Semi Truck Accident Law
A semi-truck accident can cause an injury that is serious enough to cost a person a lot in medical expenses. It can also lead to permanent disabilities requiring expensive equipment and long-term physical therapy.
After a collision is crucial to have an experienced New York truck accident attorney at your side. A professional lawyer can help you prove your case using evidence like police reports and surveillance footage.
Poorly-Maintained Vehicles
Trucking companies and owners-operators often fail to take the necessary steps to ensure their vehicles are in good repair. This leads to an increase in the number of preventable accidents every year.
Semis and tractor trailers require more frequent maintenance than passenger cars due to their size and heavier weight. However the pressure of meeting deadlines and maximizing profits often over maintaining the fleet. As a result, trucks can be susceptible to mechanical failures that cause catastrophic accidents.
The brakes of a truck need to be able stop and slow down the vehicle at a minute's notice. If palmdale semi truck accident attorney of a truck's brakes lines, lines or return springs wear out they could cause serious collisions and fatal injuries. These components should be checked and repaired regularly as necessary to maintain their good condition.
Tires that are not properly maintained can also be a major factor in truck accidents. Tires that are worn-out may lose traction and cause the truck to overturn or slide. Tires that are defective either because of an insufficient air pressure or tread design can fail catastrophically.
Trucks require regular inspections along with regular maintenance to spot mechanical issues prior to causing an incident. If an inspection is done in a way that is not correct or if the repair shop doesn't follow the manufacturer's recommendations this could result in an accident. In these instances the company that hired or supervising the maintenance or the repair shop could be held responsible.
Poorly functioning lights, signals and reflectors are also a frequent cause of truck accident. These devices must be correctly working to enable drivers to see their truck and anticipate its movements, especially in rural areas or at night. Drivers or trucking companies may fail to maintain and inspect these equipment, or may not carry out regular safety checks.
A reliable Houston truck accident lawyer will review your case and determine who is liable for your damages after you've been injured during an accident caused by a faulty maintenance of a commercial truck. These investigations can reveal evidence that proves the negligence of the defendant in the accident and assist you obtain the compensation you are entitled to.
Distracted Drivers
There aren't many events as devastating as an accident involving a commercial truck. These huge vehicles weigh up to 25 times more than your car and could cause much greater injuries when they are involved in collisions. Distracted driving is one of many factors that cause accidents. A driver who is distracted could lose control of their vehicle or overlook an opportunity to avoid a road accident that could result in serious and life-changing injuries.
Truck drivers are required to adhere to strict rules and regulations established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This includes a ban on texting and using mobile phones while operating their vehicles. However, even when truckers follow the rules, they are still prone to be distracted and cause crash. 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.
Many people are aware that texting while driving is dangerous, but they are not aware that other activities, such as eating, changing radio stations, or conversing with passengers, can also be considered distracting. When a truck driver gets distracted, they could wander off into another lane, or miss an obstruction in front of them. It only takes a fraction of a second for a huge truck to collide with a vehicle if the trucker's mind wanders.
It is essential to collect details about witnesses and take photos of the scene of the crash when the driver is distracted, which can cause a crash of a truck. It is also important to determine the name of the driver who is driving the truck and the company they are employed by, as well as who owns the truck, if it's an independent contractor. This will affect who is accountable for your accident since the trucking company is responsible for hiring skilled and competent truck drivers. If the trucking company is found be at least partially responsible for your accident, they could be responsible for your economic as well as non-economic damages.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions with trucks are common and often result in serious injuries. These accidents can happen in a variety of circumstances, including at the stop sign or a red light when a trucker doesn't check behind him for oncoming traffic. They may also occur when a car is able to cut in front of the truck, causing the driver to hit their brakes without warning. The trucker could then crash into the car from behind.
It can be hard to establish fault when there's rear-end collisions as it's not always certain who was at fault. An experienced attorney can help gather evidence that proves the driver at the rear was responsible for the crash due to following too closely or driving while distracted. This evidence can include photos or police reports, eyewitness testimony, aswell being skid marks on the road.
The driver in the front of the car could also be accountable for the incident. This can happen when they cut someone off or fail to use their turn signal in the way that a reasonable person would, or decide to slam on the brakes at the last moment which causes the driver in the back to crash into the vehicle directly in front of them. This type of scenario is where modified comparative negligence laws be applied, in which the jury assigns a percentage of blame to each party, and damages are reduced in proportion to the percentage of fault.
Lacerations and Bruises
The rear end of the vehicle experiences the most impact in a rear-end crash, so occupants are more likely to suffer serious injuries after hitting their head against the back window or dashboard. The force of the crash can cause broken bones when the occupants of the vehicle are thrown around the interior of the vehicle. Spinal injuries can be severe. The damage to the spine could have serious and long-lasting effects on the victims.
A victim of a serious accident may also suffer from emotional and psychological trauma. They might have trouble getting enough sleep or concentrating, which may cause anxiety and depression. If they're unable work due to the degree of their injury this can add anxiety and financial hardship. An attorney can research any possible liability sources and assist a victim in seeking an appropriate amount of compensation for their loss.
Faulty Trailer Hitches
No matter if you're driving either a car, van, a truck, or a flatbed, all cars need to be securely attached to their trailers. When a trailer becomes unexpectedly unhitched, it could lead to catastrophic accidents that result in severe injuries or death. If you have been injured in a car accident caused by a runaway truck get in touch with an experienced lawyer who is experienced in cases of hitch failure to discuss your legal options.
A faulty trailer hitch can be caused by a variety of factors, ranging from inadequate security to design flaws. It could be caused by a defect on the part of the manufacturer, in which case product liability law could be applicable. The company or person accountable for a defective trailer can be held accountable for the victims' medical costs as well as auto repair costs and other losses that result from the incident.
In the fatal crash that took place on a road in Ohio known as "Devil's Backbone" in January 2014, the trailer was detached from the truck. It then crashed into two cars directly behind it. Initial investigation linked the accident to the driver's negligence in failing to examine and secure the hitch. But in June 2015, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began to investigate the possibility that a manufacturing defect caused the hitch at the center of the crash -- an Ultra LT manufactured by Fontaine Fifth Wheel of Trussville, Alabama -- to fail on a large number of occasions.
Due to the faulty hitch, the trailer struck the sides of the vehicles before plunging into them head-on. The result was numerous fatalities and serious injuries for the drivers.
The driver of the truck that was involved in the crash was found guilty of vehicular murder, however experts believe that he could have prevented the collision with other vehicles if he had performed a thorough visual inspection of his trailer and ensured that all connections were secure. A faulty hitch on a trailer can lead to catastrophic accidents, as these accidents typically involve a substantial amount of speed and can easily cause a collision with smaller vehicles or motorcycles. In these situations, the trailer may distort the car's frame and result in sharp metal fragments to entrap passengers.