Semi Truck Accident Law
A semi-truck crash can result in an injury of a serious nature that could cost the victim a significant amount in medical bills. It could also cause permanent disabilities requiring expensive equipment and ongoing physical therapy.
Following a collision, it is essential to retain an experienced New York truck accident attorney to assist you. A qualified attorney can assist you in proving your case by using evidence like police reports and surveillance footage, among others.
Poorly maintained vehicles
Owner-operators and companies that operate trucks often fail to take the necessary steps to ensure that their vehicles are in good shape. This causes an overwhelming number of preventable accidents every year.
As compared to passenger cars tractor-trailers and semis require more frequent maintenance work due to their size and weight. load. Unfortunately keeping deadlines and increasing profits can often take precedence over the maintenance of a fleet. In the end, trucks can become prone to mechanical malfunctions that can lead to devastating accidents.
The brakes on trucks are of particular importance as they must be able to stop the vehicle and slow it down at the smallest of moments. When a truck's brake pads lines, lines, or return springs fail they could result in serious collisions and fatal injuries. It is vital that these components are regularly inspected and replaced as required to keep them in good condition.
Poor-maintained tires can also be a major factor in truck accidents. Tires that are worn out may lose traction and cause the truck to skid or even roll over. If a tire is damaged in any way, such as having the wrong air pressure or improper tread design, it could fail catastrophically.
Trucks need routine inspections in addition to regular maintenance to identify mechanical problems before they cause an incident. If an inspection is conducted improperly or the repair shop does not follow the manufacturer's recommendations, it can cause an accident. In these situations, a company that employed the maintenance or repair shop or managed it may be held liable.
Poorly functioning lights, signals and reflectors are also a frequent cause of truck accident. These items must function properly to allow drivers to observe and anticipate the truck's movements especially in rural areas or at night. Trucking companies or drivers may not be able to maintain and inspect these components, or they may not be able to conduct daily safety checks.
A Houston truck accident attorney will 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. The investigation can uncover evidence to prove the defendant's negligence in your crash and help you obtain the compensation you're due.
Distracted Drivers
The result of a collision involving commercial trucks could be catastrophic. These massive vehicles weigh up to 25 times the weight of your car and could cause more serious injuries when they are involved in collisions. Distracted driving is among the many factors that can cause accidents. A truck driver who is distracted can lose control of their vehicle, or fail to see the dangers on the road, leading to serious and life-threatening injuries.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has strict rules and guidelines for truck drivers. This includes a prohibition on texting or using cell phones while driving. However, even when olathe semi truck accident law firm obey the rules they could still get distracted and cause crash. This can be a result of manual distractions such as taking their hands off the wheel, or cognitive distractions such as thinking about something else other than driving.
Although most people know the dangers of using text and drive, very few realize that other activities, such as eating or changing the radio station or even talking to the other driver can also be deemed to be distracting. When a truck driver is distracted, they may drift into another lane or fail to notice an obstruction in front of them. It only takes a split second for a large truck to collide with a vehicle when the trucker's focus wanders.
When a truck accident occurs due to an unintentionally distracted driver it is crucial to take photos of the scene of the crash as well as collect the name and contact information of any witnesses. It is important to know the name of the driver, the business for which they work, and who owns the vehicle, if it's an independent contractor. This can have an effect on who is accountable for the accident, because it is the responsibility of the trucking business to hire competent and skilled truck drivers. If the trucking company is found to be partly 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 quite common and can cause serious injuries. These accidents can happen in a variety of circumstances such as a stop sign or an intersection when the trucker does not check ahead for traffic coming in. It can also happen if an automobile crosses the truck's path, forcing the driver of the truck to brake at a rapid pace without warning. The trucker can then slam into the car from behind.
It is often difficult to prove fault in a rear-end crash, as it's not always clear which vehicle caused the accident. A skilled attorney can help gather evidence to prove that the driver in the back caused the accident by following too closely, or driving with a distraction. This evidence can include photos as well as police reports and eyewitness testimony, as well as skid marks on the road.
The driver in the front of the car could also be held responsible for the incident. This could occur if they cut someone off or fail use a turn signal as any other reasonable person. In this kind of situation the modified comparative negligence laws could be used. The jury will assign a percentage of blame to each party. The damages will be reduced accordingly.
Lacerations & Bruises
The rear of the vehicle experiences the most impact in a rear-end crash, meaning that occupants can sustain serious injuries after hitting their head against the dashboard or back windows. The force of the crash may cause broken bones when the occupants are thrown about the vehicle's interior. Spinal injuries can be very serious. Injuries to the spine can have serious and long-lasting effects on victims.
In addition to these kinds of injuries, a victim may suffer from psychological and emotional trauma from being in a horrific crash. They may experience difficulty in concentrating or sleeping, which could cause anxiety and depression. If they're unable to work due to the extent of their injury, this can add anxiety and financial hardship. An attorney can investigate any possible liability sources and help the victim seek an appropriate amount of compensation for their loss.
Problematic Trailer Hitches
Whatever vehicle you're driving, an automobile, a truck, a van, or a flatbed, all vehicles have to be securely attached to their trailers. If a trailer becomes unhitched, it could cause a catastrophic accident that could result in severe injuries or even death. If you've been injured in a car accident caused by a runaway truck and you are in need of an experienced attorney who specializes in hitch failure cases to discuss your legal options.
The reason for a malfunctioning trailer hitch could be due to a variety of factors that can be traced to improper secured or defective design. It could be caused by an error on the part of the manufacturer where case-by-case product liability law may apply. The company or person at responsible for the malfunction of a trailer is liable for medical bills of victims and auto repair expenses, and other losses arising from the incident.
In an accident that killed a person on a road in Ohio known as "Devil's Backbone" in January 2014, the trailer slid off of the truck. It crashed into two cars directly behind it. The initial investigation attributed the crash to the truck driver's lapse in examine and secure the hitch. In June 2015, however the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began to investigate the possibility that a defect in the hitch that was an Ultra LT manufactured Fontaine Fifth Wheel in Trussville, Alabama, was the cause of the crash.
The trailer struck the side of the vehicles, and then crashed into them. The result was multiple deaths and serious injuries to drivers of the vehicles.
The driver of the truck that was involved in this accident was convicted of vehicular manslaughter. However experts believe that he could have avoided the collision with the other vehicles if he performed a thorough visual inspection of his trailer and made sure that all connections were in good order. Faulty trailer hitsches can cause major catastrophes, since these incidents often involve a large amount of speed and can easily sidewipe smaller cars or motorcycles. In such instances, the trailer can distort the car's frame and push steel fragments that are razor-sharp to sever the limbs of passengers in.