Semi Truck Accident Law
A serious injury sustained during collision with semi-trucks can cost someone in medical costs. It could also cause permanent disabilities that require expensive equipment and long-term therapy.
After a collision is essential to retain an experienced New York truck accident attorney to assist you. A qualified attorney can help establish your case through evidence such as police reports or surveillance camera footage and more.
Vehicles that are not maintained properly
In many instances trucking companies and owners-operators do not take proper steps to ensure that their vehicles are in good working condition. This causes a high percentage of preventable accidents occurring every year.
Semis and tractor trailers require more frequent maintenance than cars for passengers due to their size and heavier load. Unfortunately the pressure of meeting deadlines and maximizing profits is often prioritized over the maintenance of a fleet. Trucks are susceptible to mechanical problems which could lead to devastating accidents.
The brakes on a truck must be able to stop and slow down the vehicle at a minute's notice. When the brake pads on a truck, lines, or return springs fail they could result in serious collisions and fatal injuries. These parts should be regularly inspected and repaired when necessary to ensure they are in good condition.
A poorly maintained tire can also be a major factor in truck accidents. tucson semi truck accident law firm that are worn-out can lose traction and cause the truck to overturn or skid. If a tire is defective in some way, like having the incorrect air pressure or tread design, it could fail catastrophically.
In addition to regular maintenance, trucks require routine inspections to detect mechanical problems before they lead to an accident. If an inspection was performed in a way that is not correct or if the repair shop does not follow the manufacturer's recommendations it could lead to an accident. In such cases, the company that hired or supervising the maintenance or repair shop could be held accountable.
Another cause of truck accidents is defective lights, signals, and reflectors. These items must be properly working to enable drivers to see their truck and anticipate its movements, particularly in rural areas and after dark. However, trucking companies may fail to maintain and inspect these components or the driver could fail to perform daily safety checks.
A Houston truck accident lawyer can investigate your case and determine who may be accountable for your damages in the event that you are injured from a poorly maintained commercial truck. This investigation could uncover evidence of the defendant's negligence and help you obtain the compensation you're due.
Distracted Drivers
The consequences of collisions with commercial trucks can be catastrophic. These massive vehicles weigh up to 25 times more than your vehicle and may cause a lot more injuries if they are involved in collisions. 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 a road danger which could lead to serious and life-altering injuries.
Truck drivers must adhere to strict rules and regulations set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This includes a ban on texting or using cell phones while driving. However, even when truckers abide by the rules, they may still be distracted and cause an accident. This could be due to manual distractions such as getting your hands off 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 the trucker is distracted, he may drift into another direction and not notice a traffic jam ahead. When a trucker's attention is diverted, it takes only a split-second for a large vehicle to crash into a passenger car.
When a truck collision is caused by an unintentionally distracted driver it is crucial to snap photos of the scene of collision and gather the name and contact details of witnesses. It is important to know the name of the driver, the company for which they work and who owns the vehicle in case it's an independent contractor. This will affect who is accountable for your accident since the trucking company is responsible for hiring competent and skilled truck drivers. If the trucking firm is found to be partially responsible for the accident, it could be liable to you for financial and non-economic injuries.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions between trucks are not uncommon and can result in serious injuries. These accidents can occur in many different situations such as at the stop sign or red light, when the trucker does not check the road ahead for oncoming traffic. It can also happen when an automobile crosses the truck's path, causing the driver of the truck to brake abruptly without warning. The trucker may then slam the car from behind.
It is often difficult to prove the cause of a rear-end crash, as it is not always obvious which vehicle caused the crash. However, an experienced attorney can help gather evidence to show that the driver in the rear caused the crash by following too closely or driving while distracted. This could include evidence such as photographs, police reports, eyewitness testimony and skid marks on the roadway.
The driver in the front of the car could also be liable for the incident. This could happen if they cut off someone else, fail to use their turn signal in the way that a reasonable person would, or decide to slam on the brakes at the last moment and causing the driver in the back to crash into the car directly in the front. This kind of situation is where modified comparative negligence laws be used, in which the jury determines a percentage of the fault to each party, and damages are reduced accordingly.
Lacerations and Bruises
The rear-end of the car is the one that is most affected in a rear-end collision which means that occupants may suffer serious injuries from hitting their head against the dashboard or back windows. The force of the collision can cause broken bones if the occupants of the vehicle are thrown around the interior of the car. Spinal injuries are often severe. Damage to the spine can have long-lasting and serious impacts on the victims.
In addition to these kinds of injuries, a victim may also experience psychological and emotional trauma as a result of being in a horrific crash. They may have trouble sleeping or concentrating which can result in anxiety and depression. They could also be facing financial hardship and stress if they are unable work because of an injury. An attorney can examine any possible liability sources and assist a victim in seeking fair compensation for their losses.
Faulty Trailer Hitches
No matter if you're driving either a car, van, a truck, or a flatbed, all vehicles have to be securely connected to their trailers. Unexpectedly unhitching a trailer can result in catastrophic accidents that lead to severe injuries or even death. If you've 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 specialized in cases involving hitch failure to discuss your legal options.
A faulty trailer hitch can result from a variety things, from improper secured to faulty design. It could also be due to an error on the part of the manufacturer in which case the product liability law may apply. The company or the person responsible for a defective trailer is liable for the victim's medical costs as well as auto repair costs and other losses that result from the incident.
For example the fatal crash that took place in January 2014 on an Ohio road known locally as "Devil's Backbone," a trailer came free from the truck and careened directly into two cars in front of it. Initial investigation linked the accident to the truck driver's negligence in failing to inspect and secure the hitch. In June 2015 however, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began investigating the possibility that a flaw in the hitch the Ultra LT manufactured Fontaine Fifth Wheel in Trussville, Alabama, was responsible for the crash.
As a result of the faulty hitch due to the hitch's failure, the trailer struck the sides of the vehicles, before colliding into them head-on. The result was numerous deaths and serious injuries to the drivers.
The driver of the truck that was involved in the accident was found guilty of vehicular manslaughter. However, experts say that he could have avoided the collision with other vehicles if he conducted a thorough inspection of his trailer and ensured that all connections were in good order. A faulty hitch on a trailer can lead to serious accidents, since these types of incidents typically require a significant amount of speed and can easily cause a collision with smaller vehicles or motorcycles. In such instances the trailer can deform the car's frame and push steel fragments that are razor-sharp to sever the limbs of passengers in.