Semi Truck Accident Law
A semi-truck accident could cause serious injuries that could cause a person to pay a huge amount in medical bills. It could also cause permanent disabilities that require expensive equipment and long-term therapy.
After a collision, it is essential to retain an experienced New York truck accident attorney on your side. A qualified attorney can help you prove your case using evidence like police reports and surveillance footage, among others.
Poorly maintained vehicles
Trucking companies and owners-operators often do not take the proper steps to ensure that their vehicles are in good condition. This leads to an astronomical number of preventable accidents every year.
Semis and tractor trailers require more frequent maintenance than cars used for passenger transport because of their larger dimensions and larger weight. However, meeting deadlines and maximising profits is often prioritized over maintaining the fleet. In the end, trucks are more prone to mechanical problems that can cause catastrophic accidents.
The brakes of a truck need to be able stop and slow down the vehicle at a minute's notice. If santa ana semi truck accident law firm of a truck, lines or return springs wear out they can result in serious collisions and fatal injuries. It is essential to have these parts regularly inspected and replaced when needed to keep them in good condition.
Tires that aren't well maintained can play a significant role in truck accidents. Tires that are worn-out could lose traction, causing the truck to overturn or skid. Tires that are defective or damaged, whether due to incorrect air pressure or tread design can fail catastrophically.
Trucks require regular inspections in addition to regular maintenance to identify mechanical issues before they can cause an incident. If an inspection is done improperly or the repair shop fails to follow the manufacturer's recommendations, it can cause an accident. In such cases, the company that hired or directed the maintenance or repair shop could be held accountable.
Poorly functioning lights, signals and reflectors are also a frequent reason for truck accidents. These items must be properly functioning to allow drivers to see their truck and anticipate its movements, particularly in rural areas or at night. Drivers or trucking companies may fail to maintain and check these equipment, or may not carry out regular safety inspections.
A reputable Houston truck accident lawyer will investigate your case to identify who might be accountable for your injuries after you've been injured during an accident with a poorly-maintained commercial truck. The investigation can uncover evidence of negligence by the defendant and assist you in obtaining the compensation you are entitled to.
Distracted Drivers
Accidents involving commercial trucks can be catastrophic. These massive vehicles weigh up to 25 times more than your car and can cause a lot more injuries if they are involved in an accident. While many factors contribute to accidents that result from distracted driving, it is one of the most frequent and risky. A truck driver who is distracted may lose control of their vehicle, or fail to see an issue on the roadway, which could lead to severe and life-changing injuries.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has strict rules and rules for truck drivers. This includes a ban on texting or using cellular phones while driving. Even if truckers abide by the rules, they could still be distracted, causing an accident. This could be because of distractions caused by manual actions like taking their hands off the wheel or mental distractions like thinking about something other than driving.
While most people are aware that it is risky to text while driving, a few realize that other activities like eating, changing the station on the radio or conversing with the other driver can also be considered to be distracting. When a truck driver is distracted, they could wander off into another lane, or fail to see a traffic jam up ahead of them. When a truck driver's attention is diverted, it's only one second for a massive vehicle to crash into a passenger car.
It is important to gather information on witnesses and to take photographs of the scene of the crash when the driver is distracted and causes a truck crash. It is crucial to know the name of the driver, the business for which they work, and who owns the vehicle in case it's an independent contractor. This could have an effect on who is accountable for the incident, since it is the responsibility of the trucking firm to recruit competent and experienced truck drivers. If the trucking firm is found to be partially responsible for the accident, it could be held accountable to you for financial and non-economic injuries.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions between trucks are not uncommon and can result in serious injuries. They can occur in a variety of situations for example, at an intersection or stop signal, where the trucker is unable to observe the road ahead for traffic in the direction of oncoming traffic. It can also happen if an automobile crosses the truck's path, forcing the driver of the truck to stop abruptly without warning. The trucker may then slam the car from behind.
It can be hard to prove the fault of a driver in rear-end collisions because it isn't always evident which vehicle was responsible. An experienced attorney can help gather evidence to show that the driver behind caused the crash due to following too closely or distracted driving. This can be evidence in the form of photos as well as police reports and eyewitness testimony, aswell as skid marks on the road.
Sometimes the driver in front might be responsible for the accident in addition. This could happen if they cut off someone else or fail to use their turn signal as a reasonable person would, or hit on the brakes in the last second and cause the driver behind to crash into the car directly in the front of them. In this kind of situation, modified comparative negligence laws can be applied. The jury will assign a percentage of blame to each of the parties. The damages will be reduced accordingly.
Lacerations and Bruises
The rear end of the vehicle experiences the most impact during a rear-end collision which means that the occupants could suffer serious injuries from hitting their head against the dashboard or the back window. The force of the collision can cause broken bones if the occupants are thrown around the interior of the vehicle. Spinal injuries can be serious. The spinal cord is home to many nerves that control the body, therefore any injury to the spinal column can cause permanent and significant issues for the victims.
In addition to these types of injuries, a victim may also experience psychological and emotional traumas as a result of having been involved in a terrible crash. They may have trouble sleeping or concentrating, which can result in anxiety and depression. They may also face stress and financial strain if they are unable work because of an injury. An attorney will investigate the potential sources of liability to ensure that the victim receives fair compensation for their loss.
Problematic trailer hitches
All vehicles, regardless of whether they are a vehicle, a car, a truck, van, flatbed, or van, need to be securely connected to their trailers. If a trailer goes unhitched, it could cause catastrophic accidents that cause serious injuries or death. If you've suffered injuries in an accident that involved the trailer that is running away, you should contact an experienced lawyer for car accidents with a specialization in cases of hitch failure promptly to discuss your legal options.
A damaged trailer hitch could be the result of a variety of factors, ranging from inadequate secured to faulty design. It could be due to an issue on the part of the manufacturer, in which case the product liability law could be applicable. The company or person at fault for a faulty trailer could be held accountable for medical bills of victims 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 a trailer detached from the truck. It then crashed into two cars that were directly behind it. Initial investigations attributed the accident to the truck driver’s negligence for not inspecting and secure hitch. In June 2015 however, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began investigating the possibility that a flaw in the hitch the Ultra LT manufactured Fontaine Fifth Wheel in Trussville, Alabama, was the cause of the crash.
The trailer struck the sides of the vehicle and crashed into them. The result was multiple deaths and serious injuries to the drivers.
The driver of the truck involved in this accident was convicted of vehicular manslaughter. However experts say he could have prevented the collision with other vehicles had he completed a thorough inspection of his trailer and ensured that all connections were secure. The failure of a trailer's hitches can result in catastrophic accidents, as they typically require a significant amount of speed, and they can sidewipe smaller cars or motorcycles. In such instances, the trailer can distort the frame of a vehicle and force steel fragments that are razor-sharp to sever the limbs of passengers in.