Semi Truck Accident Law
A semi-truck crash can result in an injury of a serious nature that could cost a person a lot in medical expenses. It could also cause permanent disabilities that require expensive equipment and ongoing physical therapy.
After a crash, it is important to have an experienced New York truck accident attorney to assist you. A qualified attorney can help to prove your case using evidence like police reports, surveillance camera footage, and more.
Vehicles that aren't maintained properly
In a lot of cases trucking companies as well as owners-operators do not take appropriate steps to make sure their vehicles are in good condition. This causes an increase in the number of preventable accidents every year.
Semis and tractor trailers require more frequent maintenance than cars used for passenger transport due to their dimensions and larger weight. However, the pressure of completing deadlines and maximizing profits can overtake maintaining the fleet. Trucks can be prone to mechanical problems which could result in catastrophic accidents.
The brakes on a truck must be able to stop and slow down the vehicle at a moment's notice. If the brake pads of a truck lines, lines or return springs fail, they can cause serious collisions and fatal injuries. These components should be regularly inspected and repaired as needed to ensure their good condition.
A poorly maintained tire can also be a major contributor to truck accidents. Tires that have worn out could lose traction, causing the truck to overturn or slide. Tires that aren't working, whether it's due to improper tread design or air pressure, can fail catastrophically.
In addition to regular maintenance, trucks must undergo regular inspections in order to spot mechanical issues before they can cause an accident. If an inspection is conducted improperly or the repair shop doesn't follow the manufacturer's recommendations it could lead to an accident. In these cases the company that employed or supervising the maintenance or repair shop could be held accountable.
Faulty lights, signals and reflectors are another frequent cause of truck accident. These components must function properly to enable drivers to be aware of and anticipate the speed of the truck particularly in rural areas or at night. However, trucking companies may not inspect and maintain these items or the driver may fail to conduct regular safety inspections.
A Houston truck accident attorney will review your case and determine who could be accountable for your losses in the event that you were injured by a badly maintained commercial truck. These investigations can reveal evidence that proves the defendant's negligence and help you receive the compensation you deserve.
Distracted Drivers
There aren't many things more damaging than an accident with a commercial truck. These massive vehicles can weigh up to 25 times the weight of your car and can cause more severe injuries when involved in an accident. Distracted driving is just one of the many factors that cause accidents. A distracted truck driver can lose control of the vehicle or fail to notice an opportunity to avoid a road accident which could lead to serious and life-changing injuries.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has strict rules and regulations for truck drivers. This includes a ban on texting and using mobile phones while operating their vehicles. Even if truckers follow the rules, they could still be distracted, causing an accident. This could be due to accidental distractions, such as turning your back on the steering wheel or by cognitive distractions like thinking about something other than driving.
Many people are aware that texting while driving can be dangerous, but they are not aware that other activities, such as eating, changing radio stations, or talking to passengers, are also considered to be distracting. When a truck driver is distracted, they might wander off into another lane, or fail to see an obstruction in front of them. When a truck driver's attention is diverted, it only takes one second for a massive vehicle to collide with a car.
It is important to collect details on any witnesses and also take pictures of the accident scene when the driver is distracted, which can cause the truck to crash. It is also helpful to find out the name of the truck driver and the company they are employed by, as the owner of the truck if it is an independent contractor. orem semi truck accident attorney can 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 the accident, it could be liable to you for economic as well as non-economic losses.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end truck collisions are common and can result in serious injuries. They can occur in a variety situations like an intersection or stop sign when the trucker fails to check behind them for traffic in the direction of oncoming traffic. It can also happen when an automobile crosses the truck's route, causing the driver of the truck to brake suddenly and without warning. The trucker may then slam the car from behind.
It can be difficult to prove the cause of rear-end crashes, as it's not always clear what vehicle caused the accident. An experienced lawyer can gather 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 photos, police reports eyewitness testimony, and skid marks on the roadway.
Sometimes, the driver in the front could be found to be liable for the accident as well. This can happen when they cut someone off or fail to obey their turn signal in the way that a reasonable person would, or slam on the brakes in the last second and causing the driver in the back to slam into the car directly in the front of them. This kind of situation is where modified comparative negligence laws could come into play, where the jury assigns a percentage of fault to each party and damages are reduced accordingly.
Lacerations & Bruises
The rear end of the vehicle is the one that is most affected during a rear-end collision which means that occupants may suffer serious injuries from hitting their head against the back window or dashboard. They can also suffer broken bones due to being scattered around the interior of the vehicle by the force of the crash. The spine is a vulnerable area and injuries to it are often severe. Spinal injuries can be serious and have long-lasting effects on the victims.
In addition to these types of injuries, victims may also be suffering from psychological and emotional trauma as a result of being involved in a devastating crash. They may experience difficulty sleeping or concentrating, which could result in anxiety and depression. They could also be facing stress and financial difficulties when they cannot work due to their injury. An attorney can examine all possible causes of liability and help a victim seek an appropriate amount of compensation for their losses.
The trailer hitches are faulty.
All vehicles, regardless of whether they are a car or a truck, van, flatbed, or van, need to be securely connected to their trailers. Unintentionally removing a trailer's hitch can cause catastrophic accidents that can lead to serious injuries or death. If you've been injured in an accident that involved the trailer that has run away, contact an experienced lawyer for car accidents that specializes in cases of failure of the hitch immediately to discuss your legal options.
A defective trailer hitch could be caused by a variety of things, from improper securement to a defective design. It can also be due to an error by the manufacturer or a manufacturing defect, in which case the lawful product liability may apply. The company or person at the fault for a trailer that is defective can be held liable for the cost of medical bills and auto repair expenses, and other damages resulting from the incident.
In a fatal crash that occurred on a highway 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 investigations suggested that the crash was due to the truck driver's negligence for not inspecting and secure the hitch. But in June 2015, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began investigating the possibility that a manufacturing defect caused the hitch in the crash -an Ultra LT manufactured by Fontaine Fifth Wheel in Trussville, Alabama -- to fail on a large percentage of occasions.
As a result of the faulty hitch The trailer struck the sides of the vehicles, before colliding into them head-on. The result was multiple deaths and serious injuries for the drivers.
The driver of the truck that was involved in the crash was found guilty of vehicular murder, however experts say he could have prevented the collision with other vehicles if he performed a thorough visual inspection of his trailer and made sure that all connections were in good order. Incorrect trailer hitches can cause major catastrophes, since they typically involve a large amount of speed, and they can sidewipe smaller cars or motorcycles. In these instances the trailer can distort the car's frame and create sharp metal fragments to impale any passengers.
