Semi Truck Accident Law
A serious injury resulting from the crash of trucks can result in the death of a person with medical bills. It can also result in permanent disabilities that require expensive equipment and long-term therapy.
It is crucial to have a qualified New York truck accident lawyer on your side following an accident. A qualified attorney will help you prove your case with evidence like police reports and surveillance footage.
Poorly maintained vehicles
In a majority of cases trucking companies as well as owner-operators fail to take the appropriate steps to ensure that their vehicles are in good working condition. This can lead to an overwhelming number of avoidable accidents each year.
nebraska semi truck accident lawyer and tractor trailers require more frequent maintenance than cars for passengers due to their larger size and heavier weight. Unfortunately the pressure of completing deadlines and maximizing profits is often more important than maintaining the fleet. This is why trucks are more prone to mechanical problems that can cause catastrophic accidents.
The brakes of a truck are particularly important as they must be able to stop the vehicle and slow it down at a moment's notice. When a truck's brake pads lines, lines, or return springs wear out they could cause serious collisions and fatal injuries. It is crucial that these components are regularly inspected and replaced as needed to keep them in good working order.
Tires that aren't properly maintained may be a major factor in truck accidents. Tires that are worn-out may lose traction and cause the truck to roll over or slide. If a tire is deficient in some way, such as having the wrong air pressure or improper tread design, it may fail catastrophically.
Trucks require regular inspections in addition to regular maintenance to spot mechanical issues prior to causing an incident. However, if the inspection is not done correctly or the repair shop fails to adhere to the manufacturer's guidelines this could result in an accident. In these instances the company that employed or supervised the maintenance or repair shop could be held responsible.
Another common cause of truck accidents is the failure of 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. Trucking companies or drivers could fail to maintain and inspect these items, or may not carry out regular safety inspections.
A reputable Houston truck accident lawyer can review your case and determine who could be accountable for your damages should you be injured in an accident with a poorly-maintained commercial truck. These investigations can reveal evidence that proves the negligence of the defendant in the accident and help you obtain the compensation you're due.
Distracted Drivers
There aren't many things that can be 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 a lot more injuries if 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 dangerous. A truck driver who is distracted might lose control of their vehicle or fail to recognize an accident on the road, which could lead to life-threatening injuries.
Truck drivers must follow strict rules and regulations established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This includes a ban on texting or using cellular phones while driving. Even when truckers adhere to 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 by cognitive distractions like thinking about something other than driving.
Many people are aware that texting while driving can be risky, but not many know that other activities, such as eating or changing radio stations or talking to passengers, could also be considered to be distracting. When the trucker is distracted, the driver could drift off into another direction and not notice an impending traffic jam. It only takes a split second for a huge truck to hit a passenger vehicle when the trucker's attention wanders.
It is important to collect information on witnesses and also take pictures of the scene after an accident if an unintentionally distracted driver causes a crash of a truck. It is also beneficial to find out the name of the driver who is driving the truck and the company they are employed by, as well in determining who owns the truck if it's an independent contractor. This could impact who is accountable for your accident since the trucking company is responsible for securing skilled and competent truck drivers. If the trucking company is found be partially at fault for the accident, they could be responsible for your economic and non-economic damages.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end truck collisions are quite common and can result in serious injuries. They can happen in a variety situations, such as at an intersection, a stop sign when the trucker fails to look behind them for traffic in the direction of oncoming traffic. It could also happen when a car cuts across the truck's route, causing the driver of the truck to stop suddenly without warning. The trucker could then crash into the car from behind.
It can be difficult to prove the cause of rear-end crashes, as it is not always obvious which vehicle was responsible for the crash. A knowledgeable attorney can gather evidence to prove that the driver behind caused the crash because they followed too closely or driving distracted. This could include evidence like photographs, police reports, eyewitness testimony, and skid marks on the roadway.
The driver in the front of the car could also be accountable for the accident. This could occur if they cut off someone else or fail to make use of a turn signal, as would any reasonable person. In these situations an amended comparative negligence law could be used. The jury will determine a percentage of the blame to each of the parties. The damages are then reduced according to.
Bruises and Lacerations
The rear end of the vehicle is the most impacted area in a rear-end collision so occupants are more likely to suffer serious injuries after hitting their head against the dashboard or the back window. They can also suffer broken bones after being thrown around the interior of the car by the force of the collision. The injuries to the spine can be extremely severe. The damage to the spine could have serious and long-lasting effects on victims.
In addition to these types of injuries, the victim might also suffer from psychological and emotional traumas as a result of having been involved in a terrible crash. They may have trouble getting enough sleep or concentrating. This can cause anxiety and depression. If they're unable work due to the seriousness of their injury this could cause stress and financial burden. An attorney can investigate the possible sources of liability and ensure that the victim receives fair compensation for their loss.
Faulty trailer hitches
All vehicles, whether they're a car or van, truck flatbed, van must be securely connected to their trailers. Unexpectedly unhitching a trailer can cause catastrophic accidents that lead to serious injuries or death. If you've suffered injuries in a collision involving a runaway trailer, contact a qualified vehicle accident attorney with a specialization in cases of hitch failure as soon as you can to discuss your legal options.
A damaged trailer hitch could be caused by many different factors, ranging from inadequate securement to a defective design. It can be the result of a defect in the manufacturing process and in that case, product liability laws may apply. The company or individual accountable for a defective trailer could be held responsible for the victims' medical expenses or auto repair expenses, as well as other losses that result from the incident.
In a fatal crash on a road 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. The initial investigation attributed the crash to the truck driver's negligence in failing inspect and secure the hitch. In June of 2015, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration started investigating 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 struck the sides of the vehicles and crashed into them. The result was numerous fatalities and serious injuries for the drivers.
The truck driver in the accident was convicted of vehicular homicide. However experts suggest that he could've avoided the crash in the event that he had conducted an in-depth inspection of his trailer to make sure all connections were in good order. The failure of a trailer's hitches can result in serious accidents, since these incidents often involve a large amount of speed and can easily cause a collision with smaller vehicles or motorcycles. In these situations, the trailer may distort the car's frame and cause sharp metal fragments to entrap passengers.