Semi Truck Accident Law
A serious injury sustained during a crash with trucks can result in the death of the victim with medical expenses. It could also cause permanent disabilities that require expensive equipment and long-term therapy.
After a collision is essential to retain an experienced New York truck accident attorney by your side. A qualified attorney can help establish your case through evidence like police reports or surveillance camera footage and much more.
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 increase in the number of preventable accidents occurring every year.
Semis and tractor trailers require more frequent maintenance than cars used for passenger transport due to their larger size and heavier load. Unfortunately the pressure of meeting deadlines and maximizing profits can overtake maintaining the fleet. As a result, trucks are susceptible to mechanical problems that can result in catastrophic accidents.
The brakes on trucks must be able stop and slow down the vehicle at a minute's notice. When the brake pads on a truck lines, lines or return springs fail, they can cause serious collisions and fatal injuries. It is essential to have these parts regularly checked and replaced as required to ensure that they remain in good condition.
Tires that aren't maintained can play a significant role in truck accidents. Tires that have worn out could lose traction, causing the truck to overturn or slide. Tires that aren't working or damaged, whether due to incorrect air pressure or tread design may fail catastrophically.
In addition to regular maintenance, trucks need regular inspections in order to spot mechanical issues prior to causing an accident. If an inspection is performed incorrectly or the repair shop doesn't follow the manufacturer's guidelines it could lead to an accident. In these situations the company that hired or supervising the maintenance or the repair shop could be held accountable.
Another major cause of truck accidents is the failure of lights, signals and reflectors. These devices must be correctly functioning to allow drivers to see their truck and anticipate its movements, especially in rural areas or after dark. However, trucking firms may fail to maintain and inspect these equipments or the driver could fail to conduct regular safety checks.
A Houston truck accident attorney can investigate your case and determine who may be responsible for your damages in the event you were injured from a poorly maintained commercial truck. This investigation could uncover evidence of negligence by the defendant and help you receive the compensation you're entitled to.
Distracted Drivers
The consequences of collisions with commercial trucks can be catastrophic. These huge trucks can weigh up to 25 times more than a car and cause much worse injuries in accidents. Distracted driving is just one of the many causes of accidents. A truck driver who is distracted may lose control of their vehicle, or fail to see an accident on the roadway, which could lead to life-changing injuries.
Truck drivers are required to adhere to strict rules and regulations established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This includes a ban on texting and using cell phones while driving. Even if truckers follow the rules, they might be distracted and cause an accident. This could be the result of manual distractions like getting off the steering wheel or mental distractions like thinking about something other than driving.
Although most people know the dangers of using text and drive, few realize that other activities such as eating, changing the radio station or conversing with a passenger can also be deemed as distracting. When a trucker is distracted, they might wander off into a different lane or miss a traffic jam in front of them. If a truck driver's focus is diverted, it only takes an instant for a large vehicle to collide with a car.
When a truck collision is caused by a distracted driver, it is important to capture photos of the crash scene and collect the name and contact information of any witnesses. It is important to know the name of the driver, the company that they work for, and who owns the vehicle in case it's an independent contractor. This could impact the person who is responsible for your accident, as the trucking company is responsible for hiring skilled and experienced truck drivers. If the trucking company is found be at least partially responsible for the accident, they may be responsible for your economic and non-economic injuries.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions between trucks are frequent and frequently result in severe injuries. They can happen in a variety of settings for example, at an intersection or stop sign when the trucker fails to observe the road ahead for traffic in the direction of oncoming traffic. It can also happen if a car cuts across the truck's path, causing the driver of the truck to brake suddenly without warning. The trucker can then slam into the car from behind.
coral springs semi truck accident law firm can be difficult to prove fault in the event of rear-end collisions, as it isn't always certain who was at fault. An experienced lawyer can assist in gathering evidence that proves the driver at the rear was responsible for the crash by following too closely or driving while distracted. This evidence can include photos or police reports, eyewitness testimony, aswell as skid marks on the road.
The driver in front of the car may also be accountable for the accident. This could occur if they cut someone off or fail make use of a turn signal, as would any reasonable person. In these situations, modified comparative negligence laws can be applied. The jury will determine a percentage of the blame to each party. Damages will be reduced accordingly.
Lacerations 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 windows. The force of the collision can cause broken bones if the occupants are thrown about the interior of the car. Injuries to the spine are often severe. The damage to the spine could cause serious and lasting consequences for victims.
In addition to these types of injuries, a victim may also experience psychological and emotional traumas as a result of being in a horrific crash. They may have difficulty sleeping or concentrating which can cause anxiety and depression. If they are unable work due to the severity of their injury, this could cause stress and financial burden. An attorney can examine the potential sources of liability to assist a victim in receiving the right amount of compensation for their loss.
The trailer is not working properly
All vehicles, regardless of whether they are a vehicle, a car, van, truck flatbed, van are required to be securely connected to their trailers. Unintentionally removing a trailer's hitch can cause catastrophic accidents that lead to severe injuries or even death. If you have been injured in a vehicle accident caused by a truck that has run away and you are in need of an experienced attorney who is skilled in cases involving the failure of a hitch to discuss your legal options.
A defective trailer hitch could be caused by a variety of factors, ranging from inadequate securing to defective design. It could also be the result of an error by the manufacturer and in that case, lawful product liability may apply. The company or person at the fault for a trailer that is defective could be held accountable for victims' medical bills and auto repair costs and other losses related to the incident.
In a fatal crash that occurred on a road in Ohio known as "Devil's Backbone" in January 2014 the trailer slid off of the truck. It crashed into two cars directly behind it. Initial investigations linked the incident to the truck driver's carelessness in failing to properly inspect and secure the hitch. However, in June 2015 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began to investigate the possibility that a manufacturing defect caused the hitch involved in the crash -- an Ultra LT manufactured by Fontaine Fifth Wheel in Trussville, Alabama -- to malfunction on a high proportion of times.
Due to the hitch that was defective caused by the defective hitch, the trailer smashed into the sides of the vehicles before plunging into them head-on. The result was numerous fatalities and serious injuries to the drivers.
The driver of the truck involved in the incident was found guilty of vehicular manslaughter, but experts say that he could have avoided the collision with the other vehicles if he had done a thorough visual inspection of his trailer and made sure that all connections were in good order. Incorrect trailer hitches could cause major problems. These kinds of incidents are usually high-speed and are able to sidewipe motorbikes or small cars. In these cases the trailer could deform the frame of a car and cause razor-sharp metal fragments to impale any passengers.