Semi Truck Accident Law

A semi truck accident law firm-truck collision can result in 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 ongoing physical therapy.

After a collision, it is essential to retain an experienced New York truck accident attorney by your side. A qualified lawyer will assist you in proving your case using evidence like police reports and surveillance footage.

Poorly maintained vehicles

Owner-operators and companies that operate trucks often do not take the necessary steps to ensure that their vehicles are in good working order. This leads to an overwhelming number of accidents that could have been avoided every year.

Semis and tractor trailers require more frequent maintenance than cars used for passenger transport due to their size and heavier weight. Unfortunately, the pressure of completing deadlines and maximizing profits can overtake maintaining the fleet. In the end, trucks can be susceptible to mechanical breakdowns that can result in catastrophic accidents.

The brakes on trucks are especially important because they have to be able to stop the vehicle and slow it down at the smallest of moments. When brake pads, lines or return springs on a truck wear out and break, it could lead to serious accidents and fatal injuries. It is essential that these components are regularly inspected and replaced when required to keep them in good condition.

Inadequately maintained tires can be a major contributor to truck accidents. Worn tires can lose traction, which causes the truck to slide or even rollover. Tires that are defective, whether it's due to inadequate air pressure or tread design, can fail catastrophically.

Regular inspections of trucks are required in addition to regular maintenance to identify mechanical issues before they lead to an accident. If an inspection is performed incorrectly or if the repair shop does not follow the manufacturer's instructions it could lead to an accident. In these cases, a company that hired the repair or maintenance company or managed it may be held responsible.

Another cause of truck accidents is faulty signals, lights, and reflectors. These devices must be correctly functioning to allow drivers to see the truck and anticipate its movements, particularly in rural areas or at night. Drivers and trucking companies could not maintain and inspect these items, or may not be able to conduct daily safety checks.

A reputable Houston truck accident lawyer can analyze your case to determine who is accountable for your injuries after you've been injured during an accident caused by a poorly maintained commercial truck. These investigations can reveal evidence that proves the defendant's negligence and assist you in obtaining the compensation you're due.

Distracted Drivers

The consequences of collisions with commercial trucks can be devastating. These massive vehicles weigh up to 25 times the weight of your vehicle and can cause more injuries when they are involved in an accident. While a variety of factors can contribute to accidents but distracted driving is among of the most prevalent and risky. A driver who is distracted can lose control of the vehicle or fail to notice a road danger that could result in life-threatening injuries.

Truck drivers are required to follow strict rules and regulations established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This includes a ban on texting or using cellular phones while driving. However, even when truckers follow the rules, they are still prone to be distracted and cause crashes. This can be the result of manual distractions such as getting off the wheel, or cognitive distractions such as thinking about something else other than driving.

While the majority of people are aware that it is dangerous to text while driving, a few realize that other activities like eating, changing the radio station or conversing with passengers can be deemed as distracting. If a truck driver is distracted, they might drift into another lane or fail to notice the traffic jam ahead of them. It takes only a split second for a huge truck to hit a passenger vehicle when the driver's attention is diverted.

When a truck collision is caused by distracted driving, semi truck accident it is important to take photographs of the scene of the accident and note down the contact details and name of witnesses. It is important to determine 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 on who's responsible for the accident, as it is the responsibility of the trucking business to hire competent and skilled truck drivers. If the trucking firm is found to be partly responsible for the accident, it could be held accountable to you for economic and non-economic damages.

Rear-End Collisions

Rear-end truck collisions are quite common and can cause serious injuries. These accidents can happen in a variety of situations such as at the stop sign or red light, when the trucker does not check ahead for traffic coming in. It could also happen when a car cuts across the truck's path, which forces the driver of the truck to stop suddenly and without warning. The trucker might then slam into the car from behind.

It is often difficult to prove fault in rear-end collisions, since it is not always obvious what vehicle caused the accident. An experienced attorney can gather evidence to show that the driver behind caused the accident by following 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 front might be liable for the accident as well. This can happen when they cut someone off or fail to utilize their turn signal in the way that a reasonable person would, or decide to slam on the brakes at the last minute, causing the driver in the back to crash into the vehicle directly in the front. In this kind of situation, modified comparative negligence laws can be applied. The jury will determine a percentage of the blame to each party. The damages are then reduced according to.

Lacerations and Bruises

The rear-end of the vehicle is the one that is most affected during a rear-end collision which means that occupants may suffer serious injuries from hitting their head against the dashboard or back windows. They also may break bones as they are torn around inside the car as a result of the force of the collision. The severity of spinal injuries can be devastating. The spinal cord is home to many nerves that regulate the body. Therefore, any damage to the spinal column can cause significant and permanent issues for the victims.

A victim of a serious accident could also be suffering from psychological and emotional trauma. They may experience difficulties sleeping or concentrating which can result in depression and anxiety. They may also experience stress and financial burdens when they cannot work because of an injury. An attorney can look into potential sources of liability to assist the victim to receive an appropriate amount of compensation for their loss.

Problematic Trailer Hitches

No matter if you're driving the vehicle of a car, van, truck, or a flatbed, all vehicles must to be securely connected to their trailers. If a trailer goes unhitched, it could cause catastrophic accidents that result in serious injuries or even death. If you've been injured by 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 you can to discuss your legal options.

A faulty trailer hitch can be the result of a variety of things, from improper secured to faulty design. It could be the result of a defect in the manufacturing process and in that case, product liability laws may apply. The company or the person responsible for a trailer that is defective is liable for the victim's medical expenses or auto repair expenses, as well as other losses resulting from the incident.

In a fatal crash on a road in Ohio known as "Devil's Backbone" in January 2014, an unattached trailer was spotted on the truck. It then crashed into two cars directly behind it. Initial investigations attributed the crash to the truck driver's inattention to examine and secure the hitch. However, in June of 2015, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began to investigate the possibility that a manufacturing defect caused the hitch at the center of the crash -it was an Ultra LT manufactured by Fontaine Fifth Wheel of Trussville, Alabama -- to malfunction on a high percentage of occasions.

As a result of the hitch that was defective 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 truck driver involved in the accident was found guilty of vehicular homicide, but experts say he could have avoided the crash had he conducted an in-depth inspection of his trailer to ensure all connections were tight. Faulty trailer hitsches can cause catastrophic accidents, as these types of incidents typically involve a lot of speed and could easily hit smaller cars or motorcycles. In these instances the trailer may distort the frame of a vehicle and force sharp metal pieces to sever the limbs of passengers in.