Semi Truck Accident Law
A semi-truck collision can result in a serious injury that can cause a person to pay a huge amount in medical expenses. It can also lead to permanent disabilities requiring expensive equipment and ongoing physical therapy.
It is essential to have a qualified New York truck accident lawyer at your side following a crash. A skilled lawyer can establish your case through evidence such as police reports, surveillance camera footage, and more.
Vehicles that aren't maintained properly
In many cases, trucking companies and owner-operators don't take the appropriate steps to ensure that their vehicles are in good working condition. This can lead to an overwhelming number of accidents that could have been avoided every year.
As compared to passenger cars tractor-trailers and semis need more frequent maintenance work due to their size and weight. loads. However, meeting deadlines and maximising profits is often prioritized over maintaining the fleet. This is why trucks can become prone to mechanical breakdowns that can result in catastrophic accidents.
The brakes of a truck need to be able stop and slow down the vehicle at a moments notice. When brake pads, lines or return springs on a truck fail and become damaged, it can result in serious accidents and fatal injuries. These parts must be checked regularly and repaired when necessary to ensure they are in good condition.
Tires that are not maintained properly can be a major cause of truck accidents. Worn tires can lose traction, which causes the truck to skid or even flip over. Tires that aren't working either because of inadequate tread design or air pressure may fail catastrophically.
Trucks require regular inspections in addition to regular maintenance to spot mechanical issues prior to causing an accident. However, if an inspection is not done correctly or the repair shop doesn't adhere to the manufacturer's guidelines the result could be an accident. In such cases, the company that hired or supervised the maintenance or repair shop could be held accountable.
The malfunctioning of signals, lights and reflectors are a common cause of truck accident. These elements must be properly functioning to allow drivers to see their truck and anticipate its movements, particularly in rural areas or at night. Drivers or trucking companies may not maintain and inspect these items, or may not perform daily safety checks.
A Houston truck accident attorney can review your case and determine who may be accountable for your damages in the event you were injured from a poorly maintained commercial truck. These investigations can reveal evidence that proves the negligence of the defendant in your crash and help you recover the compensation you're entitled to.
Distracted Drivers
There are few things more devastating than an accident involving a commercial truck. These massive vehicles can weigh up 25-times more than your vehicle and cause far more injuries in a crash. While a variety of factors can contribute to accidents but distracted driving is among of the most prevalent and risky. A truck driver who is distracted could lose control of their vehicle or fail to notice an accident on the road, which could lead to serious and life-threatening injuries.
Truck drivers must adhere to strict rules and regulations established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This includes a prohibition on texting or using cell phones while driving. However, even when truckers obey the rules they could still get distracted and cause an accident. This can be a result of manual distractions, such as taking a hand off the wheel, or cognitive distractions such as thinking about something other than driving.
Many people are aware that texting while driving is risky, but many do not realize that other activities, like eating, changing radio stations, or conversing with passengers, can also be considered distracting. When a trucker is distracted, they could drift into another lane or miss a traffic jam in front of them. When a truck driver's attention is diverted, it will only take just a few seconds for a huge vehicle to collide with a car.
If a truck crash is caused by a distracted driver it is vital to snap photos of the crash scene as well as collect the name and contact information of any witnesses. It is important to determine the name of the driver, the business for which they work, and who owns the vehicle in case it's an independent contractor. This could impact on who is liable for the incident, since it is the responsibility of the trucking firm to employ competent and experienced truck drivers. If the trucking company is found to be partially responsible for the accident, they may be responsible for your economic and non-economic injuries.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions between trucks are common and often cause serious injuries. These accidents can occur in a variety of circumstances like at a stop sign or red light, when the trucker does not check behind him for any traffic that is coming up. It could also happen when cars cross the truck's path, causing the driver of the truck to brake at a rapid pace without warning. The trucker might then slam the car from behind.
It can be difficult to prove fault in a rear-end crash, as it's not always clear which vehicle caused the crash. However, an experienced attorney can help gather evidence to show that the driver in the rear caused the crash due to following too closely or being distracted while driving. This could include evidence like photos, police reports, eyewitness testimony and skid marks on the roadway.
Sometimes the driver in front could be found to be at fault for the crash as well. This can happen if they cut someone off or fail to make use of a turn signal, as would any other reasonable person. This kind of situation is where modified comparative negligence laws could 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 has the greatest impact in a rear-end collision so occupants are more likely to suffer serious injuries as they smash their head against the dashboard or back windows. They can also suffer broken bones due to being thrown around the interior of the car by the force of the crash. Spinal injuries can be serious. Spinal injuries can cause serious and lasting consequences for victims.
A person who is the victim of a serious accident might also suffer psychological and emotional trauma. They might have trouble sleeping or concentrating, which may cause anxiety and depression. They may also face stress and financial strain when they cannot work due to their injury. An attorney can examine the possible causes of liability to help a victim receive fair compensation for their loss.
Problematic trailer hitches
No matter if you're driving a car, a van, truck, or a flatbed, all cars need to be securely attached to their trailers. Unexpectedly unhitching a trailer can cause catastrophic accidents that can lead 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 is experienced in cases of hitch failure to discuss your legal options.
A defective trailer hitch could result from a variety things, from improper security to design flaws. It could be caused by a defect on the part of the manufacturer in which case, product liability law may apply. The person or company accountable for a defective trailer could be held responsible for the victim's medical costs along with auto repair expenses and other losses that result from the incident.
For example in a fatal crash that occurred in January 2014 on an Ohio road that is locally referred to as "Devil's Backbone," a trailer came free from the truck, and was thrown through the air into two cars that were behind it. The initial investigation attributed the accident to the driver's lapse in examine and secure the hitch. In June of 2015, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began to investigate the possibility that a flaw in the hitch, an Ultra LT manufactured Fontaine Fifth Wheel in Trussville, Alabama, was the cause of the crash.
As a result of the malfunctioning hitch, the trailer struck the sides of the vehicles, before colliding into them head-on. cambridge semi truck accident law firm was multiple fatalities and serious injuries to the drivers.
The driver of the truck that was involved in the accident was found guilty of vehicular manslaughter, but experts believe that he could have avoided the collision with the other vehicles if he had completed a thorough inspection of his trailer and ensured that all connections were tight. The failure of a trailer's hitches can result in major disasters, as these incidents often involve a large amount of speed and can easily wipe smaller cars or motorcycles. In these instances the trailer can deform a car's frame and force steel fragments that are razor-sharp to sever the limbs of passengers in.