Semi Truck Accident Law
A semi-truck accident could cause a serious injury that can cost a person a lot in medical expenses. It could also cause permanent disabilities that require expensive equipment and long-term therapy.
After a crash, it is important to have an experienced New York truck accident attorney on your side. A skilled attorney can you prove your case with evidence like police reports and surveillance camera footage and more.
Poorly maintained vehicles
Owner-operators and trucking companies often fail to take the necessary steps to ensure their vehicles are in good shape. This negligence results in many preventable accidents each year.
Semis and tractor trailers require more frequent maintenance than passenger cars due to their size and heavier load. However the pressure to meet deadlines and maximize profits often over maintaining the fleet. In the end, trucks are more prone to mechanical failures that result in catastrophic accidents.
The brakes on a truck have to be able to stop and slow down the vehicle at a moment's notice. When brake pads lines, return springs, or lines on a truck are worn out and break, it could lead to serious accidents and fatal injuries. It is essential that these parts are regularly inspected and replaced as required to ensure that they remain in good working order.
Tires that aren't properly maintained can also play a significant role in truck accidents. Tires that are worn-out may lose traction and cause the truck to overturn or slide. Tires that aren't working because of incorrect tread design or air pressure can fail catastrophically.
Trucks require regular inspections along with regular maintenance in order to spot mechanical issues before they lead to an incident. However, if an inspection is not done correctly or the repair shop does not adhere to the guidelines of the manufacturer, it could cause an accident. In these situations the company that employed or directed the maintenance or the repair shop could be held accountable.
Another reason for truck accidents is faulty signals, lights, and reflectors. These items must be properly working to enable drivers to see their truck and anticipate its movements, particularly in rural areas and after dark. Drivers or trucking companies may fail to maintain and inspect these components, or they may not be able to conduct daily safety inspections.
A reliable Houston truck accident lawyer will review your case and determine which parties may be accountable for your injuries if you were injured in an accident involving a badly maintained commercial truck. This investigation could uncover evidence that proves the defendant's negligence and help you get the compensation you're entitled to.
Distracted Drivers
The consequences of collisions with commercial trucks can be devastating. These huge vehicles weigh up to 25 times more than your car and could cause much greater injuries when they are involved in collisions. While many factors cause accidents that result from distracted driving, it is one of the most prevalent and risky. A truck driver who is distracted can lose control of their vehicle or fail to recognize a hazard in 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 prohibition against texting or using cell phones while driving. Even when truckers adhere to the rules, they can be distracted and cause an accident. This could be due to manual distractions such as taking your hand off the steering wheel or cognitive distractions such as thinking about something other than driving.
Many people are aware that texting while driving can be risky, but not many know that other activities, such as eating, changing radio stations, or chatting with passengers, are also considered to be distracting. When a trucker is distracted, they could drift into another lane or fail to see a traffic jam up ahead of them. If a truck driver's focus is diverted, it will only take a split-second for a large vehicle to collide with a car.
When a truck accident is caused by distracted driving, it is important to take photos of the crash scene as well as collect the contact details and name of any witnesses. It is also helpful to know the name of the truck driver as well as the company they are employed by, as well as who owns the truck if it is an independent contractor. This can have an effect on who is accountable for the accident, because it is the responsibility of the trucking firm to recruit competent and experienced truck drivers. If the trucking company is found to be partially responsible in the accident, it could be held accountable to you for any economic and non-economic injuries.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions with trucks are common and can cause serious injuries. They can happen in a variety of settings, such as at the stop or red light signal when the trucker fails to look behind them for oncoming traffic. They can also happen when a car crashes into 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 difficult to prove the cause of an accident that occurs at the rear, as it is not always obvious which vehicle caused the accident. However, a skilled attorney can help gather evidence to show that the driver behind caused the crash by following too closely or distracted driving. This can include evidence like photographs, police reports, eyewitness testimony and skid marks on the road.
The driver in the front of the car could also be held responsible for the collision. This can happen if they cut someone off or fail use a turn signal like any other reasonable person would do. This type of scenario is where modified comparative negligence laws can be applied, in which the jury determines a percentage of the fault to each party and damages are reduced in proportion to the percentage of fault.
Lacerations and Bruises
In a rear-end crash the rear end of the vehicle is the area that experiences the most impact. This means that drivers are most at risk of serious injuries if they hit their heads against the dashboard or the back window. The force of the crash may also cause broken bones if the occupants are thrown around the inside of the vehicle. The injuries to the spine can be extremely severe. The spinal cord contains many nerves that regulate the body. Therefore, any injury to the spinal column can cause permanent and significant issues for those affected.
A person who has been involved in a serious accident could also be suffering from emotional and psychological trauma. They might have trouble sleeping or concentrating, which may lead to depression and anxiety. If they're unable to work due to the degree of their injury it can create anxiety and financial hardship. An attorney can investigate the possible sources of liability to assist a victim in receiving fair compensation for their loss.
Problematic trailer hitches
It doesn't matter if you're driving either a car, van, a truck, or a flatbed, all vehicles have to be securely connected to their trailers. Unintentionally pulling a trailer off can result in catastrophic accidents that lead to severe injuries or even death. If you've been injured in a vehicle accident caused by a truck that has run away get in touch with an experienced lawyer who is experienced in cases of hitch failure to discuss your legal options.
A defective trailer hitch could be the result of a variety of things, from improper secured to faulty design. It can be the result of an error by the manufacturer and in that case, products liability laws could apply. The person or company at the fault for a defective trailer can be held liable for the medical bills of the victims and auto repair costs and other losses arising from the incident.
For example there was a fatal crash that occurred in January 2014 along an Ohio road known locally as "Devil's Backbone," a trailer came off the truck and crashed directly into two cars in front of it. Initial investigations attributed the accident to the truck driver’s negligence in failing to properly inspect and secure hitch. In pittsburgh semi truck accident attorney , the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began investigating 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 percentage of occasions.
The trailer hit the side of the vehicles, and then crashed into them. The result was numerous fatalities and serious injuries for the drivers.
The truck driver in the incident was found guilty of vehicular homicide, but experts say he could have avoided the collision if he'd performed a thorough inspection of his trailer to make sure all connections were in good order. A faulty hitch on a trailer can lead to major catastrophes, since these accidents typically involve a substantial amount of speed and could easily sidewipe smaller cars or motorcycles. In these instances the trailer can distort the frame of a car and create sharp metal fragments to injure passengers.