20 Things You Should Know About Semi Truck Lawsuit
Semi Truck Accident Law
A semi-truck accident can cause an injury of a serious nature that could cost a person a lot in medical bills. It can also lead to permanent disabilities requiring expensive equipment and long-term physical therapy.
It is essential to have a qualified New York truck accident lawyer on your side following an accident. A qualified attorney can help prove your case by using evidence like police reports, surveillance camera footage, and more.
Vehicles that aren't maintained properly
Owner-operators and companies that operate trucks often don't take the necessary steps to ensure their vehicles are in good repair. This negligence leads to an overwhelming number of avoidable accidents each year.
Comparatively to passenger vehicles, semis and tractor-trailers require more frequent maintenance due to their size and heavier loads. Unfortunately, the pressure of meeting deadlines and maximising profits is often more important than maintaining the fleet. Trucks are susceptible to mechanical problems that can lead to catastrophes.
The brakes of trucks are crucial 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 return lines on a truck get worn out they can cause serious accidents and fatal injuries. It is crucial to have these parts regularly inspected and replaced as necessary to ensure they are in good working condition.
Poor-maintained tires can also be a major reason for truck accidents. Tires that are worn down can cause the tires to lose traction, which causes the truck to slide or even flip over. Tires that aren't working either because of inadequate tread design or air pressure, can fail catastrophically.
The inspections are routine for trucks along with regular maintenance to detect mechanical issues before they can cause an accident. If an inspection is conducted in a way that is not correct or if the repair shop does not follow the manufacturer's guidelines it could cause an accident. In such cases, a company that commissioned the repair or maintenance company or was the one who supervised it could be held responsible.
The malfunctioning of signals, lights and reflectors are also a frequent cause of truck accident. These devices must function properly in order for drivers to be able to observe and anticipate the speed of the truck particularly in rural areas or at night. However, trucking firms may not inspect and maintain these components or the driver might not perform regular safety checks.
A Houston truck accident attorney can investigate your situation and determine who could be accountable for your damages in the event that you were injured by a deteriorated maintenance of a commercial truck. Investigating your case can uncover evidence that proves the defendant's negligence in the crash and help you get the compensation you deserve.
Distracted Drivers
The result of a collision involving commercial trucks could be devastating. These huge vehicles weigh up to 25 times the weight of your vehicle and can cause a lot more injuries if they are involved in a collision. While a variety of factors can cause accidents but distracted driving is among of the most frequent and risky. A truck driver who is distracted can lose control of their vehicle or fail to recognize an accident on the roadway, which could lead to serious and life-threatening injuries.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has strict rules and regulations for truck drivers. This includes a prohibition on texting or using cellular phones while driving. However, even when truckers adhere to the rules, they could still get distracted and cause crash. This can be a result of manual distractions like dropping a hand off of the wheel or cognitive distractions such as thinking about something else other than driving.
While the majority of people are aware the dangers of using text and drive, very few are aware that other activities such as eating or changing the radio station or even talking to a passenger can also be considered distracting. When a trucker is distracted, it is possible that he will drift into a different area and not be aware of an impending traffic jam. It only takes a split second for a big truck to crash into a vehicle if the trucker's mind wanders.
If a car accident is caused by distracted driving It is essential to take photos of the scene of the crash and note down the name and contact information of any witnesses. It is crucial to know the name of the driver, the company that they work for and who owns the vehicle if it's an independent contractor. This could affect the person who is responsible for your incident since the trucking company is responsible for hiring competent and skilled truck drivers. If the trucking company is found to be partly responsible for your accident, they could be liable to you for both economic as well as non-economic losses.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions with trucks are common and can cause serious injuries. These accidents can occur in a variety of circumstances such as at the stop sign or a red light, when the trucker is not checking behind him for oncoming traffic. It could also happen when vehicles cross the truck's path, causing the driver of the truck to stop at a rapid pace without warning. The trucker can then slam into the car from behind.
It can be hard to establish fault when there's rear-end collisions, as it isn't always evident which vehicle was responsible. An experienced attorney can help gather evidence to show that the driver behind caused the crash due to following too closely or driving distracted. This can be evidence in the form of photos of the scene, police reports, eyewitness testimony, as well being skid marks on the road.
The driver in the front of the car could also be liable for the accident. This could happen if they cut someone off or fail to obey their turn signal in the way that a reasonable person would, or hit on the brakes in the last second and causing the driver behind to crash into the vehicle directly in the front. In this type of scenario the modified comparative negligence laws can be applied. The jury will determine a percentage of the blame to each party. Damages are then reduced according to.
Lacerations and Bruises
In a rear-end crash, the rear-end of the car is the area that receives the most force. This means that the occupants are at risk of serious injuries if hit their heads against the dashboard or the back window. They can also suffer broken bones from being torn around inside the car as a result of the force of the collision. The spine is a vulnerable area and injuries to it can be extremely severe. The spinal cord contains many nerves that regulate the body, so any injury to the spinal cord could cause serious and lasting problems for victims.
A person who is a victim of a fatal accident could also be suffering from psychological and emotional trauma. They may have difficulty sleeping or concentrating, which could result in anxiety and depression. They could also be facing stress and financial strain if they are unable work because of an injury. An attorney can investigate the possible sources of liability and assist a victim in receiving fair compensation for their loss.
A problem with trailer hitches
All vehicles, regardless of whether they are a car, a truck, van, flatbed, or van are required to 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 a runaway trailer, contact an experienced attorney for vehicle accidents specializing in hitch failure cases promptly to discuss your legal options.
The cause of a faulty trailer hitch can be caused by a variety which can range from inadequate secured or defective design. It could be caused by an error on the part of the manufacturer in which case product liability law may apply. The person or company that is at fault for a faulty trailer is responsible for victims' medical bills as well as auto repair costs and other losses arising from the incident.
In a fatal crash that occurred on a highway in Ohio known as "Devil's Backbone" in January 2014, an unattached trailer was spotted on the truck. pittsburgh semi truck accident law firm crashed into two cars directly behind it. Initial investigations linked the incident to the truck driver's carelessness in failing to check and secure hitch. In June 2015, however the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration started 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 malfunctioning hitch, the trailer struck the sides of the vehicles before crashing into them head-on. The result was numerous fatalities and serious injuries to the drivers.
The truck driver who was involved in the accident was convicted of vehicular homicide, but experts say that he could've avoided the crash had he conducted an in-depth inspection of his trailer to ensure all connections were tight. The failure of a trailer's hitches can result in major disasters, as these incidents often require a significant amount of speed, and they can cause a collision with smaller vehicles or motorcycles. In these cases, the trailer may distort the frame of a car and cause razor-sharp metal fragments to entrap passengers.