Semi Truck Accident Law
A ames semi truck accident law firm-truck crash can result in a serious injury that can cost a person a fortune in medical expenses. It can also result in permanent disabilities that require expensive equipment and long-term therapy.
It is vital to have a skilled New York truck accident lawyer by your side after a crash. A lawyer with experience can help establish your case through evidence such as police reports, surveillance camera footage, and more.
Poorly maintained vehicles
Owner-operators and trucking companies often fail to take the necessary steps to ensure their vehicles are in good shape. This leads to an astronomical number of avoidable accidents every year.
Compared to passenger cars, tractor-trailers and semis require more frequent maintenance due to their size and heavier load. However, the pressure of meeting deadlines and maximising profits often over maintaining the fleet. As a result, trucks are susceptible to mechanical malfunctions that can cause catastrophic accidents.
The brakes on trucks must be able to stop and slow down the vehicle at a single notice. If the brake pads of a truck lines, lines or return springs wear out they can result in serious collisions and fatal injuries. These parts should be checked and repaired regularly in order to keep them in good working condition.
Tires that aren’t properly maintained can contribute to truck accidents. Tires that have worn out could lose traction, causing the truck to overturn or slide. Tires that aren’t working either because of inadequate tread design or air pressure could fail catastrophically.
In addition to regular maintenance, trucks need regular inspections to identify mechanical problems before they lead to an accident. If an inspection is done incorrectly or the repair shop doesn’t follow the manufacturer’s instructions this could result in a crash. In these situations, a company that commissioned the repair or maintenance company or was the one who supervised it could be held liable.
Another reason for truck accidents is defective lights, signals and reflectors. These components must function properly to enable drivers to detect and anticipate the movement of the truck particularly in rural areas or at night. However, trucking companies might neglect to inspect and maintain these items or the driver might not perform regular safety inspections.
A reputable Houston truck accident lawyer will investigate your case to determine which parties may 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 defendant’s negligence in the accident and assist you recover the compensation you’re due.
Distracted Drivers
Accidents involving commercial trucks can be devastating. These huge vehicles weigh up to 25 times the weight of your vehicle and can cause more serious injuries when they are involved in an accident. While a variety of factors can cause accidents and injuries, distracted driving is one of the most common and risky. A truck driver who is distracted might lose control of their vehicle, or fail to see an accident on the road, which can lead to severe and life-changing injuries.
Truck drivers are required to adhere to strict rules and regulations formulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This includes a prohibition on texting and the use of cell phones while driving. Even if truckers adhere to the rules, they are still prone to be distracted and cause crash. This can be the result of manual distractions like taking a hand off the wheel or cognitive distractions such as thinking about something else 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 the trucker is distracted, the driver could drift off into another track and not see the traffic jam ahead. It only takes a fraction of a second for a large truck to crash into a vehicle when the trucker’s focus wanders.
When a truck collision is caused by distracted drivers it is vital to take photos of the scene of collision and note down the name and contact details of any witnesses. It is also important to determine the name of the truck driver and the company they work for, aswell as who owns the truck, if it’s an independent contractor. This can have an effect on who is accountable for the accident, since it is the responsibility of the trucking firm to recruit competent and experienced truck drivers. If the trucking company is found be partially at fault for your accident, they may be held accountable for your financial as well as non-economic damages.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end truck collisions are common and can result in serious injuries. They can occur in a variety situations like an intersection or stop sign when the trucker fails to observe the road ahead for any traffic that is coming up. They may also occur when a car comes in front of the truck, causing the driver to apply their brakes without warning. The trucker might then slam into the car from behind.
It can be difficult to prove the cause of an accident that occurs at the rear, as it’s not always clear which vehicle caused the accident. An experienced lawyer can find evidence to prove that the driver behind caused the accident by following too closely or driving with a distraction. This could include evidence such as photos, police reports eyewitness testimony and skid marks on the road.
The driver in front of the car may be held accountable for the accident. This can happen when they cut off someone else or fail to utilize their turn signal as any reasonable person would, or hit on the brakes in the last second and causing the driver in the back to slam into the car directly in 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 party. Damages are then reduced accordingly.
Bruises & Lacerations
In a rear-end collision, the rear-end of the car is the one that suffers the most impact. This means that the people in the car are at risk of serious injuries if they hit their heads against the dashboard or the back window. The force of the collision can cause broken bones if the occupants are thrown around the inside of the vehicle. Spinal injuries are often severe. The spinal cord is home to many nerves that control the body. Therefore, any injury to the spinal cord could cause permanent and significant issues for the victims.
In addition to these types of injuries, a victim may suffer from psychological and lawsuit emotional trauma as a result of having been involved in a terrible crash. They might have trouble sleeping or concentrating, which may cause anxiety and lawsuit depression. If they’re unable work due to the severity of their injury, this could cause stress and financial hardship. An attorney can research all possible sources of liability and help a victim seek fair compensation for their loss.
The trailer hitches are faulty.
All vehicles, regardless of whether they are a car or a truck, van flatbed, van must be securely connected to their trailers. Unexpectedly unhitching a trailer can cause catastrophic accidents that can lead to serious injuries or death. If you’ve been injured in a vehicle accident caused by a runaway truck or trailer, consult an experienced attorney who specializes in hitch failure cases to discuss your legal options.
The cause of a faulty trailer hitch could be due to a variety of factors that can be traced to improper security or design. It could be caused by 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 is liable for the medical bills of the victims as well as auto repair costs and other losses related to the incident.
For example the fatal crash that occurred in January 2014 on an Ohio road that is locally referred to as “Devil’s Backbone,” a trailer came out of the truck and slid over two cars ahead of it. Initial investigations linked the incident to the truck driver’s negligence for not inspecting and secure the hitch. In June 2015, however the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began to investigate the possibility that a defect in the hitch that was an Ultra LT manufactured Fontaine Fifth Wheel in Trussville, Alabama, was the reason behind the crash.
The trailer hit the side of the vehicle and crashed into them. The result was numerous deaths and serious injuries to the drivers.
The truck driver involved in the incident was found guilty of vehicular homicide. However experts say that he could’ve avoided the collision had he conducted an exhaustive inspection of his trailer to ensure that all connections were secure. The failure of trailer hitches can cause major catastrophes. These types of accidents are typically high-speed and are able to sidewipe motorbikes or small cars. In these situations the trailer may distort a car’s frame and force the metal to crush passengers inside.