Semi Truck Accident Law
A severe injury sustained in a crash with trucks can result in the death of someone with medical expenses. It can also lead to permanent disabilities that require expensive equipment and ongoing physical therapy.
Following a collision, it is essential to retain an experienced New York truck accident attorney to assist you. A qualified attorney can help to prove your case using evidence like police reports or surveillance camera footage and much more.
Poorly maintained vehicles
Owner-operators and trucking companies typically do not take the proper steps to ensure that their vehicles are in good condition. This causes a large percentage of avoidable accidents each year.
Semis and tractor trailers require more frequent maintenance than passenger cars due to their size and heavier weight. However keeping deadlines and increasing profits can often take precedence over maintaining the fleet. This is why trucks are more prone to mechanical malfunctions that can cause catastrophic accidents.
The brakes of trucks are especially important as they must be able to stop the vehicle and slow it down at an instant's notice. When brake pads lines, return springs, or lines on a truck get worn out, it can lead to serious accidents and fatal injuries. It is essential that these parts are regularly inspected and replaced as needed to keep them in good condition.
Tires that aren't maintained can also be a major factor in truck accidents. Tires that are worn down can cause the tires to lose traction and cause the truck to slide or even flip over. Tires that aren't working either because of an insufficient tread design or air pressure may fail catastrophically.
Trucks require regular inspections along with regular maintenance to spot mechanical issues before they lead to an accident. However, if the inspection is conducted incorrectly or the repair shop does not follow the manufacturer's guidelines the result could be an accident. In these instances, the company that commissioned the maintenance or repair shop or who was responsible for its supervision could be held responsible.
Another reason for truck accidents is the failure of signals, lights and reflectors. These items 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 neglect to inspect and maintain these elements or the driver may fail to conduct regular safety checks.
A reputable Houston truck accident lawyer can investigate your case to identify who might be responsible for your losses if you were injured in an accident with a poorly-maintained commercial truck. These investigations can reveal evidence that demonstrates the defendant's negligence in the accident and assist you recover the compensation you're due.
Distracted Drivers
There aren't many events more devastating than an incident involving a commercial truck. These huge vehicles weigh up to 25 times the weight of your vehicle and may cause much greater injuries when they are involved in a collision. While a variety of factors can cause accidents that result from distracted driving, it is one of the most prevalent and risky. A truck driver who is distracted could lose control of their vehicle or fail to spot a hazard in the road, leading to life-changing injuries.
Truck drivers are required to follow strict rules and regulations that have been formulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This includes a prohibition on texting or using mobile phones while driving. However, even when truckers follow the rules, they could still get distracted and cause a crash. This could be due to accidental distractions, such as not having your hands on the steering wheel, or by cognitive distractions like thinking about something other than driving.
Many people are aware that texting while driving is dangerous, but few know that other activities, like eating, changing radio stations, or conversing with passengers are also considered to be distracting. When a truck driver is distracted, they may drift into another lane or fail to notice a traffic jam up ahead of them. It only takes a split second for a big truck to hit a passenger vehicle when the driver's attention is diverted.
When a truck collision is caused by distracted driving it is crucial to capture photos of the scene of the crash as well as collect the name and contact information of any witnesses. It is also helpful to know the name of the driver who is driving the truck and the company they work for, aswell and who owns the truck if it is an independent contractor. This could impact on who is liable for the accident, because it is the responsibility of the trucking business to find competent and skilled truck drivers. If the trucking company is found be partially at fault for your accident, they may be held accountable for your financial and non-economic losses.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end truck collisions are quite common and can cause serious injuries. They can occur in a variety settings, such as at an intersection or stop sign, when the trucker fails to check their surroundings for traffic coming in. They can also happen when a car cuts in front of the truck, which forces the driver to hit their brakes without warning. The trucker may then crash into the car from behind.
It can be difficult to prove the cause of an accident that occurs at the rear, as it is not always obvious what vehicle caused the accident. However, an experienced lawyer can assist in gathering evidence that shows the driver in the rear caused the crash by following too closely or being distracted while driving. This could include evidence such as photographs, police reports, eyewitness testimony, and skid marks on the road.
Sometimes, bend semi truck accident law firm in the front could be found to be responsible for the accident also. This could occur if they cut off someone else or fail use a turn signal like any reasonable person. This kind of situation is where modified comparative negligence laws could be in play, where the jury assigns a percentage of fault to each party, and damages are reduced in proportion to the percentage of fault.
Lacerations, Bruises and Bruises
The rear-end of the vehicle has the greatest impact in a rear-end crash, which means that the occupants could suffer serious injuries after hitting their head against the dashboard or the back window. They could also break bones after being bounced around the interior of the car due to the force of the crash. Spinal injuries can be serious. The spinal cord is home to many nerves that control the body, and any damage to the spinal column can cause significant and permanent issues for the victims.
A person who is the victim of a serious accident could also be suffering from emotional and psychological trauma. They may have difficulty sleeping or concentrating, which may cause anxiety and depression. If they are unable work due to the severity of their injury, this can cause stress and financial burden. An attorney can look into possible sources of liability and ensure that the victim receives fair compensation for their loss.
Problematic Trailer Hitches
All vehicles, whether they're a car or a truck, van flatbed, van, or, need to be securely connected to their trailers. Unintentionally pulling a trailer off can cause catastrophic accidents that lead to serious injuries or death. If you've suffered injuries in a car 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 securing to defective design. It could also be due to an error on the part of the manufacturer, in which case the product liability law could be applicable. The person or company that is 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 instance, in a deadly crash that occurred in January 2014 on an Ohio road locally known as "Devil's Backbone," a trailer came off the truck and crashed over two cars ahead of it. Initial investigation linked the accident to the driver's inattention to examine and secure the hitch. But in June 2015, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began to investigate the possibility that a manufacturing defect had caused the hitch at the center of the crash -one of the Ultra LT manufactured by Fontaine Fifth Wheel in Trussville, Alabama -- to fail on a large proportion of times.
Due to the hitch that was defective The trailer struck the sides of the vehicles, before colliding into them head-on. This resulted in multiple fatalities and serious injuries to drivers of the vehicles.
The truck driver involved in the crash was found guilty of vehicular homicide. However experts believe that he could have avoided the crash if he'd performed an extensive inspection of his trailer to ensure all connections were in good order. Incorrect trailer hitches can cause major accidents. These types of accidents are typically high-speed and can easily sidewipe motorbikes or small cars. In these instances the trailer can distort the frame of a car and cause sharp metal fragments that can impale passengers.