Semi Truck Accident Law
A severe injury sustained in an accident with a semi truck can bury a person with medical expenses. It could also cause permanent disabilities that require expensive equipment and long-term therapy.
After a collision, it is essential to have an experienced New York truck accident attorney by your side. A skilled lawyer can prove your case by using evidence like police reports, surveillance camera footage, and more.
Poorly maintained vehicles
Owner-operators and trucking companies typically don't take the necessary steps to ensure their vehicles are in good working order. This causes an overwhelming number of preventable crashes every year.
Comparatively to passenger vehicles, tractor-trailers and semis need more frequent maintenance work due to their size and heavy load. Unfortunately working to meet deadlines and maximizing profits can often take precedence over maintaining a fleet. As a result, trucks can be susceptible to mechanical problems that can result in catastrophic accidents.
The brakes on a truck have to be able stop and slow down the vehicle at a minute's notice. When colorado springs semi truck accident lawyer , return springs, or lines on a truck get worn out, it can lead to serious accidents and fatal injuries. It is crucial to have these parts regularly inspected and replaced as necessary to ensure they are in good working condition.
Tires that aren't well maintained can be a major factor in truck accidents. Worn tires can lose traction and cause the truck to skid or even roll over. Tires that aren't working or damaged, whether due to an insufficient tread design or air pressure could fail catastrophically.
In addition to regular maintenance, trucks also require regular inspections in order to spot mechanical issues before they cause an accident. However, if the inspection is not done correctly or the repair shop fails to adhere to the guidelines of the manufacturer it could lead to a crash. In these instances, the company that commissioned the repair or maintenance shop or was the one who supervised it could be held liable.
The malfunctioning of signals, lights and reflectors are another frequent reason for truck accidents. These devices must function properly in order for drivers to be able to detect and anticipate the speed of the truck especially in rural areas or at night. However, trucking companies might fail to maintain and inspect these items or the driver could fail to perform daily safety inspections.
A reliable Houston truck accident lawyer will review your case and determine which parties may be 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 of negligence by the defendant and help you receive the compensation you are entitled to.
Distracted Drivers
There aren't many events as devastating as an accident which involves a commercial vehicle. These huge trucks can weigh up to 25-times more than your car and cause a lot more injuries in a crash. While many factors cause accidents, distracted driving is one of the most prevalent and dangerous. A distracted truck driver can lose control of their vehicle or fail to notice a road danger which could lead to serious and life-threatening injuries.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has strict rules and regulations for truck drivers. This includes a prohibition on texting and using cell phones while driving. Even if truckers adhere to the rules, they can still become distracted and cause crashes. This can be the result of manual distractions like dropping a hand off of the wheel or cognitive distractions like thinking about something else other than driving.
Many people are aware that texting while driving is risky, but not many know that other activities, like eating, changing radio stations, or conversing with passengers, are also considered to be distracting. When a trucker is distracted, they might drift into another lane or not be able to see a traffic jam up ahead of them. It only takes a split second for a large truck to hit a passenger vehicle when the trucker's attention wanders.
If a car accident occurs due to distracted driving it is crucial to take photographs of the scene of collision and gather the name and contact information of any witnesses. It is crucial to know the name of the driver, the company for which they work and who owns the vehicle if it's an independent contractor. This can have an influence on who is responsible for the incident, since it is the trucking company's responsibility to employ competent and experienced truck drivers. If the trucking firm is found to be partially responsible for your accident, they could be held accountable to you for financial and non-economic damages.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions between trucks are not uncommon and can cause serious injuries. They can occur in a variety of situations like an intersection or stop signal when the trucker fails to check behind them for any traffic that is coming up. It can also happen if vehicles cross the truck's path, forcing the driver of the truck to brake suddenly without warning. The trucker can then slam into the car from behind.
It can be hard to prove the fault of a driver in a rear-end collision, because it isn't always clear the vehicle that was at fault. A knowledgeable attorney can gather evidence to show that the driver in the back caused the crash due to following too closely or driving distracted. This could include evidence like photos, police reports eyewitness testimony, and skid marks left on the roadway.
Sometimes the driver in front could be at fault for the crash also. This can happen when they cut someone off or fail to make use of a turn signal, as would any reasonable person. This is where modified comparative negligence laws can come into play, where the jury assigns a percentage to each party and damages are reduced accordingly.
Lacerations and Bruises
The rear of the vehicle is the one that is most affected in a rear-end collision meaning that occupants can sustain serious injuries when they hit their head against the dashboard or the back window. They may also break bones from being scattered around the interior of the vehicle by the force of the crash. Spinal injuries can be serious. The spinal cord houses a number of nerves that control the body, therefore any injury to the spinal cord could cause long-lasting and serious issues for the victims.
A person who has been involved in a serious accident may also suffer from psychological and emotional trauma. They may experience difficulties getting enough sleep or concentrating, which can result in anxiety and depression. If they are unable work due to the extent of their injury, this could cause stress and financial burden. An attorney can investigate the possible causes of liability to ensure that the victim receives fair compensation for their loss.
The trailer is not working properly
All vehicles, regardless of whether they're a car or a truck, van flatbed, van are required to be securely connected to their trailers. Unexpectedly unhitching a trailer can cause catastrophic accidents that lead to severe injuries, or even death. If you've been injured by an unhitched trailer, call a qualified vehicle accident attorney with a specialization in cases of hitch failure immediately to discuss your legal options.
A malfunctioning trailer hitch may be caused by a variety of factors, ranging from inadequate security to design flaws. It could be caused by an issue on the part of the manufacturer, in which case product liability laws could apply. The company or person at the fault for a trailer that is defective is liable for the cost of medical bills and auto repair costs as well as other losses that result from the incident.
In a fatal crash that occurred 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 investigation linked the accident to the driver's negligence in failing examine and secure the hitch. But in June 2015, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began to investigate the possibility that a manufacturing defect caused the hitch at the center of the crash -- an Ultra LT manufactured by Fontaine Fifth Wheel in Trussville, Alabama -- to fail on a significant proportion of occasions.
The trailer hit the side of the vehicles, and then crashed into them. This led to numerous deaths and serious injuries to drivers of the vehicles.
The driver of the truck that was involved in the accident was found guilty of vehicular manslaughter. However, experts say that he could have prevented the collision with other vehicles if he conducted a thorough inspection of his trailer and made sure that all connections were in good order. Incorrect trailer hitches can cause major disasters, as they typically involve a lot of speed and could easily cause a collision with smaller vehicles or motorcycles. In these instances the trailer could distort the frame of a car and create sharp metal fragments that can impale passengers.