Semi Truck Accident Law
A semi-truck crash can result in a serious injury that can cost a person a fortune in medical expenses. It can also lead to permanent disabilities that require expensive equipment and long-term therapy.
After a collision, it is essential to have an experienced New York truck accident attorney on your side. A qualified lawyer will assist you in proving your case by using evidence like police reports or surveillance footage, for instance.
Poorly maintained vehicles
In many instances trucking companies and owner-operators fail to take the appropriate steps to ensure that their vehicles are in good condition. This leads to a large percentage of preventable accidents every year.
Semis and tractor trailers require more frequent maintenance than passenger cars due to their larger size and heavier load. Unfortunately, the pressure of meeting deadlines and maximising profits can overtake maintaining the fleet. Trucks are susceptible to mechanical problems that can result in catastrophic accidents.
The brakes on a truck must be able stop and slow down the vehicle at a moments notice. When the brake pads on a truck, lines or return springs wear out they could cause serious collisions and fatal injuries. These components should be regularly checked and repaired when necessary to ensure they are in good working condition.
Tires that aren't properly maintained can also be a major factor in truck accidents. Tires that are worn down can cause the tires to lose traction, which causes the truck to skid or even tip over. Tires that aren't working because of an insufficient air pressure or tread design, can fail catastrophically.
The inspections are routine for trucks in addition to regular maintenance to identify mechanical problems before they cause an incident. However, if the inspection is not done correctly or the repair shop fails to follow the manufacturer's instructions, it could cause an accident. In these situations, the company that hired or supervised the maintenance or repair shop could be held accountable.
Poorly functioning lights, signals and reflectors are also a frequent reason for truck accidents. These items must be properly working to enable drivers to see their truck and anticipate its movements, particularly in rural areas or after dark. However, trucking companies could neglect to inspect and maintain these components or the driver could not perform regular safety inspections.
A Houston truck accident lawyer can investigate your situation and determine who could be accountable for your damages in the event you were injured by a deteriorated maintenance of a commercial truck. These investigations can uncover evidence that proves the negligence of the defendant in the accident and assist you recover the compensation you deserve.
Distracted Drivers
The consequences of collisions with commercial trucks can be devastating. These massive vehicles can weigh up to 25 times more than a car and can cause more severe injuries in accidents. While many factors contribute to accidents, distracted driving is one of the most prevalent and risky. A truck driver who is distracted might lose control of their vehicle or fail to notice a hazard in the road, leading to severe and life-changing injuries.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has strict rules and rules for truck drivers. This includes a prohibition on texting and the use of cell phones while driving. Even if truckers obey the rules they can still become distracted and cause a crash. This is often caused by manual distractions like turning your back on the steering wheel or by cognitive distractions like thinking about something other than driving.
While most people are aware that it's dangerous to text and drive, many realize that other activities like eating or changing the station on the radio or conversing with a passenger could also be deemed to be distracting. If a trucker gets distracted, the driver could drift off into another track and not see the traffic jam ahead. When a trucker's attention is diverted, it only takes a split-second for a large vehicle to crash into a passenger car.
It is important to gather information on witnesses and take photos of the scene after an accident if an unintentionally distracted driver causes a truck crash. oxnard semi truck accident attorney is essential to know the name of the driver, the company that they work for, and who owns the vehicle if it's an independent contractor. This can have an impact on who's responsible for the accident, as 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 your accident, they could be held responsible for your economic and non-economic damages.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions with trucks are quite common and can cause serious injuries. These accidents can occur in many different situations such as a stop sign or red light when a trucker is not checking ahead for traffic coming in. It could also happen when vehicles cross the truck's path, causing the driver of the truck to brake suddenly 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 which vehicle was responsible for the crash. However, a skilled lawyer can assist in gathering evidence to show that the driver at the rear was responsible for the crash by following too closely or being distracted while driving. This can be evidence in the form of photos as well as police reports and eyewitness testimony, as well as skid marks on the road.
The driver in front of the car may also be accountable for the collision. This could occur if they cut someone off or fail to use a turn signal like any other reasonable person. This kind of situation is where modified comparative negligence laws could be used, in which the jury determines a percentage of the fault to each party and damages are lowered accordingly.
Bruises and Lacerations
The rear end of the vehicle is the one that is most affected during a rear-end collision so occupants are more likely to suffer serious injuries as they smash their head against the dashboard or back window. The impact of the crash could cause broken bones when the occupants of the vehicle are thrown around the inside of the vehicle. Injuries to the spine are often severe. The damage to the spine could have long-lasting and serious effects on victims.
In addition to these types of injuries, the victim may also experience emotional and psychological trauma from having been involved in a terrible crash. They may experience difficulty sleeping or concentrating, which could lead to depression and anxiety. If they are unable to work due to the extent of their injury, this can add pressure and financial hardship. An attorney can investigate all possible causes of liability and help the victim seek an appropriate amount of compensation for their expenses.
Faulty trailer hitches
No matter if you're driving either a car, van, a truck, or a flatbed, all vehicles have to be securely attached to their trailers. Unexpectedly unhitching a trailer can cause catastrophic accidents, leading to severe injuries or even death. If you have been injured in a car accident caused by a runaway truck or trailer, consult an experienced attorney who is specialized in cases involving hitch failure to discuss your legal options.
The reason for a malfunctioning trailer hitch can be caused by a variety, ranging from improper security or design. It could be caused by a defect on the part of the manufacturer, where case-by-case product liability laws could apply. The company or person at fault for a faulty trailer can be held liable for the cost of medical bills as well as auto repair costs and other damages resulting from the incident.
In a fatal crash that occurred on a highway in Ohio known as "Devil's Backbone" in January 2014, a trailer detached from the truck. It crashed into two cars that were directly behind it. The initial investigation blamed the accident to the driver's lapse in inspect and secure the hitch. However, in June of 2015, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began to investigate the possibility that a manufacturing defect had caused the hitch that was involved in the crash -it was an Ultra LT manufactured by Fontaine Fifth Wheel in Trussville, Alabama -- to fail on a significant number of occasions.
Due to the malfunctioning hitch due to the hitch's failure, the trailer struck the sides of the vehicles before plunging into them head-on. The result was numerous fatalities and serious injuries to the drivers.
The truck driver in the incident was found guilty of vehicular homicide. However experts say he could have avoided the collision if he'd performed an extensive inspection of his trailer to make sure all connections were tight. The failure of a trailer's hitches can result in serious accidents, since these incidents often involve a substantial amount of speed, and they can sidewipe smaller cars or motorcycles. In these instances, the trailer can distort the frame of a vehicle and force sharp metal pieces to impale passengers inside.