Semi Truck Accident Law
A serious injury sustained during an accident with a semi truck can bury the victim with medical costs. It could also cause permanent disabilities that require expensive equipment and long-term therapy.
It is essential to have a qualified New York truck accident lawyer to assist you after an accident. A professional lawyer can assist you in proving your case with evidence like police reports, surveillance footage, etc.
Poorly-Maintained Vehicles
Owner-operators and trucking companies often don't take the necessary steps to ensure their vehicles are in good repair. This causes many avoidable accidents each year.
Comparatively to passenger vehicles, tractor-trailers and semis will require more frequent maintenance work due to their size and heavy load. Unfortunately working to meet deadlines and maximizing profits can often take precedence over the maintenance of the fleet. As a result, trucks can be susceptible to mechanical breakdowns that can lead to devastating accidents.
The brakes of a truck need to be able to stop and slow down the vehicle at a moment's notice. When brake pads lines, return springs or lines on a truck wear out and become damaged, it can result in serious accidents and fatal injuries. It is crucial that these components are regularly inspected and replaced when required to ensure that they remain in good working condition.
Tires that are not properly maintained can also contribute to truck accidents. Tires that are worn-out could lose traction, causing the truck to roll over or skid. Tires that aren't working either because of inadequate air pressure or tread design, can fail catastrophically.
Trucks need routine inspections along with regular maintenance in order to spot mechanical issues prior to causing an accident. If an inspection is performed incorrectly or the repair shop fails to adhere to the manufacturer's specifications, it can cause an accident. In rochester semi truck accident case , a company that hired the maintenance or repair shop or supervised it could be held accountable.
Another common cause of truck accidents is defective signals, lights, and reflectors. These components must function properly so that drivers can observe and anticipate the movements of the truck, especially when driving in rural areas or at night. Drivers and trucking companies could not be able to maintain and inspect these equipment, or may not perform daily safety inspections.
A Houston truck accident attorney will review your case and determine who could be accountable for your damages in the event you were injured by a badly maintained commercial truck. The investigation can uncover evidence proving the defendant's negligence and help you receive the compensation you're entitled to.
Distracted Drivers
The result of a collision involving commercial trucks could be catastrophic. These huge vehicles weigh up to 25 times more than your car and can cause a lot more injuries if they are involved in a collision. Distracted driving is just one of the many factors that cause accidents. A truck driver who is distracted may lose control of their vehicle or fail to recognize the dangers on the road, leading to severe and life-changing injuries.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has strict rules and rules for truck drivers. This includes a prohibition against texting or using cellular phones while driving. Even if truckers abide by the rules, they can still become distracted and cause an accident. This can be a result of distractions caused by manual actions like taking their hands off the wheel or cognitive distractions such as thinking about something else other than driving.
Many people are aware that texting while driving can be risky, but many do not realize that other activities, like eating, changing radio stations, or chatting with passengers, can also be considered distracting. If a truck driver is distracted, they could wander off into a different lane or fail to see a traffic jam in front of them. When a truck driver's attention is diverted, it's only an instant for a large vehicle to crash into a passenger car.
When a truck collision is caused by a distracted driver it is crucial to take photographs of the scene of the crash and note down the name and contact information of witnesses. It is crucial to know the name of the driver, the company that they work for and who owns the vehicle, if it's an independent contractor. This can have an effect on who is accountable for the accident, because it is the responsibility of the trucking business to recruit competent and experienced truck drivers. If the trucking company is found partially responsible for your accident, they could be liable to you for financial and non-economic injuries.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions with trucks are common and often cause serious injuries. They can happen in a variety of settings like an intersection or stop signal, where the trucker is unable to look behind them for traffic in the direction of oncoming traffic. They can also occur when a car crashes into front of the truck, forcing the driver to slam on their brakes without warning. The trucker can then slam into the car from behind.
It can be difficult to prove the fault of a driver in rear-end collisions, as it's not always evident who was at fault. An experienced attorney can gather evidence that proves the driver behind caused the crash because they followed too closely or being distracted while driving. This evidence could include photos as well as police reports and eyewitness testimony as well as skid marks in the road.
The driver in front of the car may be held accountable for the collision. This could happen if they cut someone off or fail to obey their turn signal as a reasonable person would, or put on the brakes at the very last minute which causes the driver in the back to crash into the vehicle directly in the front of them. In these situations, modified comparative negligence laws could be used. The jury will determine a percentage of the blame to each party. The damages are then reduced according to.
Lacerations, Bruises and Bruises
In a rear-end crash, the rear-end of the car is the area that receives the most impact. This means that occupants are at risk of serious injuries if they crash their heads against the dashboard or the back window. They can also suffer broken bones after being thrown around the interior of the car due to the force of the crash. The severity of spinal injuries can be devastating. Injuries to the spine can cause serious and lasting consequences for victims.
A person who is a victim of a fatal accident may also experience emotional and psychological trauma. They may experience difficulty in concentrating or sleeping, which could cause anxiety and depression. They could also be facing stress and financial difficulties when they cannot work because of an injury. An attorney can examine the possible sources of liability and ensure that the victim receives fair compensation for their loss.
Problematic trailer hitches
All vehicles, whether they are a vehicle, a car, a truck, van flatbed, van must be securely connected to their trailers. If a trailer is suddenly unhitched, it can lead to catastrophic accidents that cause serious injuries or even death. If you have been injured in a vehicle accident caused by a runaway truck or trailer, consult an experienced attorney who is skilled in cases involving the failure of a hitch to discuss your legal options.
The reason for a malfunctioning trailer hitch can be a variety of things which can range from inadequate securing or defective design. It can also be the result an error by the manufacturer and, in this case, product liability laws may apply. The company or individual responsible for a defective trailer could be held responsible for the victim's medical costs along with auto repair expenses and other losses resulting from the incident.
For example there was a fatal crash that occurred in January 2014 along an Ohio road that is locally referred to as "Devil's Backbone," a trailer came free from the truck and crashed through the air into two cars that were behind it. Initial investigation linked the accident to the truck driver's negligence in failing inspect 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 in the crash -- an Ultra LT manufactured by Fontaine Fifth Wheel of Trussville, Alabama -- to fail on a significant proportion of times.
As a result of the defective hitch The trailer struck the sides of the vehicles before plunging into them head-on. The result was multiple deaths and serious injuries for the drivers.
The driver of the truck involved in the incident was found guilty of vehicular homicide, but experts say he could have avoided the crash if he'd performed an exhaustive 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 incidents often involve a large amount of speed, and they can wipe smaller cars or motorcycles. In these instances the trailer could distort the frame of a vehicle and force razor sharp metal fragments to strike the passengers inside.