Semi Truck Accident Law
A semi-truck crash can result in a serious injury that can cost the victim a significant amount in medical bills. It can also cause permanent disabilities that require expensive equipment and long-term therapy.
It is vital to have a reputable New York truck accident lawyer at your side following a crash. A qualified lawyer will help you prove your case using evidence such as police reports and surveillance footage, among others.
Poorly maintained vehicles
Owner-operators and trucking companies typically fail to take the necessary steps to ensure that their vehicles are in good shape. This negligence results in many preventable accidents each year.
Semis and tractor trailers require more frequent maintenance than cars for passengers due to their larger size and heavier weight. However the pressure of completing deadlines and maximizing profits often over maintaining the fleet. Trucks are susceptible to mechanical issues that could lead to catastrophic accidents.
The brakes of trucks are crucial because they have to be able to stop the vehicle and slow it down at any moment. When brake pads lines, return springs, or lines on a truck fail, it can lead to serious accidents and fatal injuries. These components should be regularly checked and repaired as necessary to maintain their good working condition.
Inadequately maintained tires can be a major reason for truck accidents. Tires that have worn out may lose traction and cause the truck to rollover or slide. Tires that are defective, whether it's due to an insufficient tread design or air pressure, can fail catastrophically.
Trucks need routine inspections in addition to regular maintenance in order to spot mechanical problems before they cause an incident. However, if the inspection is done incorrectly or the repair shop does not follow the manufacturer's instructions the result could be a crash. In these instances, the company that employed the repair or maintenance company or was the one who supervised it could be held responsible.
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 movements of the truck particularly when driving in rural areas or at night. However, trucking companies could fail to maintain and inspect these equipments or the driver may fail to conduct regular safety checks.
A reliable Houston truck accident lawyer will review your case and determine who could be liable for your damages when you've been injured in an accident with a poorly-maintained commercial truck. Investigating your case can uncover evidence to prove the negligence of the defendant in the accident and help you recover the compensation you deserve.
Distracted Drivers
Accidents involving commercial trucks can be catastrophic. These massive trucks can weigh up to 25-times more than your car and cause a lot more injuries in a crash. Distracted driving is one of many factors that contribute to accidents. A truck driver who is distracted might lose control of their vehicle, or fail to see an accident on the roadway, which could lead to serious and life-threatening injuries.
Truck drivers must follow strict rules and regulations set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This includes a prohibition on texting or using mobile phones while driving. Even when truckers adhere to the rules, they could be distracted and cause an accident. This is often caused by manual distractions such as not having your hands on the steering wheel or mental distractions like thinking about something other than driving.
While most people are aware that it is risky to text and drive, few are aware that other activities, such as eating or changing the station on the radio or conversing with the other driver can also be considered to be distracting. If a trucker is distracted the driver could drift off into another area and not be aware of the traffic jam in front of him. When a truck driver's eye is diverted, it takes only just a few seconds for a huge vehicle to crash into a passenger car.
It is crucial to gather information on witnesses and also take pictures of the scene of the crash when the driver is distracted, which can cause a crash of a truck. It is also helpful to know the name of the driver who is driving the truck and the company they work for, as well as who owns the truck if they are an independent contractor. This can affect who is accountable for your accident as the trucking company is responsible for securing skilled and experienced truck drivers. If the trucking company is found be partly responsible for the accident, they could be held responsible for your economic and non-economic damages.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions with trucks are common and can cause serious injuries. These accidents can occur in a variety of situations such as at an intersection or at a red light, when the trucker does not check ahead for traffic coming in. It can also happen when an automobile crosses the truck's path, causing the driver of the truck to brake at a rapid pace without warning. The trucker could then smash the car from behind.
It can be hard to prove fault in the event of rear-end collisions as it's not always clear who was at fault. An experienced attorney can collect evidence to prove that the driver in the back caused the crash by following too closely or driving in a distracted manner. This can include evidence like photos, police reports eyewitness testimony, and skid marks on the road.
Sometimes, the driver in the front may be found to be the one responsible for the accident in addition. This can happen when they cut off someone else or fail to use their turn signal in the way that a reasonable person would, or decide to slam on the brakes at the very last minute and cause the driver in the back to crash into the vehicle directly in the front of them. In this kind of situation, modified comparative negligence laws could be used. The jury will assign a percentage of blame to each of the parties. The damages will be reduced accordingly.
Lacerations and Bruises
The rear-end of the vehicle is the one that is most affected in a rear-end collision, meaning that occupants can sustain serious injuries as they smash their head against the dashboard or back windows. They can also suffer broken bones due to being bounced around the interior of the car due to the force of the crash. Spinal injuries can be very serious. The spinal cord contains a lot of nerves that control the body, and any damage to the spinal column could cause permanent and significant issues for the victims.
In little rock semi truck accident lawsuit to these kinds of injuries, victims may suffer from psychological and emotional traumas as a result of having been involved in a terrible crash. They may have difficulty sleeping or concentrating, which can cause anxiety and depression. If they're unable to work due to the extent of their injury, this could cause anxiety and financial hardship. An attorney can examine the possible sources of liability and help the victim seek an appropriate amount of compensation for their losses.
Faulty trailer hitches
Regardless of whether you're driving either a car, van, truck, or a flatbed, all vehicles have to be securely connected to their trailers. Unintentionally unhitching a trailer could cause catastrophic accidents, leading to serious injuries or death. If you've suffered injuries by the trailer that has run away, contact a qualified vehicle accident attorney with a specialization in cases of hitch failure as soon as possible to discuss your legal options.
The reason behind a defective trailer hitch can be caused by a variety which can range from inadequate security or design. It could be due to 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 could be held accountable for medical bills of victims as well as auto repair costs and other losses arising from the incident.
For example in a fatal crash that occurred in January 2014 along an Ohio road locally known as "Devil's Backbone," a trailer came free from the truck and crashed through the air into two cars that were behind it. Initial investigations suggested that the crash was due to the driver's negligence in failing to check and secure the hitch. However, in June 2015 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began to investigate the possibility that a manufacturing defect had caused the hitch at the center of the crash -it was an Ultra LT manufactured by Fontaine Fifth Wheel in Trussville, Alabama -- to malfunction on a high proportion of times.
Due to the malfunctioning hitch, the trailer struck the sides of the vehicles, before colliding into them head-on. This led to numerous deaths and serious injuries to the drivers of the vehicles.
The driver of the truck involved in the accident was found guilty of vehicular manslaughter. However, experts believe he could have avoided the collision with other vehicles if he conducted a thorough inspection of his trailer and made sure that all connections were secure. A faulty hitch on a trailer can lead to major catastrophes, since these incidents often require a significant amount of speed and may cause a collision with smaller vehicles or motorcycles. In these instances the trailer may distort the frame of a vehicle and force steel fragments that are razor-sharp to impale passengers inside.