Semi Truck Accident Law
A serious injury sustained during an accident with trucks can result in the death of the victim in medical expenses. It can also result in permanent disabilities that require expensive equipment and long-term physical therapy.
It is essential to have a reputable New York truck accident lawyer at your side following a crash. A skilled attorney can to prove your case using evidence like police reports, surveillance camera footage, and much more.
Vehicles that are poorly maintained
Owner-operators and companies that operate trucks often don't take the necessary steps to ensure that their vehicles are in good shape. This causes an increase in the number of preventable accidents occurring every year.
Semis and tractor trailers require more frequent maintenance than cars used for passenger transport due to their dimensions and larger load. Unfortunately keeping deadlines and increasing profits can often take precedence over the maintenance of a fleet. Trucks can be prone to mechanical problems that could result in disastrous accidents.
The brakes on trucks are crucial since they have to stop the vehicle and slow it down at the smallest of moments. When brake pads, lines or return springs on a truck are worn out, it can lead to serious accidents and fatal injuries. These parts should be checked and repaired regularly 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 and cause the truck to skid or even roll over. If a tire is damaged in any way, such as having the wrong air pressure or improper tread design, it could fail catastrophically.
Trucks need routine inspections along with regular maintenance to detect mechanical issues before they can cause an accident. If cleveland semi truck accident lawsuit was performed improperly or the repair shop doesn't adhere to the manufacturer's specifications it could cause a crash. In these instances, the company that hired the repair or maintenance shop or was the one who supervised it could be held accountable.
Incorrect lights, signals and reflectors are another common reason for truck accidents. These devices must function properly to allow drivers to detect and anticipate the movement of the truck, especially when driving in rural areas or at night. Trucking companies or drivers may not be able to maintain and inspect these elements, or they may not be able to conduct daily safety checks.
A reliable Houston truck accident lawyer can examine your case to determine who is responsible for your losses when you've been injured in an accident with a poorly-maintained commercial truck. These investigations can reveal evidence of the defendant's negligence and help you obtain the compensation you deserve.
Distracted Drivers
Accidents involving commercial trucks can be devastating. These huge vehicles weigh up to 25 times the weight of your vehicle and can cause much greater injuries when they are involved in a collision. While a variety of factors can contribute to accidents, distracted driving is one of the most common and dangerous. A driver who is distracted can lose control of their vehicle or miss a road danger that could result in serious and life-threatening injuries.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has strict rules and regulations for truck drivers. This includes a ban on texting and using cell phones while driving. Even when truckers adhere to the rules, they might be distracted and cause an accident. This could be the result of manual distractions, such as getting off the wheel, or cognitive distractions such as thinking about something other than driving.
While the majority of people are aware that it is dangerous to text while driving, a few realize that other activities like eating, changing the radio station or even talking to the other driver can also be considered to be distracting. If a trucker gets distracted, it is possible that he will drift into a different direction and not notice a traffic jam ahead. It only takes a fraction of a second for a huge truck to crash into a vehicle if the trucker's mind is diverted.
It is important to gather details on any witnesses and also take pictures of the scene of the accident when an unintentionally distracted driver causes a truck crash. It is also helpful to know the name of the driver who is driving the truck and the company they are employed by, as well as who owns the truck if it is an independent contractor. This could have an influence on who is responsible for the accident, because it is the responsibility of the trucking company to find competent and skilled truck drivers. If the trucking firm is found partially responsible for your accident, they could be held accountable to you for financial and non-economic damages.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions with trucks are not uncommon and can result in serious injuries. They can happen in a variety of situations like a red light or stop signal when the trucker fails to check behind them for any traffic that is coming up. It can also happen when vehicles cross the truck's path, causing the driver of the truck to brake abruptly without warning. The trucker could then smash the car from behind.
It can be difficult to prove the cause of rear-end crashes, as it's not always clear which vehicle was responsible for the crash. A skilled attorney can help find evidence to prove that the driver behind caused the crash by following too closely or driving in a distracted manner. The evidence can include photographs, police reports and eyewitness testimony, aswell being skid marks on the road.
The driver in the front of the car could also be held responsible for the incident. This can happen if they cut off someone else or fail to make use of a turn signal, as would any other reasonable person. In this scenario modified comparative negligence laws could be used. The jury will determine a percentage of the blame to each party. The damages will be reduced accordingly.
Bruises and Lacerations
In a rear-end crash the rear of the car is the part that takes the most force. This means that the drivers are most at risk of serious injuries if hit their heads against the dashboard or the back window. They also may break bones due to being bounced around the interior of the car as a result of the force of the crash. Injuries to the spine can be severe. The spinal cord contains many nerves that regulate the body, and any damage to the spinal cord could cause long-lasting and serious issues for those affected.
In addition to these kinds of injuries, victims may also be suffering from emotional and psychological trauma from being in a horrific crash. They might have trouble sleeping or concentrating, which can lead to depression and anxiety. They may also face stress and financial strain if they are unable work due to their injury. An attorney can examine the possible causes of liability to help a victim receive fair compensation for their loss.
The trailer hitches are faulty.
All vehicles, regardless of whether they are a car, a truck, van flatbed, van, or should be securely connected to their trailers. If a trailer goes unhitched, it could lead to catastrophic accidents that result in severe injuries or even death. If you have been injured in a car accident caused by a runaway truck, contact 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 securement to a defective design. It can also be due to an issue with the manufacturer and in that case, products liability laws could apply. The company or the person accountable for a defective trailer can be held accountable for the victims' medical expenses or auto repair expenses, as well as other losses resulting from the incident.
In the fatal crash that took place on a highway in Ohio known as "Devil's Backbone" in January 2014 the trailer was detached from the truck. It crashed into two cars directly behind it. Initial investigations linked the incident to the truck driver's carelessness for failing to inspect and secure the hitch. However, in June of 2015, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began investigating the possibility that a manufacturing defect had caused the hitch at the center of the crash -it was an Ultra LT manufactured by Fontaine Fifth Wheel of Trussville, Alabama -- to malfunction on a large number of occasions.
Due to the defective hitch due to the hitch's failure, the trailer struck the sides of the vehicles before plunging into them head-on. This led to multiple deaths and serious injuries to drivers of the vehicles.
The driver of the truck involved in the accident was found guilty of vehicular manslaughter. However, experts believe that he could have prevented the collision with other vehicles if he conducted 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 high-speed, and they can easily cause a collision with motorcycles or other smaller vehicles. In these instances the trailer could distort the car's frame, and cause steel fragments that are razor-sharp to strike the passengers inside.