Semi Truck Accident Law
A serious injury sustained during the crash of semi-trucks can cost a person in medical costs. It can also lead to permanent disabilities that require expensive equipment and long-term therapy.
It is important to have a professional New York truck accident lawyer on your side following a crash. A skilled attorney can you prove your case with evidence like police reports and surveillance camera footage and more.
Poorly-Maintained Vehicles
Owner-operators and trucking companies typically fail to take the necessary steps to ensure that their vehicles are in good shape. This causes many avoidable accidents every year.
Semis and tractor trailers require more frequent maintenance than cars used for passenger transport due to their size and heavier load. However working to meet deadlines and maximizing profits can often take precedence over maintaining a fleet. Trucks can be prone to mechanical problems that could lead to disastrous accidents.
The brakes on trucks are crucial as they must be able to stop the vehicle and slow it down at a moment's notice. When brake pads lines, return springs or return lines on a truck get worn out they can cause serious accidents and fatal injuries. It is crucial that these components are regularly checked and replaced as necessary to ensure they are in good condition.
Tires that aren't properly maintained can be a major factor in truck accidents. Tires that are worn out may lose traction and cause the truck to flip over or slide. If a tire is damaged in any way, such as having the incorrect air pressure or tread design, it could fail catastrophically.
Regular inspections of trucks are required along with regular maintenance in order to spot mechanical issues before they can cause an incident. If an inspection is conducted incorrectly or if the repair shop doesn't adhere to the manufacturer's specifications it could cause an accident. In these cases, a firm that hired the maintenance or repair shop or who was responsible for its supervision could be held accountable.
Another major cause of truck accidents is malfunctioning lights, signals, and reflectors. These devices must function properly so that drivers can see and anticipate the movement of the truck, especially when driving in rural areas or at night. However, trucking firms may fail to check and maintain these elements or the driver could fail to perform daily safety checks.
A Houston truck accident attorney will investigate your case and determine who may be accountable for your losses in the event you were injured from a poorly maintained commercial truck. Investigating your case can uncover evidence that shows the negligence of the defendant in your crash and help you get the compensation you deserve.
Distracted Drivers
There aren't many events more devastating than an incident which involves a commercial vehicle. These massive vehicles can weigh up 25 times the weight of your car and can cause more severe injuries when involved in an accident. While many factors cause accidents and injuries, distracted driving is one of the most frequent and risky. A distracted truck driver can lose control of their vehicle or miss an opportunity to avoid a road accident that could result in serious and life-changing injuries.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has strict rules and guidelines for truck drivers. This includes a ban on texting and using cell phones while operating their vehicles. Even if truckers obey the rules, they can be distracted and result in an accident. This can be caused by accidental distractions, such as turning your back on the steering wheel or cognitive distractions such as thinking about something other than driving.
Many people are aware that texting while driving is dangerous, but they are not aware that other activities, like eating or changing radio stations or chatting with passengers, could also be considered to be distracting. When a truck driver is distracted, they could wander off into another lane, or fail to see a traffic jam in front of them. It takes only a split second for a big truck to collide with a vehicle when the driver's attention wanders.
It is essential to collect information about any witnesses and to take photographs of the scene of the accident when the driver is distracted and causes an accident with a truck. It is important to know the name of the driver, the business that they work for, and who owns the vehicle, if it's an independent contractor. This will affect who is liable for your incident since the trucking company is responsible for securing skilled and experienced truck drivers. If the trucking company is found to be partially responsible in your accident, they could be liable to you for financial as well as non-economic losses.
seattle semi truck accident law firm -End Collisions
Rear-end collisions between trucks are not uncommon and can result in severe injuries. These accidents can occur in a variety of circumstances such as an intersection or at a red light, when the trucker is not checking the road ahead for oncoming traffic. They can also occur when a car crashes into front of the truck, causing the driver to slam on their brakes without warning. The trucker can then slam into the car from behind.
It can be difficult to prove fault in an accident that occurs at the rear, as it is not always obvious what vehicle caused the accident. A skilled attorney can help gather evidence to show that the driver behind caused the crash by following too closely, or driving distracted. This could include evidence such as photos, police reports, eyewitness testimony, and skid marks in the road.
Sometimes the driver in front may be found to be the one responsible for the accident in addition. This could happen if they cut someone off or fail to use a turn signal as any reasonable person would do. This is where modified comparative negligence laws be used, in which the jury determines a percentage of the fault to each party, and damages are lowered accordingly.
Bruises and Lacerations
The rear end of the vehicle is the one that is most affected in a rear-end collision, which means that the occupants could suffer serious injuries as they smash their head against the back window or dashboard. The force of the crash can cause broken bones if the occupants are thrown about the interior of the car. Spinal injuries can be extremely severe. The spinal cord contains a lot of nerves that control the body, therefore any damage to the spinal cord could cause significant and permanent problems for victims.
In addition to these types of injuries, victims may suffer from psychological and emotional trauma as a result of being involved in a devastating crash. They may have difficulty being able to sleep or concentrate, which can lead them to depression and anxiety. They may also face stress and financial difficulties when they are unable to work due to an injury. An attorney can examine all possible sources of liability and assist a victim in seeking fair compensation for their losses.
A problem with trailer hitches
It doesn't matter if you're driving an automobile, a truck, a van or a flatbed, all vehicles must to be securely connected to their trailers. Unintentionally pulling a trailer off can cause catastrophic accidents, leading to severe injuries, or even death. If you have been injured in a vehicle accident caused by a truck that has run away and you are in need of an experienced attorney who specializes in hitch failure cases to discuss your legal options.
The cause of a faulty trailer hitch could be due to a variety of factors, ranging from improper security or design. It could be due to an issue on the part of the manufacturer in which case the product liability laws may apply. The company or person responsible for a defective trailer could be held responsible for the victims' medical expenses along with auto repair expenses and other losses resulting from the incident.
In an accident that killed a person on a highway in Ohio known as "Devil's Backbone" in January 2014 a trailer detached from the truck. It crashed into two cars that were directly behind it. Initial investigations attributed the accident to the truck driver’s negligence in failing to properly inspect and secure hitch. In June 2015, however, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began to investigate the possibility that a defect in the hitch and an Ultra LT manufactured Fontaine Fifth Wheel in Trussville, Alabama, was the cause of the crash.
The trailer slammed into the side of the vehicles, and then crashed into them. This led to numerous deaths and serious injuries to drivers of the vehicles.
The driver of the truck involved in the accident was convicted of vehicular homicide. However, experts say he could have avoided the collision had he conducted an extensive inspection of his trailer to ensure all connections were tight. The failure of trailer hitches can cause major catastrophes. These types of accidents are typically high-speed and can easily sidewipe motorcycles or other smaller vehicles. In these cases the trailer could distort the car's frame and cause razor-sharp metal fragments that can impale passengers.