Semi Truck Accident Law
A severe injury sustained in the crash of a semi-truck can leave an individual in medical expenses. It could also cause permanent disabilities that require expensive equipment and long-term therapy.
It is essential to have a reputable New York truck accident lawyer to assist you after an accident. A qualified attorney will help you prove your case using evidence such as police reports and surveillance footage, among others.
Poorly-Maintained Vehicles
Owner-operators and companies that operate trucks often do not take the necessary steps to ensure that their vehicles are in good condition. This causes many preventable accidents occurring every year.
As compared to passenger cars semis and tractor-trailers require more frequent maintenance due to their size and weight. loads. Unfortunately the pressure of meeting deadlines and maximising profits often over maintaining the fleet. Trucks are susceptible to mechanical problems that can result in catastrophic accidents.
The brakes on trucks must be able stop and slow down the vehicle at a minute's notice. If the pads of a truck's brakes lines, lines, or return springs fail they could cause serious collisions and fatal injuries. These parts should be regularly inspected and repaired as needed to ensure their good working condition.
Tires that aren't properly maintained can be a major factor in truck accidents. Tires that have worn out can lose traction and cause the truck to roll over or skid. Tires that aren't working, whether it's due to an insufficient air pressure or tread design could fail catastrophically.
In addition to regular maintenance, trucks must undergo regular inspections to identify mechanical issues before they cause an accident. If an inspection is not done correctly or the repair shop fails to adhere to 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 accountable.
Another common cause of truck accidents is malfunctioning signals, lights, and reflectors. These items must be properly working to enable drivers to see the truck and anticipate its movements, especially in rural areas or at night. Trucking companies or drivers may fail to maintain and check these items, or may not perform daily safety inspections.
A Houston truck accident attorney will review your situation and determine who could be accountable for your losses in the event that you were injured by a poorly maintained commercial truck. The investigation can uncover evidence that shows the defendant's negligence in your crash and help you obtain the compensation you deserve.
Distracted Drivers
The result of a collision involving commercial trucks could be catastrophic. These massive vehicles weigh up to 25 times the weight of your vehicle and can cause much greater injuries when they are involved in an accident. While many factors cause accidents, distracted driving is one of the most prevalent and dangerous. A truck driver who is distracted may lose control of their vehicle or fail to recognize the dangers on the roadway, which could lead to severe and life-changing injuries.
Truck drivers must adhere to strict rules and regulations set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This includes a prohibition against texting or using cellular phones while driving. However, even when truckers follow the rules, they could still get distracted and cause crashes. This could be due to manual distractions like taking your hand off the steering wheel or by cognitive distractions like thinking about something other than driving.
Although most people know the dangers of using text and drive, very few realize that other activities like eating or changing the station on the radio or even talking to passengers can be considered distracting. If a truck driver is distracted, they may wander off into another lane, or miss a traffic jam in front of them. It takes only a split second for a huge truck to crash into a vehicle when the trucker's focus wanders.
It is crucial to gather details about witnesses and to take photographs of the accident scene when the driver is distracted, which can cause a truck crash. It is important to determine the name of the driver, the business for which they work and who is the owner of the vehicle if it's an independent contractor. This can have an impact on who's responsible for the accident, because it is the trucking company's responsibility to find competent and skilled truck drivers. If the trucking company is found to be at least partially responsible for the accident, they could be liable for your economic and non-economic damages.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions with trucks are common and can result in serious injuries. These accidents can happen in many different situations like at an intersection or at a red light when a trucker is not checking behind him for any traffic that is coming up. They may also occur when a car crashes into front of the truck, causing the driver to use their brakes without warning. The trucker could then smash the car from behind.
It can be difficult to prove fault in the event of rear-end collisions, as it's not always certain who was at fault. An experienced lawyer can gather evidence to prove that the driver behind caused the crash due to following too closely or driving in a distracted manner. This can include evidence such as photographs, police reports, eyewitness testimony and skid marks in the road.
The driver in the front of the car could also be held responsible for the collision. This could happen if they cut off someone else or fail to utilize their turn signal in the way that a reasonable person would, or slam on the brakes at the last moment and cause the driver in the back to slam into the car directly in the front of them. In this scenario an amended comparative negligence law can be applied. The jury will assign a percentage of blame to each party. The damages will be reduced accordingly.
Bruises and Lacerations
The rear end of the vehicle experiences the most impact in a rear-end crash, meaning that occupants can sustain serious injuries when they hit their head against the dashboard or the back window. They could also break bones from being torn around inside the car by the force of the crash. Spinal injuries can be severe. kansas city semi truck accident law firm of nerves that control the body, therefore any injury to the spinal column may cause permanent and significant issues for those affected.
In addition to these types of injuries, a victim may suffer from emotional and psychological trauma from being involved in a devastating crash. They may experience difficulties being able to sleep or concentrate, which can result in anxiety and depression. They may also face stress and financial burdens when they are unable to work due to an injury. An attorney will investigate the possible sources of liability to assist the victim to receive the right amount of compensation for their loss.
Troublesome trailer hitches
No matter if you're driving the vehicle of a car, truck, a van, or a flatbed, all cars need to be securely connected to their trailers. When a trailer becomes unexpectedly unhitched, it could lead to catastrophic accidents that cause serious injuries or even death. If you've suffered injuries 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 faulty trailer hitch can be caused by many different things, from improper securement to a defective design. It can also be the result a defect in the manufacturing process and in that case, laws governing product liability could apply. The company or the person who is at the fault for a defective trailer could be held accountable for victims' medical bills, auto repair costs, and other damages resulting from the incident.
For instance the fatal crash that was reported in January 2014 on an Ohio road locally known as "Devil's Backbone," a trailer came off the truck and careened head-on into two cars behind it. Initial investigations linked the incident to the truck driver’s negligence in failing to properly inspect and secure hitch. However, in June 2015 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began investigating the possibility that a manufacturing defect caused the hitch in the crash -it was an Ultra LT manufactured by Fontaine Fifth Wheel of Trussville, Alabama -- to malfunction on a high percentage of occasions.
The trailer slammed into the side of the vehicles, and then crashed into them. The result was multiple fatalities and serious injuries for the drivers.
The truck driver who was involved in the crash was found guilty of vehicular homicide. However, experts say he could have avoided the collision by conducting a thorough inspection of his trailer to ensure all connections were tight. The failure of a trailer's hitches can result in catastrophic accidents, as these incidents often involve a lot of speed and may sidewipe smaller cars or motorcycles. In such instances the trailer can deform the car's frame, and cause the metal to crush passengers inside.