Semi Truck Accident Law
A semi-truck accident could cause serious injuries that could cost a person a lot in medical expenses. It could also cause permanent disabilities requiring expensive equipment and long-term physical therapy.
It is important to have a reputable New York truck accident lawyer to assist you after an accident. A qualified lawyer will help you prove your case by using evidence such as police reports, surveillance footage, etc.
Poorly maintained vehicles
Owner-operators and trucking companies typically fail to take the necessary steps to ensure their vehicles are in good working order. This leads to an astronomical number of preventable accidents occurring every year.
As compared to passenger cars tractor-trailers and semis need more frequent maintenance work due to their size and heavier loads. Unfortunately working to meet deadlines and maximizing profits is often prioritized over maintaining a fleet. Trucks can be prone to mechanical issues that could cause catastrophes.
The brakes of trucks are crucial because they have to be able to stop the vehicle and slow it down at any moment. If the brake pads of a truck, lines or return springs fail, they can cause serious collisions and fatal injuries. It is essential that these parts are regularly inspected and replaced when necessary to ensure they are in good working order.
Tires that aren't properly maintained may contribute to truck accidents. Tires that have worn out can lose traction and cause the truck to overturn or skid. Tires that are defective because of incorrect air pressure or tread design can fail catastrophically.
Trucks need routine inspections in addition to regular maintenance in order to spot mechanical issues before they can cause an accident. If an inspection is not done correctly or the repair shop fails to follow the manufacturer's guidelines this could result in a crash. In these instances the company that employed or supervising the maintenance or the repair shop could be held responsible.
Another major cause of truck accidents is malfunctioning lights, signals and reflectors. These elements must be properly functioning to allow drivers to see their truck and anticipate its movements, especially in rural areas or at night. However, trucking albany semi truck accident claim could fail to check and maintain these elements or the driver could fail to perform daily safety checks.
A reliable Houston truck accident lawyer can analyze your case to determine who could be accountable for your damages after you've been injured during an accident caused by a faulty maintenance of a commercial truck. Investigating your case can uncover evidence to prove the defendant's negligence in the crash and help you obtain the compensation you're due.
Distracted Drivers
There aren't many events more devastating than an incident which involves a commercial vehicle. These huge vehicles can weigh as much as 25-times more than your car and cause much worse injuries when involved in an accident. Distracted driving is among the many factors that contribute to accidents. A truck driver who is distracted might lose control of their vehicle or fail to spot an accident on the road, which can lead to life-threatening injuries.
Truck drivers must follow strict rules and regulations that have been formulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This includes a ban on texting and using mobile phones while driving. However, even when truckers abide by the rules, they could still get distracted and cause a crash. This can be a result of manual distractions, such as dropping a hand off of the wheel or mental distractions such as thinking about something other than driving.
While most people are aware that it's dangerous to text while driving, a few realize that other activities, such as eating or changing the radio station, and even conversing with passengers can be deemed as distracting. When a trucker is distracted, they might wander off into a different lane or not be able to see the traffic jam ahead of them. It only takes a split second for a large truck to crash into a vehicle when the trucker's attention is diverted.
It is important to collect details about witnesses and take photos of the scene of the crash when the driver is distracted, which can cause a truck crash. It is also helpful to find out the name of the driver who is driving the truck and the company they are employed by, as as who owns the truck, if it's an independent contractor. This can affect who is accountable for your accident as the trucking company is responsible for hiring skilled and experienced truck drivers. If the trucking company is found be partially at fault for your accident, they could be liable for your economic and non-economic injuries.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions between trucks are common and often result in severe injuries. They can occur in a variety situations like an intersection or stop sign, when the trucker fails to observe the road ahead for any traffic that is coming up. It can also happen if vehicles cross the truck's path, causing the driver of the truck to stop suddenly and without warning. The trucker may then slam the car from behind.
It can be difficult to prove fault in the event of rear-end collisions as it's not always certain which vehicle was responsible. However, a skilled attorney can help gather evidence to show that the driver at the rear was responsible for the crash through following too closely or distracted driving. The evidence can include photographs or police reports, eyewitness testimony as well as skid marks on the road.
Sometimes the driver in front might be liable for the accident also. This could happen if they cut off someone else or fail to utilize their turn signal as any reasonable person would, or put on the brakes at the very last minute, causing the driver in the back to crash into the vehicle directly in front of them. In these situations an amended comparative negligence law can be applied. The jury will determine a percentage of the blame to each of the parties. The damages are then reduced accordingly.
Lacerations, Bruises and Bruises
The rear of the vehicle 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 window. The force of the collision can also cause broken bones if the occupants of the vehicle are thrown around the inside of the vehicle. Spinal injuries can be serious. The spinal cord houses a number of nerves that control the body, so any damage to the spinal column can cause long-lasting and serious issues for the victims.
A person who has been involved in a serious accident could also be suffering from psychological and emotional trauma. They might have trouble getting enough sleep or concentrating, which may result in anxiety and depression. They may also experience financial hardship and stress when they are unable to work due to an injury. An attorney can research all possible causes of liability and help the victim seek an appropriate amount of compensation for their expenses.
Faulty Trailer Hitches
Regardless of whether you're driving a car, a truck, a van, or a flatbed, all vehicles have to be securely attached to their trailers. Unintentionally removing a trailer's hitch can cause catastrophic accidents that can lead to severe injuries or even death. If you've suffered injuries in a vehicle accident caused by a truck that has run away or trailer, consult an experienced attorney who specializes in hitch failure cases to discuss your legal options.
A defective trailer hitch could be the result of a variety of things, from improper secured to faulty design. It could be due to a defect on the part of the manufacturer, where case-by-case product liability law may apply. The person or company responsible for a trailer's defect could be held responsible for the victims' medical costs, auto repair costs and 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 then crashed into two cars that were directly behind it. The initial investigation attributed the accident to the truck driver's inattention to inspect and secure the hitch. In June 2015, however the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration started investigating the possibility that a flaw in the hitch and an Ultra LT manufactured Fontaine Fifth Wheel in Trussville, Alabama, was responsible for the crash.
As a result of the malfunctioning hitch caused by the defective hitch, the trailer smashed into the sides of the vehicles and then crashed into them head-on. This resulted in multiple fatalities and serious injuries to the drivers of the vehicles.
The truck driver in the accident was found guilty of vehicular murder, however experts say that he could've avoided the crash if he'd performed an extensive inspection of his trailer to make sure all connections were in good order. The failure of a trailer's hitches can result in major catastrophes, since these accidents typically involve a lot of speed and may cause a collision with smaller vehicles or motorcycles. In these instances the trailer could deform the frame of a car and result in sharp metal fragments to impale any passengers.