaller cars. In these instances the trailer can deform a car's frame and force the metal to crush passengers inside.