What Is 18 Wheeler Law?

18 wheeler law deals with accidents involving commercial truck drivers and their rigs. These huge vehicles are subject to strict federal guidelines regarding maintenance, safety, and training.

Companies that transport trucks often force their drivers to work longer and alter logbooks. This can lead accidents involving trucks to be devastating.

Weight Regulations

It is important to understand the weight limitations for semi-trucks. Weight limits for single axles as well as group axles are determined by most states. It is typical to see weigh stations along interstates, where truck drivers are weighed in order to confirm that they do not exceed maximum weight limits for their vehicle and load. If a trucker is caught violating these limitations they could be penalized or even imprisoned based on the state they reside in and their criminal record.

Axle groups have a greater weight limit because the vehicle is more secure when the weight is distributed across multiple axles. This also allows for the transportation of more cargo. For example a single tire on an axle can only be weighed at 650lbs per inch of wheel's diameter. However, when there are two tires on that same axle it could be weighed at 1300 pounds per tire.

There are also limitations on the types of trailers that can be used in conjunction with a tractor. Some states will only allow one trailer, while others only permit twin or triple trailers. Some states also require a fifth wheel on the trailer that is a piece of metal that sits over the drive wheels and joins (hooks up) the trailer with the tractor unit. Both day cab tractors and sleeper cabs are offered. They both have sleeping spaces in the tractor unit.

Lane Restrictions

Truck drivers must abide by traffic signals and 18 Wheeler accident lawyer speed limits in addition to lane restrictions. Trucks aren't permitted to drive at the same speed as passenger vehicles. If they do, accidents are likely to occur. In many cases, it's the truck driver at fault. Truck drivers might be driving for longer than they are permitted to, breaking hours-of-service regulations or be asleep or distracted behind the driving.

Another important lane restriction is that truck drivers are not permitted to drive in the left right lane. This is due to the fact that it takes much longer for trucks to brake than passenger vehicles. This can be a dangerous problem, particularly for those who drive smaller vehicles and may be stranded behind a truck if it suddenly stops or slows down.

Certain states prohibit the use of lanes under certain circumstances, while some states limit it to large trucks. These laws could be based either on axel or weight limits. In other instances they may be solely based on vehicle description.

Even if there's no law that is statewide however, you must check local rules on the lane restrictions and adhere to them. Also, you should move to the left when you see a truck blocking the passing lane.

Ownership

The 18 wheeler accident lawyers-wheeler and trucking firms have a wealth of resources to utilize to force accident victims to accept less than what they are entitled to. They have teams of insurance adjusters and lawyers who represent them before they even know whether the victim of the accident will pursue legal action.

Because they can carry massive loads and are much bigger than passenger automobiles, 18 wheelers typically cause a lot of injuries and huge property damage when they are involved in accidents. This is particularly true when these trucks collide with motor vehicles. It is important to hire an experienced lawyers defend your rights and recover against these massive, powerful corporations.

Large vehicle accidents require an understanding of complex concepts in the fields of physics, chemistry, biology and trucking regulations from the federal government, medicine, driving standards, and other related fields. Our attorneys have the expertise to uncover violations of these laws and demonstrate to the jury why it led to your accident.

There are many parties that can be responsible for truck accidents involving 18-wheelers. Our NY 18 wheeler accident lawyer will investigate all of the liable parties and make sure they are liable for their fair part of your current and expected expenses. This includes trucking companies and owners, maintenance contractors and even drivers themselves. Our team will also investigate the weather conditions that could have played a part in your accident.

Insurance

Trucking companies are able to put together large teams of adjusters, lawyers, engineers and experts quickly. They begin this process before they know if you'll need legal recourse. It is essential to find an attorney who can match their resources and bringing them down in size.

A seasoned 18-wheeler crash lawyer can alleviate the burden of dealing with these big corporations off your shoulders and concentrate on securing the compensation you are entitled to. The money could be used to pay for expenses such as high medical bills car damage, lost wages from missing work, and non-economic injuries like pain and suffering.

18-wheelers are a complex vehicle that require high-level, systematic maintenance to ensure they remain on the road. Failure to maintain detailed records and to perform maintenance can cause disastrous accidents.

Tractor-trailers often carry hazardous material, which requires special training and specialized licensing to transport. This material can be explosive, flammable, radiological or poisonous, and all of these could pose a significant risk to other drivers on American roads. A catastrophic accident could also occur if the load is not properly labeled and secured.

A trained 18 wheeler crash lawyer can determine the exact causes of your accident and hold liable any parties who may be responsible. These may include the driver of the truck as well as the trucking company, the owner of the trailer and the company that manufactures the truck or its components. This is referred to as vicarious liability.