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on June 27, 2024
Semi Truck Accident Law
A semi truck accident lawsuit-truck collision can result in a serious injury that can cause a person to pay a huge amount in medical bills. It can also lead to permanent disabilities that require expensive equipment and long-term therapy.
Following a collision, it is essential to retain an experienced New York truck accident attorney on your side. A lawyer with experience can help to prove your case using evidence such as police reports, surveillance camera footage, and more.
Vehicles that are poorly maintained
In a lot of cases trucking companies and owner-operators don't take the proper steps to ensure their vehicles are in good condition. This leads to a large percentage of preventable crashes every year.
In comparison to passenger cars, semis and tractor-trailers require more frequent maintenance due to their size and weight. loads. However the pressure of meeting deadlines and maximizing profits is often prioritized over maintaining the fleet. Trucks are susceptible to mechanical issues that could result in disastrous accidents.
The brakes on a truck are particularly important since they have to stop the vehicle and slow it down at any moment. If the pads of a truck's brakes lines, lines or return springs fail they could result in serious collisions and fatal injuries. These parts should be checked and repaired regularly as necessary to maintain their good condition.
Poor-maintained tires can also be a major factor in truck accidents. Tires that are worn out can cause traction issues and cause the truck to slide or even roll over. Tires that aren't working or damaged, whether due to inadequate tread design or air pressure could fail catastrophically.
Regular inspections of trucks are required along with regular maintenance in order to spot mechanical issues prior to causing an incident. If an inspection was performed incorrectly or the repair shop does not follow the manufacturer's guidelines it could cause an accident. In these situations, a company that hired the repair or maintenance shop or managed it may be held responsible.
Another reason for truck accidents is faulty lights, signals, and reflectors. These elements must function correctly to allow drivers to detect and anticipate the movement of the truck particularly in rural areas or at night. However, trucking companies might fail to check and maintain these equipments or the driver could fail to perform daily safety inspections.
A Houston truck accident lawyer will review your case and determine who may be accountable for your losses in the event that you are injured by a deteriorated maintenance of a commercial truck. This investigation could uncover evidence of negligence by the defendant and help you obtain the compensation you deserve.
Distracted Drivers
There aren't many events as devastating as an accident that involves a commercial truck. These huge vehicles can weigh up 25 times more than your car and cause a lot more injuries when involved in an accident. Distracted driving is just one of the many factors that contribute to accidents. A driver who is distracted could lose control of the vehicle or overlook an accident on the road and cause serious and life-threatening injuries.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has strict rules and guidelines for truck drivers. This includes a ban on texting and using mobile phones while driving. However, even when truckers adhere to the rules, they are still prone to be distracted and cause crash. This can be caused by manual distractions such as getting your hands off the steering wheel or by cognitive distractions like thinking about something other than driving.
Many people are aware that texting while driving can be risky, but many do not realize that other activities, like eating, changing radio stations, or conversing with passengers, are also considered to be distracting. When a trucker is distracted, they may wander off into a different area and not be aware of the traffic jam ahead. When a truck driver's attention is diverted, it takes only a split-second for a large vehicle to hit a motorist car.
When a truck accident occurs due to a distracted driver It is essential to take photographs of the crash scene and note down the name and contact information of any witnesses. It is crucial 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 will affect who is accountable for your accident as the trucking company is responsible for securing competent and skilled truck drivers. If the trucking company is found to be partially responsible in the accident, it could be liable to you for both economic and non-economic injuries.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions between trucks are not uncommon and can cause severe injuries. These accidents can occur in many different situations such as the stop sign or a an intersection when the trucker is not checking the road ahead for oncoming traffic. They can also happen when a car is able to cut in front of the truck, which forces the driver to use their brakes without warning. The trucker could then hit the car from behind.
It can be hard to establish fault when there's rear-end collisions because it's not always clear which vehicle was at fault. However, a skilled attorney can help gather evidence to show that the driver in the rear caused the crash through following too closely or driving while distracted. This could include evidence such as photographs, police reports, eyewitness testimony, and skid marks in the road.
Sometimes the driver in front could be found to be the one responsible for the accident in addition. This could happen if they cut off someone else or fail to make use of a turn signal, as would any reasonable person would do. In these situations, modified comparative negligence laws can be applied. The jury will assign a percentage of blame to each party. The damages will be reduced accordingly.
Bruises & Lacerations
In a rear-end collision, the rear end of the vehicle is the area that experiences the most impact. This means that the occupants are at risk of serious injuries if they hit their heads against the dashboard or the back window. They can also suffer broken bones as they are thrown around the interior of the vehicle by the force of the crash. Injuries to the spine can be extremely severe. Spinal injuries can have long-lasting and serious consequences for victims.
A person who is the victim of a serious accident may also suffer from psychological and emotional trauma. They may have difficulty sleeping or concentrating which can cause depression and anxiety. If they are unable to work due to the degree of their injury it can create stress and financial hardship. An attorney can look into possible sources of liability to help a victim receive an appropriate amount of compensation for their loss.
The trailer is not working properly
All vehicles, regardless of whether they are a car or van, truck flatbed, van must be securely connected to their trailers. Unintentionally pulling a trailer off can result in catastrophic accidents that lead to serious injuries or death. If you've suffered injuries in an accident involving an unhitched trailer, call an experienced vehicle accident lawyer who specializes in cases involving hitch failure promptly to discuss your legal options.
A damaged trailer hitch could be caused by many different factors, ranging from inadequate securement to a defective design. It could be due to a defect on the part of the manufacturer, in which case the product liability law could be applicable. The company or person at fault for a faulty trailer can be held liable for medical bills of victims and auto repair expenses, and other losses related to the incident.
In the fatal crash that took place 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 that were directly behind it. The initial investigation attributed the crash to the truck 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 -an Ultra LT manufactured by Fontaine Fifth Wheel of Trussville, Alabama -- to malfunction on a large proportion of times.
The trailer struck the sides of the vehicles and then crashed into them. The result was numerous fatalities and serious injuries for the drivers.
The driver of the truck that was involved in the accident was found guilty of vehicular manslaughter, but experts say he could have avoided the collision with other vehicles if he done a thorough visual inspection of his trailer and made sure that all connections were secure. The failure of a trailer's hitches can result in catastrophic accidents, as these types of incidents typically involve a large amount of speed, and they can cause a collision with smaller vehicles or motorcycles. In such instances the trailer could distort the frame of a vehicle and force sharp metal pieces to crush passengers inside.