Semi Truck Accident Law

A serious injury sustained during a crash with a semi truck accident-truck can leave the victim with medical bills. It could also cause permanent disabilities that require expensive equipment and ongoing physical therapy.

It is important to have a reputable New York truck accident lawyer at your side following an accident. A professional lawyer can assist you in proving your case with evidence such as police reports and surveillance footage.

Vehicles that are poorly maintained

In many cases, trucking companies and owner-operators do not take the appropriate steps to ensure that their vehicles are in good working condition. This can lead to an overwhelming number of preventable accidents every year.

As compared to passenger cars tractor-trailers and semis will require more frequent maintenance due to their size and weight. loads. However, meeting deadlines and maximising profits often take precedence over maintaining a fleet. Trucks are susceptible to mechanical issues that could lead to catastrophes.

The brakes of trucks are of particular importance as they must be able to stop the vehicle and slow it down at a moment's notice. If the pads of a truck's brakes lines, lines, or return springs fail they can result in serious collisions and fatal injuries. These parts should be checked regularly and repaired when necessary to ensure they are in good working condition.

Inadequately maintained tires can be a major reason for truck accidents. Tires that are worn out can cause traction issues and cause the truck to skid or even rollover. If a tire is deficient in any way, for example, having the incorrect air pressure or tread design, it could fail catastrophically.

Trucks need routine inspections in addition to regular maintenance to identify mechanical issues before they can cause an incident. However, if the inspection is performed incorrectly or the repair shop doesn't adhere to the manufacturer's guidelines this could result in an accident. In these cases the company that employed or supervising the maintenance or the repair shop could be held responsible.

Incorrect lights, signals and reflectors are a common cause of truck accident. These elements must be properly working to enable drivers to see the truck and anticipate its movements, particularly in rural areas or at night. Trucking companies or drivers could fail to maintain and inspect these equipment, or might not conduct regular safety inspections.

A Houston truck accident attorney will review your case and determine who may be responsible for your damages in the event that you are injured by a poorly maintained commercial truck. This investigation could uncover evidence proving the defendant's negligence and help you get the compensation you're due.

Distracted Drivers

There aren't many events more devastating than an incident involving a commercial truck. These huge vehicles can weigh up 25 times the weight of your vehicle and cause far more injuries in an accident. While many factors contribute to accidents, distracted driving is one of the most common and risky. A truck driver who is distracted may lose control of their vehicle or fail to spot the dangers on the road, which could lead to life-threatening injuries.

Truck drivers are required to adhere to strict rules and regulations set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This includes a ban on texting and using mobile phones while driving. However, even when truckers obey the rules they can still become distracted and cause crash. This can be caused by manual distractions like turning your back on the steering wheel or mental distractions such as thinking about something other than driving.

Although most people know that it's dangerous to text and drive, few are aware that other activities such as eating or changing the radio station or even talking to a passenger can also be deemed as distracting. When a truck driver is distracted, they might wander off into a different lane or fail to see the traffic jam ahead of them. It only takes a fraction of a second for a large truck to strike a passenger vehicle when the driver's attention is diverted.

It is important to gather details on any witnesses and take photos of the scene of the accident when a distracted driver causes the truck to crash. It is also beneficial to know the name of the truck driver as well as the company they are employed by, as and who owns the truck if it is an independent contractor. This could have an influence on who is responsible for the accident, because it is the trucking company's responsibility to employ competent and experienced truck drivers. If the trucking company is found be partially responsible for the accident, they may be held accountable for your financial as well as non-economic damages.

Rear-End Collisions

Rear-end collisions with trucks are not uncommon and can result in serious injuries. They can occur in a variety settings, such as at the stop or red light signal, where the trucker is unable to observe the road ahead for traffic coming in. They may also occur when a car crashes into front of the truck, which forces the driver to slam on their brakes without warning. The trucker may then slam the car from behind.

It can be difficult to prove the fault of a driver in rear-end collisions as it isn't always clear which vehicle was at fault. A skilled attorney can help gather evidence to show that the driver behind caused the crash by following too closely or driving with a distraction. This can include evidence such as photographs, police reports, eyewitness testimony and skid marks on the road.

The driver in front of the car may also be accountable for the incident. This could occur if they cut someone off or fail to make use of a turn signal, as would any reasonable person. This 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.

Lacerations and Bruises

The rear-end of the car is the one that is most affected in a rear-end collision which means that occupants may suffer serious injuries when they hit their head against the dashboard or back window. They could also break bones as they are bounced around the interior of the car by the force of the crash. Spinal injuries can be severe. The spinal cord houses a number of nerves that control the body, therefore any damage to the spinal column can cause long-lasting and serious problems for victims.

In addition to these kinds of injuries, a victim may also experience psychological and emotional trauma from being in a horrific crash. They may have difficulty sleeping or concentrating, which could cause anxiety and depression. They may also face stress and financial burdens in the event that they are unable to work due to their injury. An attorney can investigate the possible sources of liability and assist a victim in receiving fair compensation for their loss.

Problematic Trailer Hitches

Regardless of whether you're driving either a car, truck, a van or a flatbed, all vehicles must to be securely connected to their trailers. If a trailer is suddenly unhitched, it can lead to catastrophic accidents that cause serious injuries or even death. If you've suffered injuries in a vehicle accident caused by a truck that has run away and you are in need of an experienced attorney who is specialized in cases involving hitch failure to discuss your legal options.

The reason for a malfunctioning trailer hitch is many things which can range from inadequate securing or defective design. It could be due to an issue on the part of the manufacturer in which case, product liability laws could apply. The company or the person who is at the fault for a defective trailer can be held liable for victims' medical bills and auto repair costs as well as other losses that result from the incident.

For instance in a fatal crash that occurred in January 2014 along an Ohio road referred to locally as "Devil's Backbone," a trailer came out of the truck and careened head-on into two cars behind it. Initial investigations attributed the accident to the truck driver's lapse in inspect and secure the hitch. In June of 2015, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began investigating the possibility that a flaw in the hitch the Ultra LT manufactured Fontaine Fifth Wheel in Trussville, Alabama, was responsible for the crash.

Due to the hitch that was defective, the trailer struck the sides of the vehicles and then crashed into them head-on. This resulted in multiple fatalities and serious injuries to the drivers of the vehicles.

The truck driver involved in the accident was convicted of vehicular murder, however experts suggest that he could've avoided the collision by conducting an extensive inspection of his trailer to make sure all connections were in good order. Faulty trailer hitsches can cause major catastrophes, since they typically require a significant amount of speed and can easily cause a collision with smaller vehicles or motorcycles. In these situations the trailer can deform the car's frame and push steel fragments that are razor-sharp to sever the limbs of passengers in.