Semi Truck Accident Law
A semi-truck collision can result in an injury of a serious nature that could cause a person to pay a huge amount in medical expenses. It can also result in permanent disabilities that require expensive equipment and long-term therapy.
After a collision, it is essential to retain an experienced New York truck accident attorney to assist you. A skilled attorney can to prove your case using evidence such as police reports or surveillance camera footage and more.
Poorly maintained vehicles
In a majority of cases, trucking companies and owners-operators do not take appropriate steps to ensure that their vehicles are in good working condition. This negligence leads to an overwhelming number of preventable accidents every year.
Compared to passenger cars, semis and tractor-trailers require more frequent maintenance due to their size and weight. load. However keeping deadlines and increasing profits can often take precedence over maintaining the fleet. Trucks are susceptible to mechanical problems which could result in catastrophes.
The brakes on trucks are of particular importance because they must be able to stop the vehicle and slow it down at a moment's notice. When brake pads lines, return springs, or lines on a truck get worn out they can cause serious accidents and fatal injuries. It is crucial to have these parts regularly checked and replaced as necessary to ensure they are in good working order.
A poorly maintained tire can also be a major contributor to truck accidents. Tires that are worn out can cause traction issues, which causes the truck to slide or even tip over. If a tire is defective in any way, such as having the wrong air pressure or improper tread design, it could fail catastrophically.
In addition to regular maintenance, trucks require regular inspections to spot mechanical problems before they lead to an accident. If an inspection is done incorrectly or if the repair shop fails to follow the manufacturer's recommendations it could lead to a crash. In such cases the company that hired or supervising the maintenance or repair shop could be held accountable.
Faulty lights, signals and reflectors are a common reason for truck accidents. These components must function properly so that drivers can detect and anticipate the speed of the truck particularly in rural areas or at night. Trucking companies or drivers could not be able to maintain and inspect these components, or they may not carry out regular safety inspections.
A reliable Houston truck accident lawyer can review your case and determine which parties may be accountable for your damages when you've been injured in an accident caused by a faulty maintenance of a commercial truck. The investigation can uncover evidence that proves the defendant's negligence and help you obtain the compensation you're due.
Distracted Drivers
There aren't many things more devastating than an incident that involves a commercial truck. These huge vehicles can weigh up 25 times the weight of your car and can cause more severe injuries in an accident. While a variety of factors can contribute to accidents and injuries, distracted driving is one of the most prevalent and dangerous. A driver who is distracted can lose control of the vehicle or overlook a road danger that could result in life-threatening injuries.
Truck drivers must follow strict rules and regulations formulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This includes a ban on texting and using mobile phones while driving. Even if truckers obey the rules they are still prone to be distracted and cause crash. This can be caused by accidental distractions, such as not having your hands on the steering wheel, or by cognitive distractions like thinking about something other than driving.
Many people are aware that texting while driving can be dangerous, but few know that other activities, such as eating, changing radio stations, or conversing with passengers, can also be considered distracting. When a truck driver is distracted, they could drift into another lane or not be able to see the traffic jam ahead of them. If a truck driver's focus is diverted, it takes only one second for a massive vehicle to strike a passenger car.
When a truck accident occurs due to an unintentionally distracted driver, it is important to take photographs of the scene of the accident and gather the name and contact details of witnesses. It is also beneficial to determine the name of the driver who is driving the truck and the company they are employed by, as well the owner of the truck if it is an independent contractor. This could have an influence on who is responsible for the accident, as it is the responsibility of the trucking firm to recruit competent and experienced truck drivers. If the trucking firm is found to be partially responsible for your accident, it may be liable to you for any economic and non-economic injuries.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions between trucks are common and can cause serious injuries. They can happen in a variety situations for example, at the stop or red light signal when the trucker fails to check their surroundings for traffic coming in. They can also happen when a car comes in front of the truck, causing the driver to apply their brakes without warning. The trucker may then slam the car from behind.
It can be hard to prove the fault of a driver in rear-end collisions as it isn't always certain the vehicle that was at fault. However, an experienced attorney can gather evidence to show that the driver in the rear caused the crash because they followed too closely or being distracted while driving. This can be evidence in the form of photos, police reports and eyewitness testimony as well as skid marks in the road.
The driver in front of the car may also be accountable for the collision. This could happen if they cut off someone else or fail to utilize a turn signal in the same manner as any other reasonable person would do. This is where modified comparative negligence laws can be in play, where the jury assigns a percentage of blame to each party and damages are lowered accordingly.
Lacerations and Bruises
In a rear-end crash the rear-end of the car is the area that experiences the most force. This means that passengers are at risk of serious injuries if they hit their heads against the dashboard or the back window. They also may break bones after being bounced around the interior of the car due to the force of the collision. Spinal injuries can be severe. The spinal cord is home to many nerves that regulate the body. Therefore, any injury to the spinal column could cause significant and permanent problems for victims.
A person who is a victim of a fatal accident might also suffer psychological and emotional trauma. They may experience difficulties sleeping or concentrating which can result in anxiety and depression. If they're unable work due to the seriousness of their injury this can cause anxiety and financial hardship. An attorney can examine any possible liability sources and help a victim seek an appropriate amount of compensation for their loss.
cicero semi truck accident lawyer is not working properly
All vehicles, regardless of whether they are a car, a truck, van flatbed, van must be securely connected to their trailers. When a trailer becomes unexpectedly unhitched, it can result in catastrophic accidents that cause serious injuries or even death. If you've suffered injuries in an accident involving the trailer that has run away, contact an experienced vehicle accident lawyer who specializes in cases involving hitch failure as soon as you can to discuss your legal options.
The cause of a faulty trailer hitch is many things that can be traced to improper securing or defective design. It could also be due to an error on the part of the manufacturer in which case, product liability law could be applicable. The company or the person who is at responsible for the malfunction of a trailer could be held accountable for medical bills of victims as well as auto repair costs and other damages resulting from the incident.
In an accident that killed a person on a highway 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. Initial investigations attributed the crash to the truck driver's lapse in examine and secure the hitch. However, in June of 2015, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began to investigate the possibility that a manufacturing defect caused the hitch involved in the crash -- an Ultra LT manufactured by Fontaine Fifth Wheel in Trussville, Alabama -- to fail on a significant proportion of occasions.
As a result of the defective hitch due to the hitch's failure, the trailer struck the sides of the vehicles, before colliding into them head-on. This resulted in multiple fatalities and serious injuries to the drivers of the vehicles.
The truck driver in the crash was found guilty of vehicular murder, however experts say that he could've avoided the collision had he conducted an exhaustive inspection of his trailer to ensure all connections were in good order. A faulty trailer hitch can lead to major disasters. These kinds of incidents are usually high-speed and are able to sidewipe motorbikes or smaller vehicles. In these cases the trailer could deform the car's frame and cause sharp metal fragments to entrap passengers.