Semi Truck Accident Law
A semi-truck accident can cause an injury of a serious nature that could cost a person a fortune in medical bills. It can also lead to permanent disabilities requiring expensive equipment and ongoing physical therapy.
It is vital to have a professional New York truck accident lawyer at your side following an accident. A lawyer with experience can help you prove your case with evidence like police reports, surveillance camera footage, and more.
Poorly maintained vehicles
Owner-operators and companies that operate trucks often do not take the proper steps to ensure their vehicles are in good shape. This causes a large percentage of preventable crashes every year.
Semis and tractor trailers require more frequent maintenance than cars for passengers because of their larger size and heavier weight. However, the pressure of completing deadlines and maximizing profits often over maintaining the fleet. Trucks are susceptible to mechanical problems which could result in devastating accidents.
The brakes on a truck have to be able to stop and slow down the vehicle at a minute's notice. When brake pads lines, return springs, or lines on a truck fail and break, it could lead to serious accidents and fatal injuries. These parts must be checked regularly and repaired when necessary to ensure they are in good condition.
Tires that aren't well maintained can contribute to truck accidents. Worn tires can lose traction and cause the truck to slide or even flip over. 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 along with regular maintenance in order to spot mechanical issues before they can cause an incident. If an inspection is done incorrectly or if the repair shop does not follow the manufacturer's guidelines it could lead to a crash. In these cases the company that hired or supervised the maintenance or the repair shop could be held responsible.
Faulty lights, signals and reflectors are another common reason for truck accidents. These devices must be correctly functioning to allow drivers to see their truck and anticipate its movements, particularly in rural areas or at night. However, trucking companies could not inspect and maintain these equipments or the driver may not perform regular safety inspections.
A Houston truck accident lawyer will review your situation and determine who could be accountable for your damages in the event that you are injured by a deteriorated maintenance of a commercial truck. These investigations can reveal evidence that shows the negligence of the defendant in the crash and help you receive the compensation you're entitled to.
Distracted Drivers
The consequences of collisions with commercial trucks can be devastating. These massive vehicles weigh up to 25 times more than your car and could cause more injuries when they are involved in collisions. While a variety of factors can contribute to accidents and injuries, distracted driving is one of the most common and dangerous. A driver who is distracted could lose control of the vehicle or fail to notice a road hazard that could result in serious and life-threatening injuries.
Truck drivers must follow strict rules and regulations formulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This includes a ban on texting and using cell phones while operating their vehicles. Even if truckers follow the rules, they are still prone to be distracted and cause crashes. This is often caused by accidental distractions, such as taking your hand off the steering wheel or by cognitive distractions such as thinking about something other than driving.
While most people understand that it is dangerous to text and drive, very few are aware that other activities such as eating, changing the station on the radio or conversing with a passenger could also be considered distracting. If the trucker is distracted, the driver could drift off into another lane and fail to notice the traffic jam ahead. When a trucker's attention is diverted, it's only one second for a massive vehicle to collide with a car.
When a truck collision occurs due to a distracted driver it is crucial to snap photos of the scene of the crash and collect the contact details and name of any witnesses. It is important to know the name of the driver, the business for which they work, and who owns the vehicle, if it's an independent contractor. This will affect the person who is responsible for your accident as the trucking company is responsible for securing competent and skilled truck drivers. If the trucking company is found be partly responsible for your accident, they may be responsible for your economic and non-economic damages.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions between trucks are quite common and can cause severe injuries. They can happen in a variety of situations for example, at an intersection or stop signal when the trucker fails to look behind them for traffic coming in. They can also happen when a car crashes into front of the truck, forcing the driver to use their brakes without warning. The trucker can then slam 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 caused the crash. An experienced attorney can find evidence to prove that the driver in the back caused the crash because they followed too closely or driving with a distraction. This could include evidence like photos, police reports eyewitness testimony, and skid marks in the road.
Sometimes, the driver in the front could be found to be liable for the accident in addition. This could happen if they cut off someone else or fail to utilize a turn signal in the same manner as any other reasonable person. In these situations an amended comparative negligence law may be used. The jury will assign a percentage of blame to each of the parties. The damages are then reduced according to.
Bruises and Lacerations
In a rear-end crash, the rear-end of the car is the area that experiences the most force. This means that drivers are most at risk of serious injuries if they crash their heads against the dashboard or the back window. The impact of the crash could cause broken bones when the occupants are thrown around the interior of the vehicle. Spinal injuries can be severe. The spinal cord houses a number of nerves that regulate the body, therefore any injury to the spinal column could cause significant and permanent issues for those affected.
In addition to these types of injuries, victims may also experience psychological and emotional traumas as a result of having been involved in a terrible crash. They may experience difficulty getting enough sleep or concentrating, which can cause anxiety and depression. If they're unable work due to the severity of their injury, this can cause anxiety and financial hardship. An attorney can research all possible sources of liability and assist the victim in seeking fair compensation for their expenses.
The trailer hitches are faulty.
All vehicles, regardless of whether they are a car or van, truck flatbed, van, or should be securely connected to their trailers. Unintentionally pulling a trailer off can result in catastrophic accidents that lead to serious injuries or death. If you've suffered injuries in a collision involving the trailer that is running away, you should contact an experienced vehicle accident lawyer with a specialization in cases of hitch failure as soon as possible to discuss your legal options.
The reason behind a defective trailer hitch is many things which can range from inadequate secured or defective design. It could also be the result of an issue with the manufacturer and in that case, laws governing product liability could apply. The person or company that is at the fault for a defective trailer is responsible for the cost of medical bills and auto repair costs and other losses arising from the incident.
For example in a fatal crash that occurred in January 2014 on an Ohio road referred to locally as "Devil's Backbone," a trailer came free from the truck and slid head-on into two cars behind it. Initial investigations pointed out that the accident was due to the driver's negligence for not inspecting and secure the hitch. However, in June 2015 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began to investigate the possibility that a manufacturing defect had caused the hitch that was involved in the crash -one of the Ultra LT manufactured by Fontaine Fifth Wheel of Trussville, Alabama -- to malfunction on a large proportion of occasions.
The trailer struck the side of the vehicle and crashed into them. The result was numerous fatalities and serious injuries for the drivers.
new jersey semi truck accident law firm in the accident was convicted of vehicular homicide, but experts say he could have avoided the crash if he'd performed a thorough inspection of his trailer to make sure all connections were in good order. A faulty hitch on a trailer can lead to serious accidents, since they typically involve a large amount of speed and could easily wipe smaller cars or motorcycles. In these situations, the trailer may distort the car's frame and cause razor-sharp metal fragments that can impale passengers.