Semi Truck Accident Law
A serious injury sustained in the crash of trucks can result in the death of someone in medical expenses. It can also cause permanent disabilities that require expensive equipment and long-term therapy.
After a crash, it is essential to have an experienced New York truck accident attorney at your side. A qualified lawyer will assist you in proving your case by using evidence like police reports and surveillance footage, among others.
Poorly-Maintained Vehicles
Owner-operators and trucking companies often fail to take the necessary steps to ensure that their vehicles are in good shape. This negligence leads to an overwhelming number of preventable accidents every year.
Semis and tractor trailers require more frequent maintenance than cars for passengers due to their larger dimensions and larger weight. Unfortunately working to meet maine semi truck accident lawsuit and maximizing profits often take precedence over the maintenance of a fleet. Trucks are susceptible to mechanical problems that could lead to catastrophes.
The brakes on a truck must be able to stop and slow down the vehicle at a minute's notice. When brake pads lines, return springs or lines on a truck wear out, it can lead to serious accidents and fatal injuries. It is essential to have these parts regularly checked and replaced as required to ensure that they remain in good working condition.
Inadequately maintained tires can be a major reason for truck accidents. Tires that are worn out may lose traction and cause the truck to flip over or skid. Tires that are defective because of improper air pressure or tread design can fail catastrophically.
The inspections are routine for trucks along with regular maintenance to detect mechanical problems before they cause an incident. If an inspection is done incorrectly or if the repair shop does not follow the manufacturer's recommendations, it can cause a crash. In these cases, the company that hired or supervised the maintenance or repair shop could be held responsible.
Another cause of truck accidents is the failure of signals, lights and reflectors. These devices must be correctly functioning to allow drivers to see their truck and anticipate its movements, especially in rural areas or at night. Drivers or trucking companies may not maintain and inspect these equipment, or may not perform daily safety checks.
A reliable Houston truck accident lawyer can analyze your case to determine who could be accountable for your injuries after you've been injured during an accident involving a badly maintained commercial truck. The investigation can uncover evidence that shows the negligence of the defendant in your crash and help you obtain the compensation you are entitled to.
Distracted Drivers
There are few things more damaging than an accident with a commercial truck. These massive vehicles weigh up to 25 times more than your vehicle and can cause much greater injuries when they are involved in a collision. While a variety of factors can contribute to accidents that result from distracted driving, it is one of the most frequent and dangerous. A truck driver who is distracted might lose control of their vehicle or fail to spot an accident on the road, which can lead to life-threatening injuries.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has strict rules and regulations for truck drivers. This includes a ban on texting or using mobile phones while driving. Even if truckers obey the rules, they may be distracted and cause an accident. This can be caused by accidental distractions, such as not having your hands on the steering wheel or cognitive distractions such as thinking about something other than driving.
Although most people know that it is risky to text and drive, few are aware that other activities such as eating or changing the radio station or conversing with a passenger could also be considered to be distracting. When the trucker is distracted, he may drift into another area and not be aware of an impending traffic jam. It only takes a split second for a huge truck to strike a passenger vehicle when the driver's attention wanders.
It is essential to collect details about witnesses and to take photographs of the accident scene when an unintentionally distracted driver causes the truck to crash. It is also beneficial to know the name of the truck driver as well as the company they work for, aswell and who owns the truck if they are an independent contractor. This can have an influence on who is responsible for the accident, because it is the trucking company's responsibility to recruit competent and experienced truck drivers. If the trucking company is found to be partially responsible for your accident, it may be liable to you for economic as well as non-economic losses.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end truck collisions are quite common and can result in serious injuries. They can occur in a variety of situations, such as at a red light or stop sign, when the trucker fails to check behind them for any traffic that is coming up. It could also happen when vehicles cross the truck's path, causing the driver of the truck to stop abruptly without warning. The trucker could then crash into the car from behind.
It is often difficult to prove the cause of rear-end collisions, since it is not always obvious which vehicle was responsible for the crash. A skilled attorney can help gather evidence to show that the driver in the back caused the crash because they followed too closely or driving distracted. This evidence can include photos as well as police reports and eyewitness testimony as well markings from skids on the road.
The driver in front of the car may also be accountable for the collision. This can happen when they cut off someone else or fail to obey their turn signal as a reasonable person would, or hit on the brakes at the very last minute, causing the driver in the back to crash into the vehicle directly in front of them. In this scenario modified comparative negligence laws can be applied. The jury will assign a percentage of blame to each of the parties. The damages will be reduced accordingly.
Lacerations & Bruises
In a rear-end crash, the rear of the car is the part that takes the most force. This means that passengers are at risk of serious injuries if they crash their heads against the dashboard or the back window. They also may break bones from being torn around inside the car by the force of the collision. Spinal injuries can be severe. The spinal cord is home to many nerves that regulate the body, so any damage to the spinal column could cause significant and permanent issues for those affected.
In addition to these types of injuries, the victim may also be suffering from psychological and emotional traumas as a result of being in a horrific crash. They may have difficulty getting enough sleep or concentrating. This can lead to depression and anxiety. They may also experience stress and financial strain when they cannot work because of an injury. An attorney can examine all possible causes of liability and assist the victim in seeking fair compensation for their expenses.
Problematic trailer hitches
All vehicles, whether they are a car or a truck, van, flatbed, or van, need to be securely connected to their trailers. If a trailer is suddenly unhitched, it could lead to catastrophic accidents that result in serious injuries or death. If you have been injured in a vehicle accident caused by a truck that has run away, contact an experienced attorney who is skilled in cases involving the failure of a hitch to discuss your legal options.
The reason for a malfunctioning trailer hitch could be due to a variety of factors that can be traced to improper securement or design. It could be due to an error on the part of the manufacturer in which case, product liability laws may apply. The person or company at the fault for a trailer that is defective is responsible for the medical bills of the victims, auto repair costs, and other damages resulting from the incident.
For example, in a deadly crash that took place in January 2014 on an Ohio road locally known as "Devil's Backbone," a trailer came loose from the truck and crashed head-on into two cars behind it. Initial investigation linked the crash to the truck driver's lapse in examine and secure the hitch. In June 2015 however, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began investigating the possibility that a flaw in the hitch the Ultra LT manufactured Fontaine Fifth Wheel in Trussville, Alabama, was the reason behind the crash.
The trailer hit the side of the vehicles, and then crashed into them. The result was numerous deaths and serious injuries to the drivers.
The driver of the truck involved in the accident was convicted of vehicular homicide. However, experts believe that he could have avoided the collision had he conducted an in-depth inspection of his trailer to ensure all connections were tight. Incorrect trailer hitches can cause major disasters, as these incidents often involve a large amount of speed, and they can sidewipe smaller cars or motorcycles. In such cases the trailer may distort a car's frame and force razor sharp metal fragments to impale passengers inside.