What Is 18 Wheeler Law?

Bowling Green 18 wheeler accident law firm wheeler law protects against accidents involving commercial truck drivers and their rigs. These massive vehicles are subject to federal regulations regarding maintenance, safety, and training.

Trucking companies often force their drivers to work for longer and manipulate logbooks. This can lead accidents that happen in trucks to be catastrophic.

Weight Regulations

Knowing the weight limits for semi-trucks is crucial. Many states have single axle and group axle limits on weight that must be observed. Weigh stations are prevalent on interstates, where truckers are weighed to ensure they don't exceed the maximum weight limits for their vehicle or load. If a trucker is found violating these limits and is fined, they could be penalized or even imprisoned subject to their criminal history and the state.

Axle groups have a higher limit on weight because the vehicle is safer when the weight is spread over more axles. This also permits the transport of larger cargo. A single tire on a wheel can weigh up to 650 pounds per inch but when two tires are on the same axle, they can be weighed as high as 1300 pounds.

There are limitations on the types of trailers that can be used with a tractor. Some states allow only one trailer while others only allow twin or triple trailers. Some states also require a fifth-wheel on the trailer, which is a plate that is placed above the drive wheels and couples (hooks up) the trailer to the tractor unit. There are day cab tractors as well as sleeper cabs that have sleeping areas inside the tractor unit and are specifically designed to haul over the road.

Lane Restrictions

In addition to restrictions on lane usage truck drivers also must be aware of speed limits as well as traffic lights. Trucks are not able to drive at the same speed as cars and, even if they do, they could cause accidents. In a lot of cases, it's the truck driver that is the one to blame. Truck drivers could be driving for longer than they are permitted to, ignoring the hours-of-service regulations and/or being tired or distracted behind the wheel.

Truck drivers are also forbidden from driving in the left lane. This is due to the fact that trucks take longer trucks to brake than passenger vehicles. This can be a dangerous issue, particularly for those with smaller cars who could be stranded behind trucks when it suddenly stops or slows down.

Some states restrict the use of lanes under certain circumstances, while some states limit it for big trucks. These laws could be based either on weight or axel limit. In other cases, they could be based solely on vehicle description.

Even if there is no statewide law that you can follow, you should be aware of local rules on the lane restrictions and adhere to the rules. Also, you should move to the right when you spot trucks blocking the lane.

Ownership

Trucking and sweet home 18 wheeler accident lawyer wheeler companies have a vast array of resources to force accident victims into accepting far less than they deserve. They have teams of insurance adjusters and lawyers who act on their behalf before they know whether the accident victim will pursue legal action.

In the event of an accident 18-wheelers are frequently responsible for a number of serious injuries and property damage because they are able to carry heavy loads and are incredibly large compared to passenger vehicles. This is particularly so when they collide with other motor vehicles. It is crucial to have an a seasoned attorney defend your rights and recovery against these large, powerful corporations.

Accidents involving large vehicles require an in-depth understanding of the concepts in the fields of physics and biology, chemistry and federal regulations for Bowling Green 18 Wheeler Accident Law Firm trucking, medicine, driving standards and other related areas. Our lawyers are able to discover violations of these laws and explain to the jury the circumstances that led to your accident.

18-wheeler truck accidents can be caused by the negligence or reckless acts of a number of parties. Our NY 18-wheeler accident lawyer will investigate the parties at fault and ensure that they are held accountable for your current and anticipated expenses. This includes owners of trucking companies, trucking companies as well as maintenance contractors and even drivers themselves. Our team will also examine the weather conditions that could have contributed to the accident.

Insurance

Trucking companies can deploy large teams of adjusters, lawyers, engineers and experts quickly. They start this process before they even know if you intend to seek legal recourse. That is why it is so important to immediately retain an experienced attorney who can match their resources and bring them down to size.

A lawyer who has expertise in handling 18-wheeler accidents can relieve you of the burden and help you get the compensation you're entitled to. The money could be used to pay for expenses such as high medical bills car damage, loss of wages due to absence from work, and non-economic damages like suffering and pain.

18 wheelers are highly complex vehicles and require high-level, systematic maintenance to ensure their safety on the road. Inability to maintain this maintenance and maintain accurate logs can lead to devastating accidents.

Tractor-trailers often carry hazardous material, which requires special training and specialized licensing to transport. They can be explosive or flammable or radiological, as well as poisonous. They all pose a major risk to other motorists on American highways. Failure to properly label and secure the load could cause a devastating accident.

A qualified 18-wheeler crash attorney can determine the causes and blame any other individuals who could be responsible. These could include the truck driver, the trucking company, the owner of the trailer and the company that manufactures the truck or its components. This is known as vicarious liability.