Semi Truck Accident Law
A serious injury sustained in an accident with a semi truck can bury a person with medical expenses. It can also result in permanent disabilities that require expensive equipment and long-term therapy.
It is important to have a professional New York truck accident lawyer by your side after a crash. A qualified attorney can help you prove your case with evidence such as police reports and surveillance camera footage and more.
Vehicles that are not maintained properly
Trucking companies and owners-operators often don't take the necessary steps to ensure their vehicles are in good repair. This can lead to an astronomical number of preventable accidents every year.
Comparatively to passenger vehicles, tractor-trailers and semis need more frequent maintenance work due to their size and heavier load. However working to meet deadlines and maximizing profits can often take precedence over maintaining the fleet. This is why trucks are susceptible to mechanical failures that result in catastrophic accidents.
The brakes of trucks are crucial since they have to stop the vehicle and slow it down at the smallest of moments. When a truck's brake pads, lines or return springs fail they could cause serious collisions and fatal injuries. These components must be regularly checked and repaired as necessary to maintain their good condition.
Tires that are not maintained properly can be a major reason for truck accidents. Tires that are worn-out can lose traction and cause the truck to rollover or slide. Tires that are defective or damaged, whether due to inadequate tread design or air pressure, can fail catastrophically.
Regular inspections of trucks are required along with regular maintenance to detect mechanical issues prior to causing an accident. If an inspection is conducted incorrectly or the repair shop does not follow the manufacturer's guidelines, it can cause an accident. In such cases the company that hired or supervised the maintenance or the repair shop could be held accountable.
Another reason for truck accidents is faulty lights, signals, and reflectors. These items must be properly working to enable drivers to see the truck and anticipate its movements, particularly in rural areas or after dark. However, trucking companies might fail to maintain and inspect these items or the driver might not perform regular safety inspections.
A reliable Houston truck accident lawyer will examine your case to determine which parties may be accountable for your damages if you were injured in an accident involving a badly maintained commercial truck. These investigations can uncover evidence that demonstrates the negligence of the defendant in the accident and help you recover the compensation you're entitled to.
Distracted Drivers
There are few things more damaging than an accident which involves a commercial vehicle. These huge vehicles weigh up to 25 times the weight of your vehicle and can cause more serious injuries when they are involved in collisions. While a variety of factors can cause accidents, distracted driving is one of the most common and risky. A distracted truck driver can lose control of the vehicle or miss an accident on the road, which can lead to serious and life-altering injuries.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has strict rules and guidelines for truck drivers. This includes a ban on texting and the use of cell phones while driving. However, even when truckers adhere to the rules, they can still become distracted and cause an accident. This could be the result of manual distractions, such as taking their hands off the wheel or mental distractions such as thinking about something else other than driving.
While most people understand the dangers of using text and drive, few realize that other activities such as eating, changing the station on the radio, and even conversing with the other driver can also be deemed to be distracting. If a trucker gets distracted, it is possible that he will drift into a different area and not be aware of the traffic jam ahead. When a trucker's attention is diverted, it takes only an instant for a large vehicle to collide with a car.
It is crucial to gather information on witnesses and take photos of the scene of the accident when the driver is distracted and causes the truck to crash. It is also helpful to find out the name of the driver who is driving the truck and the company they work for, aswell as who owns the truck, if it's an independent contractor. el monte semi truck accident attorney will affect the person who is responsible for your incident since the trucking company is responsible for securing skilled and competent truck drivers. If the trucking firm is found to be partially responsible in your accident, they could be liable to you for financial and non-economic damages.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end truck collisions are common and can cause serious injuries. These accidents can happen in a variety of circumstances such as at the stop sign or an intersection when the trucker does not check the road ahead for oncoming traffic. It can also happen when an automobile crosses the truck's path, causing the driver of the truck to stop suddenly without warning. The trucker might then slam the car from behind.
It is often difficult to prove fault in rear-end collisions, since it is not always obvious which vehicle was responsible for the crash. However, a skilled lawyer can assist in gathering evidence that shows the driver behind caused the crash by following too closely or being distracted while driving. This can be evidence in the form of photos, police reports and eyewitness testimony, as well as skid marks on the road.
Sometimes, the driver in the front could be liable for the accident in addition. This could occur if they cut someone off or fail to utilize a turn signal in the same manner as any reasonable person would do. This is where modified comparative negligence laws can come into play, where the jury assigns a percentage of blame to each party, and damages are reduced accordingly.
Lacerations and Bruises
The rear end of the vehicle is the most impacted area in a rear-end collision, meaning that occupants can sustain serious injuries as they smash their head against the dashboard or back window. The force of the crash may also cause broken bones if the occupants are thrown around the interior of the car. The severity of spinal injuries can be devastating. The spinal cord is home to many nerves that control the body. Therefore, any injury to the spinal column may cause permanent and significant problems for victims.
A victim of a serious accident may also experience psychological and emotional trauma. They may experience difficulty getting enough sleep or concentrating, which can cause anxiety and depression. They could also be facing stress and financial difficulties if they are unable work because of an injury. An attorney can look into possible sources of liability and assist the victim to receive an appropriate amount of compensation for their loss.
Problematic Trailer Hitches
Whatever vehicle you're driving, an automobile, a truck, a van, or a flatbed, all cars need to be securely attached to their trailers. If a trailer goes unhitched, it can cause a catastrophic accident that could result in serious injuries or death. If you've been injured in a vehicle accident caused by a runaway truck get in touch with an experienced lawyer who specializes in hitch failure cases to discuss your legal options.
A malfunctioning trailer hitch may be caused by many different factors, ranging from inadequate securement to a defective design. It could also be the result a manufacturer's defect and in that case, products liability laws could apply. The person or company responsible for a trailer that is defective is liable for the victim's medical costs along with auto repair expenses and other losses resulting 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 that were directly behind it. Initial investigation linked the accident to the driver's negligence in failing inspect and secure the hitch. In June 2015, however, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began to investigate the possibility that a flaw in the hitch that was an Ultra LT manufactured Fontaine Fifth Wheel in Trussville, Alabama, was the reason behind the crash.
As a result of the defective hitch The trailer struck the sides of the vehicles before crashing into them head-on. The result was multiple deaths and serious injuries for the drivers.
The truck driver involved in the accident was found guilty of vehicular homicide, but experts say that he could've avoided the crash in the event that he had conducted an exhaustive inspection of his trailer to make sure all connections were tight. A faulty hitch on a trailer can lead to catastrophic accidents, as these accidents typically involve a large amount of speed, and they can cause a collision with smaller vehicles or motorcycles. In these situations the trailer may distort the car's frame, and cause steel fragments that are razor-sharp to crush passengers inside.