Semi Truck Accident Law
A semi-truck accident could cause an injury of a serious nature that could cost a person a fortune in medical bills. It could also cause permanent disabilities that require expensive equipment and ongoing physical therapy.
After a crash, it is crucial to have an experienced New York truck accident attorney to assist you. A qualified attorney can assist you in proving your case using evidence like police reports and surveillance footage.
Vehicles that are poorly maintained
In many cases trucking companies as well as owner-operators fail to take the appropriate steps to make sure their vehicles are in good working condition. This causes many avoidable accidents each year.
Semis and tractor trailers require more frequent maintenance than passenger cars because of their larger size and heavier load. Unfortunately, meeting deadlines and maximising profits is often prioritized over maintaining the fleet. In the end, trucks are more prone to mechanical malfunctions that can result in catastrophic accidents.
The brakes on trucks are especially important since they have to stop the vehicle and slow it down at any moment. When the brake pads on a truck, lines or return springs fail they can result in serious collisions and fatal injuries. These components 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. Tires that are worn down can cause the tires to lose traction, which causes the truck to slide or even flip over. Tires that aren't working or damaged, whether due to inadequate tread design or air pressure could fail catastrophically.
Regular inspections of trucks are required in addition to regular maintenance to spot mechanical problems before they cause an incident. If an inspection is performed incorrectly or the repair shop doesn't adhere to the manufacturer's guidelines it could lead to a crash. In these situations the company that hired or supervising the maintenance or the repair shop could be held accountable.
Poorly functioning lights, signals and reflectors are another common reason for truck accidents. These components must be in good working to enable drivers to see their truck and anticipate its movements, especially in rural areas or at night. However, trucking companies may fail to check and maintain these components or the driver may fail to perform daily safety checks.
A reliable Houston truck accident lawyer can review your case and determine who is accountable for your damages if you were injured in an accident caused by a faulty maintenance of a commercial truck. These investigations can reveal evidence that shows the defendant's negligence in the accident and assist you recover the compensation you deserve.
Distracted Drivers
There aren't many things that can be more devastating than an incident which involves a commercial vehicle. These massive vehicles weigh up to 25 times the weight of your vehicle and can cause more serious injuries when they are involved in an accident. Distracted driving is just one of the many factors that cause accidents. A truck driver who is distracted might lose control of their vehicle, or fail to see an accident on the roadway, which could lead to life-threatening injuries.
Truck drivers are required to adhere to strict rules and regulations established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This includes a prohibition against texting or using cell phones while driving. Even if truckers obey the rules, they may be distracted and result in an accident. This is often caused by accidental distractions, such as not having your hands on the steering wheel or mental 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 conversing with passengers, can also be considered distracting. If a truck driver is distracted, they might drift into another lane or fail to notice an obstruction in front of them. When a truck driver's eye is diverted, it takes only a split-second for a large vehicle to hit a motorist car.
It is important to collect details on any witnesses and also take pictures of the scene of the crash when the driver is distracted, which can cause a crash of a truck. It is also helpful to know the name of the driver of the truck and the company they work for, aswell in determining who owns the truck if they are an independent contractor. This can have an impact on who is liable for the accident, because it is the trucking company's responsibility to recruit competent and experienced truck drivers. If the trucking company is found partially responsible for the accident, it could be held accountable to you for economic and non-economic injuries.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions with trucks are common and can cause serious injuries. These accidents can occur in a variety of circumstances such as at the stop sign or red light, when the trucker fails to check ahead for traffic coming in. They may also occur when a car crashes into front of the truck, which forces the driver to slam on their brakes without warning. The trucker could then hit the car from behind.
It can be hard to prove fault when there is a rear-end collision, because it's not always certain which vehicle was at fault. A skilled attorney can help find evidence to prove that the driver in the back caused the accident by following too closely, or driving distracted. This could include evidence such as photographs, police reports, eyewitness testimony and skid marks on the road.
The driver in the front of the car could also be liable for the incident. This could happen if they cut someone off or fail use a turn signal as any reasonable person. This is where modified comparative negligence laws can be used, in which the jury assigns a percentage of fault to each party and damages are lowered accordingly.
Lacerations and Bruises
In a rear-end crash, the rear end of the vehicle is the area that receives the most force. This means that passengers are at risk of serious injuries if they strike their heads against the dashboard or the back window. They can also suffer broken bones as they are bounced around the interior of the car due to the force of the collision. Spinal injuries can be very serious. Injuries to the spine can be serious and have long-lasting consequences for victims.
In addition to these types of injuries, victims may also experience psychological and emotional trauma as a result of being in a horrific crash. They may have difficulty in concentrating or sleeping, which could lead them to depression and anxiety. If they're unable to work due to the extent of their injury, this can cause pressure and financial hardship. An attorney can examine the possible sources of liability to assist the victim to receive an appropriate amount of compensation for their loss.
Faulty trailer hitches
All vehicles, regardless of whether they are a vehicle, a car, a truck, van, flatbed, or van are required to be securely connected to their trailers. Unintentionally removing tustin semi truck accident law firm can cause catastrophic accidents that can lead to serious injuries or death. If you've suffered injuries in a car accident caused by a runaway truck or trailer, consult an experienced attorney who specializes in hitch failure cases to discuss your legal options.
A malfunctioning trailer hitch may be the result of a variety of factors, ranging from inadequate securement to a defective design. It can also be the result of an issue with the manufacturer or a manufacturing defect, in which case the product liability laws may apply. The company or person responsible for a trailer that is defective could be held responsible for the victim's medical expenses, auto repair costs and other losses that result from the incident.
For instance, in a deadly crash that was reported in January 2014 on an Ohio road referred to locally as "Devil's Backbone," a trailer came out of the truck and slid over two cars ahead of it. Initial investigations attributed the accident to the truck driver's negligence for failing to 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 the Ultra LT manufactured Fontaine Fifth Wheel in Trussville, Alabama, was responsible for the crash.
The trailer hit the side of the vehicles and then crashed into them. The result was numerous deaths and serious injuries for the drivers.
The driver of the truck that was involved in this accident was convicted of vehicular manslaughter. However, experts believe he could have prevented the collision with other vehicles if he had completed a thorough inspection of his trailer and ensured that all connections were tight. A faulty trailer hitch could cause major problems. These kinds of incidents are usually fast and can easily smack motorcycles or smaller cars. In these instances, the trailer may distort the car's frame and create sharp metal fragments that can impale passengers.