Semi Truck Accident Law

A semi-truck accident can cause 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 essential to have a professional New York truck accident lawyer at your side following an accident. A qualified attorney can help establish your case through evidence such as police reports or surveillance camera footage and more.

Poorly maintained vehicles

In a majority of cases trucking firms and owner-operators don't take the appropriate steps to make sure their vehicles are in good working condition. This causes an increase in the number of preventable accidents every year.

In comparison to passenger cars, semis and tractor-trailers require more frequent maintenance work due to their size and heavy load. Unfortunately working to meet deadlines and maximizing profits is often prioritized over the maintenance of a fleet. Trucks are susceptible to mechanical issues that could lead to catastrophes.

The brakes of a truck need to be able stop and slow down the vehicle at a moments notice. When a truck's brake pads, lines or return springs wear out they can result in serious collisions and fatal injuries. These components must be regularly inspected and repaired as necessary to maintain their good condition.

Tires that aren't properly maintained may contribute to truck accidents. Tires that have worn out may lose traction and cause the truck to overturn or skid. Tires that are defective or damaged, whether due to improper tread design or air pressure may fail catastrophically.

In addition to regular maintenance, trucks also require regular inspections to identify mechanical problems before they lead to an accident. If an inspection is conducted in a way that is not correct or if the repair shop fails to follow the manufacturer's instructions this could result in a crash. In these cases, a firm that hired the repair or maintenance shop or who was responsible for its supervision could be held liable.

Incorrect lights, signals and reflectors are another frequent reason for truck accidents. These items must be properly working to enable drivers to see the truck and anticipate its movements, especially in rural areas or after dark. However, trucking firms may fail to maintain and inspect these components or the driver could fail to conduct regular safety checks.

A reliable Houston truck accident lawyer will analyze your case to identify who might be accountable for your damages after you've been injured during an accident caused by a poorly maintained commercial truck. Investigating your case can uncover evidence that demonstrates the defendant's negligence in the crash and help you recover the compensation you deserve.

Distracted Drivers

Accidents involving commercial trucks can be catastrophic. These huge vehicles can weigh up 25 times the weight of your car and cause a lot more injuries when involved in an accident. While many factors contribute to accidents that result from distracted driving, it is one of the most common and dangerous. A driver who is distracted could lose control of the vehicle or overlook a road hazard that could result in serious and life-changing injuries.

Truck drivers must follow strict rules and regulations that have been formulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This includes a ban on texting or using cell phones while operating their vehicles. Even if truckers obey the rules, they can be distracted and result in an accident. This is often caused by mechanical distractions like not having your hands on the steering wheel or cognitive distractions such as 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, such as eating or changing radio stations or talking to passengers, can also be considered distracting. When a trucker gets distracted, they may wander off into a different area and not be aware of the traffic jam in front of him. If a truck driver's focus is diverted, it's only one second for a massive vehicle to crash into a passenger car.

It is essential to collect details about witnesses and also take pictures of the scene after an accident if an unintentionally distracted driver causes an accident with a truck. It is also helpful to determine the name of the driver who is driving the truck and the company they are employed by, as well as who owns the truck if it's an independent contractor. This could effect on who is accountable for the accident, because it is the responsibility of the trucking firm to find competent and skilled truck drivers. If the trucking firm is found to be partially responsible for your accident, they could be held accountable to you for both economic and non-economic damage.

Rear-End Collisions

Rear-end collisions with trucks are common and can cause serious injuries. These accidents can happen in a variety of circumstances such as a stop sign or red light when the trucker does not check ahead for traffic coming in. It could also happen when a car cuts across the truck's path, forcing the driver of the truck to stop suddenly and without warning. The trucker may then crash into the car from behind.

It is often difficult to prove fault in rear-end crashes, as it's not always clear what vehicle caused the accident. An experienced attorney can gather evidence to show that the driver in the rear caused the crash by following too closely or being distracted while driving. This can include evidence such as photographs, police reports, eyewitness testimony, and skid marks on the roadway.

Sometimes the driver in front could be responsible for the accident as well. This could happen if they cut off someone else or fail to use their turn signal as any reasonable person would, or put on the brakes in the last second which causes the driver behind to crash into the car directly in front of them. This type of scenario is where modified comparative negligence laws can be applied, in which the jury assigns a percentage of fault to each party, and damages are reduced in proportion to the percentage of fault.

Bruises & Lacerations

The rear-end of the car experiences the most impact during a rear-end collision which means that occupants may suffer serious injuries when they hit their head against the dashboard or back windows. They may also break bones as they are scattered around the interior of the car due to the force of the collision. The spine is a vulnerable area and injuries to it can be particularly severe. Spinal injuries can be serious and have long-lasting impacts on the victims.

In addition to these types of injuries, a victim may suffer from psychological and emotional traumas as a result of being in a horrific crash. They may experience difficulty getting enough sleep or concentrating, which may result in anxiety and depression. If they're unable work due to the seriousness of their injury this can add stress and financial hardship. An attorney can look into all possible causes of liability and assist a victim in seeking fair compensation for their losses.

The trailer hitches are faulty.

Whatever vehicle you're driving, a car, a van, truck, or a flatbed, all vehicles need to be securely attached to their trailers. Unintentionally removing a trailer's hitch can cause catastrophic accidents that can lead to severe injuries, or even death. If you've been injured in an accident that involved the trailer that has run away, contact an experienced attorney for vehicle accidents that specializes in cases of failure of the hitch as soon as possible to discuss your legal options.

A defective trailer hitch could be caused by a variety of factors, ranging from inadequate security to design flaws. It could be due to an issue on the part of the manufacturer where case-by-case product liability laws could apply. The person or company accountable for a defective trailer is liable for the victim's medical expenses along with auto repair expenses and other losses that result from the incident.

For instance, in a deadly crash that was reported in January 2014 on an Ohio road known locally as "Devil's Backbone," a trailer came loose from the truck and slid head-on into two cars behind it. The initial investigation attributed the crash to the truck driver's negligence in failing examine and secure the hitch. In June 2015, however the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration started investigating the possibility that a defect in the hitch and an Ultra LT manufactured Fontaine Fifth Wheel in Trussville, Alabama, was the reason for the crash.

As a result of the faulty hitch due to the hitch's failure, the trailer struck the sides of the vehicles and then crashed into them head-on. The result was numerous fatalities and serious injuries for the drivers.

The truck driver in the accident was found guilty of vehicular homicide. However, experts say he could have avoided the collision in the event that he had conducted an in-depth inspection of his trailer to ensure that all connections were secure. The failure of trailer hitches can cause major catastrophes. These kinds of incidents are usually high-speed and can easily sidewipe motorbikes or small cars. In these situations the trailer could distort the frame of a car and cause sharp metal fragments to entrap passengers.