Semi Truck Accident Law
A severe injury sustained in the crash of a semi truck can bury an individual in medical costs. It can also lead to permanent disabilities that require expensive equipment and long-term therapy.
It is crucial to have a reputable New York truck accident lawyer to assist you after an accident. A qualified lawyer will help you prove your case using evidence such as police reports or surveillance footage, for instance.
Vehicles that are poorly maintained
In many cases trucking companies and owner-operators don't take the appropriate steps to make sure their vehicles are in good condition. This leads to a large percentage of preventable crashes every year.
Compared to passenger cars, tractor-trailers and semis will require more frequent maintenance due to their size and heavy load. However the pressure of completing deadlines and maximizing profits can overtake maintaining the fleet. Trucks can be prone to mechanical problems that could cause devastating accidents.
The brakes on a truck must be able stop and slow down the vehicle at a moment's notice. If the pads of a truck's brakes, lines or return springs fail, they can cause serious collisions and fatal injuries. These parts should be checked regularly and repaired as needed to ensure their good condition.
Inadequately maintained tires can be a major contributor to truck accidents. Tires that are worn out may lose traction and cause the truck to slide or even flip over. Tires that are defective because of inadequate air pressure or tread design may fail catastrophically.
Regular inspections of trucks are required along with regular maintenance in order to spot mechanical issues prior to causing an incident. However, if the inspection is conducted incorrectly or the repair shop doesn't adhere to the guidelines of the manufacturer the result could be a crash. In these situations the company that employed or directed the maintenance or the repair shop could be held responsible.
Another major cause of truck accidents is malfunctioning signals, lights, and reflectors. These devices must function properly so that drivers can detect and anticipate the movement of the truck especially in rural areas or at night. Drivers and trucking companies could not maintain and inspect these equipment, or may not perform daily safety inspections.
A Houston truck accident lawyer can investigate your case and determine who could be responsible for your injuries in the event that you are injured by a poorly maintained commercial truck. These investigations can reveal evidence that demonstrates the negligence of the defendant in the accident and assist you receive the compensation you are entitled to.
Distracted Drivers
There aren't many events more devastating than an accident that involves a commercial truck. These massive vehicles can weigh as much as 25 times more than your car and can cause more severe injuries in accidents. Distracted driving is one of many factors that can cause accidents. A truck driver who is distracted may lose control of their vehicle or fail to recognize a hazard in the road, which could lead to life-threatening injuries.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has strict rules and guidelines for truck drivers. This includes a prohibition against texting or using cellular phones while driving. Even if truckers abide by the rules, they can be distracted and result in an accident. This could be due to accidental distractions, such as taking your hand off the steering wheel or mental distractions such as thinking about something other than driving.
south carolina semi truck accident claim are aware that texting while driving is dangerous, but they are not aware that other activities, such as eating or changing radio stations or talking to passengers, could also be considered to be distracting. When a truck driver is distracted, they may get lost in a lane or fail to notice the traffic jam ahead of them. It only takes a split second for a large truck to hit a passenger vehicle when the trucker's focus wanders.
When a truck accident is caused by distracted drivers, it is important to capture photos of the scene of the accident and collect the name and contact information of witnesses. It is important to know 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 will affect who is accountable for your accident as the trucking company is responsible for hiring competent and skilled truck drivers. If the trucking company is found partially responsible for your accident, it could be liable to you for financial and non-economic damage.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end truck collisions are quite common and can cause serious injuries. These accidents can occur in a variety of circumstances such as at the stop sign or an intersection when the trucker doesn't check behind him for any traffic that is coming up. It can also happen when a car cuts across the truck's route, causing the driver of the truck to stop suddenly without warning. The trucker might then slam into the car from behind.
It is often difficult to prove fault in an accident that occurs at the rear, as it's not always clear which vehicle was responsible for the crash. An experienced attorney can find evidence to prove that the driver behind caused the accident because they followed 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.
Sometimes, the driver in the front may be found to be at fault for the crash as well. This could happen if they cut someone off or fail to use their turn signal as a reasonable person would, or slam on the brakes in the last second which causes the driver in the back to slam into the car directly in front of them. In this type of scenario an amended comparative negligence law may be used. The jury will determine a percentage of the blame to each of the parties. Damages are then reduced according to.
Lacerations and Bruises
The rear end of the vehicle experiences the most impact in a rear-end collision meaning that occupants can sustain serious injuries from hitting their head against the dashboard or back window. They could also break bones as they are torn around inside the car due to the force of the collision. Spinal injuries can be severe. Damage to the spine can have serious and long-lasting impacts on the victims.
A victim of a serious accident could also be suffering from psychological and emotional trauma. They may have trouble getting enough sleep or concentrating, which can result in anxiety and depression. If they're unable work due to the seriousness of their injury this could cause anxiety and financial hardship. An attorney can investigate the possible sources of liability and assist the victim to receive an appropriate amount of compensation for their loss.
The trailer is not working properly
All vehicles, regardless of whether they're a car or van, truck flatbed, van are required to be securely connected to their trailers. If a trailer becomes unhitched, it could cause a catastrophic accident that could cause serious injuries or death. If you've been injured by the trailer that is running away, you should contact an experienced lawyer for car accidents who specializes in cases involving hitch failure as soon as you can to discuss your legal options.
The reason for a malfunctioning trailer hitch is many things which can range from inadequate securing or defective design. It could be caused by an error on the part of the manufacturer, in which case the product liability laws could apply. The company or person at responsible for the malfunction of a trailer is responsible for medical bills of victims and auto repair expenses, and other losses arising from the incident.
In an accident that killed a person on a highway in Ohio known as "Devil's Backbone" in January 2014, the trailer was detached from the truck. It crashed into two cars that were directly behind it. Initial investigations attributed 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 to investigate the possibility that a flaw in the hitch that was an Ultra LT manufactured Fontaine Fifth Wheel in Trussville, Alabama, was responsible for the crash.
The trailer struck the sides of the vehicles, and then crashed into them. The result was numerous fatalities and serious injuries for the drivers.
The truck driver in the accident was convicted of vehicular homicide. However experts believe that he could have avoided the collision by conducting an exhaustive inspection of his trailer to make sure all connections were tight. Faulty trailer hitsches can cause catastrophic accidents, as these accidents typically involve a lot of speed and could easily wipe smaller cars or motorcycles. In these situations the trailer could distort the frame of a car and result in sharp metal fragments to impale any passengers.