Semi Truck Accident Law

A serious injury sustained during the crash of trucks can result in the death of an individual with medical costs. It can also result in permanent disabilities that require expensive equipment and long-term physical therapy.

It is important to have a qualified New York truck accident lawyer by your side after a crash. A qualified lawyer will assist you in proving your case using evidence like police reports or surveillance footage, for instance.

Poorly maintained vehicles

In many instances trucking companies and owners-operators do not take appropriate steps to ensure that their vehicles are in good working condition. This causes many preventable crashes every year.

Compared to passenger cars, tractor-trailers and semis require more frequent maintenance work due to their size and heavy load. Unfortunately the pressure of meeting deadlines and maximizing profits may take precedence over maintaining a fleet. This is why trucks are more prone to mechanical malfunctions that can lead to devastating accidents.

The brakes on trucks are especially important as they must be able to stop the vehicle and slow it down at a moment's notice. If the brake pads of a truck lines, lines, or return springs wear out they could result in serious collisions and fatal injuries. These parts must be regularly checked and repaired in order to keep them in good working condition.

Tires that aren't well maintained can also be a major factor in truck accidents. Tires that are worn down can lose traction and cause the truck to flip over or skid. Tires that aren't working or damaged, whether due to inadequate tread design or air pressure, can fail catastrophically.

In addition to regular maintenance, trucks require routine inspections to detect mechanical problems before they lead to an accident. If an inspection is conducted incorrectly or the repair shop does not follow the manufacturer's guidelines this could result in an accident. In these instances, the company that employed the repair or maintenance company or was the one who supervised it could be held responsible.

Poorly functioning lights, signals and reflectors are another common reason for truck accidents. These components must function properly to enable drivers to see and anticipate the semi truck accident attorney's movements particularly in rural areas or at night. Trucking companies or drivers may fail to maintain and inspect these equipment, or might not conduct regular safety inspections.

A reputable Houston semi truck accident lawsuit accident lawyer can examine your case to determine who could be accountable for your injuries should you be injured in an accident with a poorly-maintained commercial truck. These investigations can reveal evidence of the defendant's negligence and assist you in obtaining the compensation you're due.

Distracted Drivers

There are few things more devastating than an accident that involves a commercial truck. These massive vehicles can weigh up 25 times the weight of your car and cause much worse injuries in an accident. While many factors cause accidents that result from distracted driving, it is one of the most prevalent and dangerous. A truck driver who is distracted can lose control of their vehicle or fail to notice the dangers on the road, which could lead to severe and life-changing injuries.

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has strict rules and guidelines for truck drivers. This includes a ban on texting and the use of cell phones while operating their vehicles. However, even when truckers abide by the rules, they can still become distracted and cause crashes. This can be the result of manual distractions like taking a hand off the wheel, or cognitive distractions like thinking about something other than driving.

Many people are aware that texting while driving is dangerous, but they are not aware that other activities, such as eating or changing radio stations or talking to passengers, can also be considered distracting. When a truck driver gets distracted, they might drift into another lane or miss the traffic jam ahead of them. It only takes a fraction of a second for a large truck to hit a passenger vehicle when the driver's attention wanders.

When a truck accident is caused by distracted driving, it is important to snap photos of the scene of collision and collect the name and contact information of witnesses. It is also helpful to know the name of the truck driver and the company they work for, as well in determining who owns the truck if it's an independent contractor. This could have an influence on who is responsible for the accident, because it is the responsibility of the trucking business to employ competent and experienced truck drivers. If the trucking company is found to be partially responsible for the accident, they may be held responsible for your economic and non-economic damages.

Rear-End Collisions

Rear-end collisions with trucks are common and can result in serious injuries. These accidents can happen in many different circumstances, including at an intersection or at a red light when the trucker is not checking ahead for traffic coming in. They can also happen when a car comes in front of the truck, causing the driver to hit their brakes without warning. The trucker may then slam the car from behind.

It is often difficult to prove the cause of rear-end collisions, since it is not always obvious which vehicle caused the accident. However, a skilled attorney can gather evidence that proves that the driver in the rear caused the crash due to following too closely or distracted driving. This evidence can include photos, police reports and eyewitness testimony, as well as skid marks in the road.

Sometimes, the driver in the front may be found to be at fault for the crash as well. This could happen if they cut someone off or fail to utilize their turn signal as any reasonable person would, or hit on the brakes at the very last minute and cause the driver in the back to crash into the vehicle directly in front of them. In this kind of situation, modified comparative negligence laws may be used. The jury will assign a percentage of blame to each of the parties. The damages are then lowered accordingly.

Bruises and Lacerations

In a rear-end collision, the rear end of the vehicle is the area that experiences the most force. This means that occupants are at risk of serious injuries if they hit their heads against the dashboard or the back window. The force of the crash can cause broken bones when the occupants are thrown around the interior of the car. Spinal injuries can be particularly severe. Injuries to the spine can cause serious and lasting effects on the victims.

A person who is a victim of a fatal accident might also suffer psychological and emotional trauma. They may have difficulty getting enough sleep or concentrating, which could lead to depression and anxiety. If they are unable work due to the extent of their injury, this could cause stress and financial burden. An attorney will investigate the possible sources of liability and assist a victim in receiving an appropriate amount of compensation for their loss.

Troublesome trailer hitches

It doesn't matter if you're driving the vehicle of a car, truck, a van, or a flatbed, all vehicles have to be securely connected to their trailers. Unintentionally removing a trailer's hitch can cause catastrophic accidents, leading to severe injuries, or even death. If you've suffered injuries by an unhitched trailer, call an experienced lawyer for car accidents specializing in hitch failure cases immediately to discuss your legal options.

A defective trailer hitch could be caused by a variety of things, from improper securement to a defective design. It can also be the result a manufacturer's defect, in which case laws governing product liability could apply. The person or company accountable for a defective trailer can be held accountable for the victim's medical expenses along with auto repair expenses and other losses that result from the incident.

In the fatal crash that took place on a road in Ohio known as "Devil's Backbone" in January 2014 an unattached trailer was spotted on the truck. It crashed into two cars that were directly behind it. Initial investigations pointed out that the accident was due to the truck driver's carelessness in failing to properly inspect and secure hitch. But in June 2015, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began investigating the possibility that a manufacturing defect caused the hitch at the center of the crash -an Ultra LT manufactured by Fontaine Fifth Wheel in Trussville, Alabama -- to malfunction on a high percentage of occasions.

Due to the hitch that was defective due to the hitch's failure, the trailer struck the sides of the vehicles before crashing into them head-on. This resulted in multiple fatalities and serious injuries to the drivers of the vehicles.

The driver of the truck that was involved in the crash was found guilty of vehicular manslaughter. However, experts believe that he could have prevented the collision with other vehicles had he completed a thorough inspection of his trailer and ensured that all connections were tight. A faulty hitch on a trailer can lead to major disasters, as they typically involve a substantial amount of speed and may cause a collision with smaller vehicles or motorcycles. In such instances the trailer could distort the car's frame, and cause the metal to sever the limbs of passengers in.