Semi Truck Accident Law
A semi-truck crash can result in an injury of a serious nature that could cost a person a lot in medical expenses. It can also cause permanent disabilities requiring expensive equipment and long-term physical therapy.
After a collision is essential to have an experienced New York truck accident attorney on your side. A qualified attorney can help you prove your case with evidence like police reports and surveillance camera footage and much more.
Vehicles that are not maintained properly
In many instances trucking companies and owner-operators don't take the proper steps to ensure their vehicles are in good condition. This leads to a high percentage of preventable accidents every year.
Semis and tractor trailers require more frequent maintenance than cars used for passenger transport due to their larger size and heavier load. However the pressure of meeting deadlines and maximizing profits can overtake maintaining the fleet. Trucks are susceptible to mechanical problems that can cause catastrophes.
The brakes on a truck have to be able stop and slow down the vehicle at a moment's notice. When the brake pads on a truck, lines or return springs fail they can result in serious collisions and fatal injuries. It is crucial that these components are regularly checked and replaced as needed to keep them in good condition.
Poor-maintained tires can also be a major factor in truck accidents. Tires that are worn out may lose traction, which causes the truck to skid or even flip over. If appleton semi truck accident settlement is defective in some way, like having the wrong air pressure or improper tread design, it may fail catastrophically.
In addition to regular maintenance, trucks require regular inspections to identify mechanical issues before they cause an accident. If an inspection is performed incorrectly or the repair shop does not adhere to the guidelines of the manufacturer it could lead to an accident. In these cases the company that employed or supervising the maintenance or the repair shop could be held accountable.
The malfunctioning of signals, lights and reflectors are another frequent cause of truck accident. These devices must function properly to enable drivers to detect and anticipate the movement of the truck, especially when driving in rural areas or at night. Trucking companies or drivers could not be able to maintain and inspect these components, or they may not carry out regular safety inspections.
A Houston truck accident attorney will investigate your case and determine who might be responsible for your damages in the event you were injured by a badly maintained commercial truck. Investigating your case can uncover evidence to prove the defendant's negligence in your crash and help you recover the compensation you're entitled to.
Distracted Drivers
Accidents involving commercial trucks can be catastrophic. These huge trucks can weigh up to 25-times more than your car and cause a lot more injuries in an accident. Distracted driving is one of many factors that contribute to accidents. A truck driver who is distracted may lose control of their vehicle or fail to notice the dangers on the roadway, which could lead to serious and 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 can still be distracted and cause an accident. This is often caused by manual distractions like 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, changing radio stations, or conversing with passengers, are also considered to be distracting. If the trucker is distracted, he may drift into another lane and fail to notice an impending traffic jam. When a truck driver's eye is diverted, it only takes just a few seconds for a huge vehicle to collide with a car.
It is important to collect information about any witnesses and take photos of the scene after an accident if a distracted driver causes an accident with a truck. It is important to know the name of the driver, the company that they work for and who owns the vehicle if it's an independent contractor. This could affect the person who is responsible for your accident as the trucking company is responsible for securing skilled and competent truck drivers. If the trucking company is found be partly responsible for your accident, they could be liable for your economic and non-economic losses.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end truck collisions are quite common and can result in serious injuries. These accidents can happen in many different situations such as an intersection or at a red light when the trucker fails to check ahead for traffic coming in. They can also happen when a car comes in front of the truck, forcing the driver to hit their brakes without warning. The trucker might then slam 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. A knowledgeable attorney can find evidence to prove that the driver in the back caused the accident by following too closely, or driving distracted. This can include evidence such as photos, police reports eyewitness testimony and skid marks on the roadway.
Sometimes, the driver in the front may be found to be responsible for the accident also. This could occur if they cut off someone else or fail make use of a turn signal, as would any other reasonable person. This is where modified comparative negligence laws could be in play, where the jury determines a percentage of the fault to each party, and damages are lowered accordingly.
Lacerations and Bruises
The rear of the vehicle is the one that is most affected during a rear-end collision meaning that occupants can sustain serious injuries from hitting their head against the back window or dashboard. The impact of the crash could also cause broken bones if the occupants of the vehicle are thrown around the vehicle's interior. Spinal injuries can be serious. The spinal cord contains a lot of nerves that regulate the body, and any damage to the spinal column can cause serious and lasting problems for victims.
A person who has been involved in a serious accident may also suffer from psychological and emotional trauma. They may have trouble getting enough sleep or concentrating, which can result in anxiety and depression. If they are unable to work due to the seriousness of their injury this can add stress and financial burden. An attorney will investigate the possible sources of liability and assist a victim in receiving fair compensation for their loss.
Faulty trailer hitches
All vehicles, regardless of whether they are a car, van, truck flatbed, van are required to be securely connected to their trailers. If a trailer becomes unhitched, it can cause catastrophic accidents that result in severe injuries or death. If you've suffered injuries in an accident that involved a runaway trailer, contact a qualified vehicle accident attorney that specializes in cases of failure of the hitch promptly to discuss your legal options.
The reason for a malfunctioning trailer hitch is many things such as inadequate secured or defective design. It could be caused by a defect on the part of the manufacturer, in which case product liability laws may apply. The person or company that is at the fault for a defective trailer can be held liable for medical bills of victims and auto repair expenses, and other losses related to the incident.
In an accident that killed a person on a highway in Ohio known as "Devil's Backbone" in January 2014, an unattached trailer was spotted on the truck. It then crashed into two cars that were directly behind it. Initial investigations attributed the crash to the truck driver's inattention to examine and secure the hitch. In June 2015 however, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration started investigating the possibility that a flaw in the hitch the Ultra LT manufactured Fontaine Fifth Wheel in Trussville, Alabama, was the reason behind the crash.
As a result of the hitch that was defective 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 truck driver in the crash was found guilty of vehicular murder, however experts say that he could've avoided the crash in the event that he had conducted an extensive inspection of his trailer to ensure that all connections were secure. A faulty trailer hitch could cause major problems. These types of accidents are typically high-speed, and they can easily cause a collision with motorbikes or small cars. In such instances, the trailer can distort the frame of a vehicle and force razor sharp metal fragments to crush passengers inside.