Semi Truck Accident Law

A serious injury sustained during an accident with semi-trucks can cost an individual with medical costs. It can also result in permanent disabilities that require expensive equipment and long-term therapy.

Following a collision, it is essential to retain an experienced New York truck accident attorney by your side. A skilled lawyer can establish your case through evidence such as police reports or surveillance camera footage and more.

Poorly maintained vehicles

In many instances trucking companies as well as owner-operators don't take the proper steps to ensure that their vehicles are in good condition. This negligence results in an increase in the number of preventable accidents each year.

In comparison to passenger cars, tractor-trailers and semis need more frequent maintenance due to their size and heavier loads. Unfortunately, the pressure to meet deadlines and maximize profits often over maintaining the fleet. This is why trucks are more prone to mechanical failures that cause catastrophic accidents.

The brakes of a truck need to be able stop and slow down the vehicle at a moment's notice. If the pads of a truck's brakes lines, lines or return springs fail they could cause serious collisions and fatal injuries. These components must be checked regularly and repaired as necessary to maintain their good condition.

A poorly maintained tire can also be a major contributor to truck accidents. Tires that are worn out may lose traction and cause the truck to slide or even tip over. Tires that are defective either because of improper air pressure or tread design could fail catastrophically.

In addition to regular maintenance, trucks must undergo regular inspections to identify mechanical problems before they lead to an accident. If an inspection was performed incorrectly or the repair shop does not follow the manufacturer's instructions, it can cause a crash. In these instances the company that employed or supervised the maintenance or the repair shop could be held responsible.

Another major cause of truck accidents is malfunctioning lights, signals and reflectors. These devices must be correctly working to enable drivers to see their truck and anticipate its movements, especially in rural areas or after dark. However, trucking firms may fail to check and maintain these components or the driver could not be able to complete daily safety inspections.

A Houston truck accident lawyer can investigate your situation and determine who could be accountable for your losses in the event that you are injured from a poorly maintained commercial truck. These investigations can reveal evidence to prove the defendant's negligence in your crash and help you receive the compensation you deserve.

Distracted Drivers

There aren't many things more damaging than an accident which involves a commercial vehicle. These huge vehicles can weigh up 25 times the weight of your car and cause much worse injuries in an accident. While a variety of factors can cause accidents, distracted driving is one of the most frequent and dangerous. A truck driver who is distracted may lose control of their vehicle, or fail to see the dangers on the roadway, which could lead to life-threatening injuries.

Truck drivers must adhere to strict rules and regulations formulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This includes a ban on texting or using mobile phones while driving. Even if truckers obey the rules, they may still be distracted and cause an accident. This could be due to manual distractions like turning your back on the steering wheel or cognitive distractions like thinking about something other than driving.

While most people are aware the dangers of using text and drive, few are aware that other activities like eating or changing the radio station, and even conversing with passengers can be considered distracting. When a truck driver is distracted, they may get lost in a lane or miss a traffic jam in front of them. It takes only a split second for a big truck to collide with a vehicle when the trucker's attention is diverted.

If a car accident is caused by distracted drivers it is vital to take photographs of the scene of collision and collect the contact details and name of any witnesses. It is also important to know the name of the driver of the truck and the company they are employed by, as well and who owns the truck, if it's an independent contractor. This can affect who is liable for your accident, as the trucking company is responsible for hiring competent and skilled truck drivers. If the trucking company is found to be partially responsible for the accident, they may be responsible for your economic and non-economic losses.

Rear-End Collisions

Rear-end collisions between trucks are common and often result in severe injuries. These accidents can occur in many different situations such as at a stop sign or red light when the trucker doesn't check the road ahead for Vimeo oncoming traffic. They can also happen when a car comes in front of the truck, forcing the driver to slam on their brakes without warning. The trucker could then smash the car from behind.

It can be hard to establish fault when there's rear-end collisions because it isn't always certain which vehicle was at fault. An experienced lawyer can find evidence to prove that the driver in the back caused the crash due to following too closely or driving erratically. This can include evidence such as photos, police reports, eyewitness testimony, and skid marks left on the roadway.

Sometimes, the driver in the front might be at fault for the crash as well. This can happen when they cut off someone else or fail to utilize a turn signal in the same manner as any other reasonable person would do. In this scenario the modified comparative negligence laws can be applied. The jury will determine a percentage of the blame to each party. Damages are then reduced accordingly.

Lacerations and Bruises

In a rear-end accident, the rear end of the vehicle is the area that experiences the most impact. This means that the drivers are most at risk of serious injuries if they crash their heads against the dashboard or the back window. They also may break bones due to being bounced around the interior of the car as a result of the force of the collision. Spinal injuries can be extremely severe. Injuries to the spine can be serious and have long-lasting impacts on the victims.

In addition to these types of injuries, victims may also be suffering from psychological and emotional traumas as a result of having been involved in a terrible crash. They might have trouble getting enough sleep or concentrating, which may result in anxiety and depression. If they're unable to work due to the severity of their injury, this could cause pressure and financial hardship. An attorney can look into any possible liability sources and assist the victim in seeking fair compensation for their losses.

The trailer is not working properly

All vehicles, whether they are a vehicle, a car, van, truck flatbed, van, need to be securely connected to their trailers. If a trailer is suddenly unhitched, it can cause catastrophic accidents that result in serious injuries or even death. If you've suffered injuries in an accident that involved an unhitched trailer, call a qualified vehicle accident attorney that specializes in cases of failure of the hitch immediately to discuss your legal options.

A defective trailer hitch could be caused by a variety of factors, ranging from inadequate securement to a defective design. It could be caused by an error on the part of the manufacturer, where case-by-case product liability laws may apply. The person or company accountable for a defective trailer can be held accountable for the victims' medical expenses, auto repair costs and other losses that result from the incident.

For instance in a fatal crash that took place in January 2014 on an Ohio road referred to locally as "Devil's Backbone," a trailer came out of the truck and careened over two cars ahead of it. Initial investigations pointed out that the accident was due to the driver's negligence in failing to check and secure the hitch. But in June 2015, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began to investigate the possibility that a manufacturing defect caused the hitch that was involved in the crash -an Ultra LT manufactured by Fontaine Fifth Wheel of Trussville, Alabama -- to malfunction on a high number of occasions.

The trailer slammed into the side of the vehicle and crashed into them. The result was numerous deaths and serious injuries for the drivers.

The truck driver involved in the accident was found guilty of vehicular homicide. However, experts suggest that he could've avoided the collision by conducting an extensive inspection of his trailer to make sure all connections were tight. The failure of trailer hitches can cause major vimeo catastrophes. These incidents are often high-speed and are able to sidewipe motorcycles or smaller cars. In these cases, the trailer may distort the car's frame and cause sharp metal fragments to injure passengers.