kenner semi truck accident law firm Truck Accident Law

A serious injury resulting from collision with semi-trucks can cost the victim in medical costs. It could also cause permanent disabilities that require expensive equipment and long-term therapy.

After a collision is important to have an experienced New York truck accident attorney at your side. A skilled attorney can prove your case by using evidence such as police reports or surveillance camera footage and much more.

Poorly maintained vehicles

In many cases trucking companies and owner-operators don't take the appropriate steps to make sure their vehicles are in good condition. This negligence leads to many accidents that could have been avoided every year.

As compared to passenger cars tractor-trailers and semis need more frequent maintenance due to their size and heavier loads. However the pressure of meeting deadlines and maximizing profits is often prioritized over maintaining a fleet. Trucks can be prone to mechanical problems that can cause disastrous accidents.

The brakes of a truck are particularly important as they must 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 are worn out they can cause serious accidents and fatal injuries. These parts must be checked regularly and repaired as needed to ensure their good working condition.

Poor-maintained tires can also be a major reason for truck accidents. Tires that are worn out can lose traction and cause the truck to roll over or slide. If a tire is damaged in any way, such as having the wrong air pressure or improper tread design, it could fail catastrophically.

The inspections are routine for trucks in addition to regular maintenance in order to spot mechanical problems before they cause an incident. If an inspection is conducted improperly or the repair shop fails to follow the manufacturer's recommendations it could lead to a crash. In these cases, the company that hired or supervised the maintenance or repair shop could be held accountable.

Incorrect lights, signals and reflectors are another common cause of truck accident. These components must be in good functioning to allow drivers to see their truck and anticipate its movements, especially in rural areas or at night. However, trucking companies could not inspect and maintain these equipments or the driver could fail to perform daily safety inspections.

A Houston truck accident attorney will investigate your case and determine who could be responsible for your damages in the event that you are injured by a deteriorated maintenance of a commercial truck. Investigating your case can uncover evidence to prove the negligence of the defendant in the accident and help you obtain the compensation you're due.

Distracted Drivers

There are few things as devastating as an accident involving a commercial truck. These massive vehicles weigh up to 25 times more than your vehicle and may cause a lot more injuries if they are involved in a collision. While many factors contribute to accidents but distracted driving is among of the most common and risky. A truck driver who is distracted might lose control of their vehicle or fail to recognize a hazard in the road, leading to severe and life-changing injuries.

Truck drivers are required to follow strict rules and regulations formulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This includes a ban on texting and the use of cell phones while driving. Even if truckers abide by the rules, they are still prone to be distracted and cause crashes. This could be because of manual distractions like taking their hands off the wheel, or cognitive distractions such as thinking about something else other than driving.

While most people understand that it is dangerous to text and drive, many are aware that other activities, such as eating or changing the station on the radio or even talking to the other driver can also be considered distracting. If the trucker is distracted, they may wander off into a different track and not see an impending traffic jam. When a truck driver's eye is diverted, it takes only a split-second for a large vehicle to strike a passenger car.

It is important to gather details on any witnesses and to take photographs of the scene of the crash when an unintentionally distracted driver causes the truck to crash. It is important to determine the name of the driver, the company for which they work, and who owns the vehicle in case it's an independent contractor. This could have an impact on who is liable for the incident, since it is the responsibility of the trucking firm to find competent and skilled truck drivers. If the trucking company is found to be partly responsible for your accident, it may be held accountable to you for economic as well as non-economic losses.

Rear-End Collisions

Rear-end truck collisions are quite common and can result in serious injuries. These accidents can happen in a variety of circumstances, including at the stop sign or red light when the trucker fails to check the road ahead for oncoming traffic. They can also happen when a car is able to cut in front of the truck, which forces the driver to use their brakes without warning. The trucker could then crash into the car from behind.

It can be difficult to prove the cause of a rear-end crash, as it is not always obvious what vehicle caused the accident. An experienced attorney can find evidence to prove that the driver behind caused the accident by following too closely or driving erratically. This evidence could include photos, accidents police reports and eyewitness testimony as well markings from skids on the road.

Sometimes, the driver in the front might be at fault for the crash as well. This could happen if they cut someone off, fail to use their turn signal in the manner that a reasonable person would, or hit on the brakes at the last moment and cause the driver behind to crash into the vehicle directly in the front of them. This is where modified comparative negligence laws can be used, in which the jury assigns a percentage of fault to each party and damages are reduced accordingly.

Bruises & Lacerations

In a rear-end crash, the rear of the car is the area that receives the most impact. This means that drivers are most at risk of serious injuries if they hit their heads against the dashboard or the back window. The force of the collision can cause broken bones if the occupants are thrown about the interior of the car. Injuries to the spine can be extremely severe. The spinal cord houses a number of nerves that regulate the body, and any injury to the spinal column can cause serious and lasting problems for victims.

A person who is a victim of a fatal accident might also suffer psychological and emotional trauma. They may have difficulty sleeping or concentrating, which can lead to depression and anxiety. If they are unable work due to the seriousness of their injury this can add anxiety and financial hardship. An attorney will investigate the possible sources of liability and ensure that the victim receives fair compensation for their loss.

Problematic trailer hitches

All vehicles, regardless of whether they are a car or van, truck, flatbed, or van should be securely connected to their trailers. Unintentionally unhitching a trailer could cause catastrophic accidents, leading to severe injuries, or even death. If you have been injured in a car accident caused by a truck that has run away, contact an experienced attorney who is experienced in cases of hitch failure to discuss your legal options.

A damaged trailer hitch could be the result of a variety of things, from improper securing to defective design. It could be due to an error on the part of the manufacturer in which case product liability laws may apply. The person or company responsible for a trailer that is defective could be held responsible for the victim's medical costs along with auto repair expenses and other losses resulting from the incident.

In the fatal crash that took place on a road in Ohio known as "Devil's Backbone" in January 2014, a trailer detached from the truck. It then crashed into two cars that were directly behind it. The initial investigation blamed the accident to the driver's negligence in failing to examine and secure the hitch. In June 2015, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began investigating the possibility that a manufacturing defect caused the hitch involved in the crash -one of the Ultra LT manufactured by Fontaine Fifth Wheel of Trussville, Alabama -- to fail on a large percentage of occasions.

As a result of the defective hitch caused by the defective hitch, the trailer smashed into the sides of the vehicles and then crashed into them head-on. The result was numerous deaths and serious injuries to the drivers.

The truck driver in the crash was found guilty of vehicular homicide. However, experts say he could have avoided the crash by conducting an in-depth inspection of his trailer to make sure all connections were tight. The failure of trailer hitches could cause major problems. These incidents are often high-speed and are able to sidewipe motorcycles or other smaller vehicles. In these instances the trailer could deform the frame of a car and cause razor-sharp metal fragments that can impale passengers.