Semi Truck Accident Law
A serious injury sustained in a crash with semi-trucks can cost someone in medical expenses. tallahassee semi truck accident settlement could also cause permanent disabilities that require expensive equipment and long-term therapy.
It is important to have a reputable New York truck accident lawyer to assist you after an accident. A qualified attorney can assist you in proving your case with evidence like police reports and surveillance footage, among others.
Vehicles that are poorly maintained
In many cases, trucking companies and owners-operators do not take proper steps to ensure that their vehicles are in good working condition. This negligence results in a high percentage of preventable accidents each year.
Comparatively to passenger vehicles, semis and tractor-trailers require more frequent maintenance due to their size and heavy loads. Unfortunately, meeting deadlines and maximising profits often take precedence over maintaining the fleet. Trucks are susceptible to mechanical issues that could cause catastrophes.
The brakes on trucks are especially important because they have to be able to stop the vehicle and slow it down at any moment. When brake pads lines, return springs or lines on a truck fail they can cause serious accidents and fatal injuries. It is essential that these parts are regularly inspected and replaced as required to keep them in good working condition.
Tires that are not properly maintained can contribute to truck accidents. Tires that are worn down can lose traction and cause the truck to flip over or slide. If a tire is not properly designed in any way, like having the wrong air pressure or improper tread design, it could fail catastrophically.
Trucks require regular inspections along with regular maintenance in order to spot mechanical issues before they can cause an incident. If an inspection was performed improperly or the repair shop doesn't adhere to the manufacturer's specifications this could result in an accident. In these instances, the company that employed the maintenance or repair shop or who was responsible for its supervision could be held responsible.
Another common cause of truck accidents is malfunctioning lights, signals, and reflectors. These devices must be correctly functioning to allow drivers to see the truck and anticipate its movements, especially in rural areas or at night. However, trucking companies may not inspect and maintain these components or the driver may fail to perform daily safety checks.
A Houston truck accident lawyer can review your case and determine who may 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 demonstrates the defendant's negligence in the crash and help you get the compensation you're entitled to.
Distracted Drivers
The result of a collision involving commercial trucks could be devastating. These massive trucks can weigh up to 25 times more than a vehicle and cause far more injuries in a crash. While a variety of factors can cause accidents and injuries, distracted driving is one of the most common and dangerous. A truck driver who is distracted might lose control of their vehicle or fail to spot an issue on the road, which can lead to life-changing injuries.
Truck drivers are required to follow strict rules and regulations set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This includes a prohibition on texting and using cell phones while operating their vehicles. Even if truckers abide by the rules, they could still get distracted and cause crashes. This could be because of distractions caused by manual actions like getting off the steering wheel or mental distractions such as thinking about something other than driving.
Many people are aware that texting while driving is dangerous, but they are not aware that other activities, like eating, changing radio stations, or talking to passengers, are also considered to be distracting. When a trucker gets distracted, the driver could drift off into another direction and not notice a traffic jam ahead. If a truck driver's focus is diverted, it only takes just a few seconds for a huge vehicle to collide with a car.
It is crucial to gather information about any witnesses and take photos of the accident scene when a distracted driver causes a truck crash. It is also helpful to determine the name of the truck driver as well as the company they are employed by, as well the owner of the truck if it's an independent contractor. This will affect who is accountable for your accident, as the trucking company is responsible for hiring competent and skilled truck drivers. If the trucking company is found be partly responsible for the accident, they could be held responsible for your economic and non-economic damages.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end truck collisions are quite common and can result in serious injuries. They can occur in a variety of settings like the stop or red light signal when the trucker fails to check behind them for traffic coming in. They may also occur when a car comes in front of the truck, forcing the driver to use their brakes without warning. The trucker can then slam into the car from behind.
It can be difficult to prove fault in the event of rear-end collisions as it's not always clear who was at fault. An experienced lawyer can gather evidence to show that the driver behind caused the accident by following too closely or driving in a distracted manner. This evidence could include photos as well as police reports and eyewitness testimony as well as skid marks in the road.
Sometimes, the driver in the front could be found to be at fault for the crash also. This could happen if they cut off someone else 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 in the back to crash into the vehicle directly in the front. This is where modified comparative negligence laws be applied, in which the jury assigns a percentage of blame to each party and damages are reduced in proportion to the percentage of fault.
Lacerations and Bruises
The rear of the vehicle is the one that is most affected in a rear-end collision which means that the occupants could suffer serious injuries from hitting their head against the dashboard or back windows. They may also break bones as they are bounced around the interior of the car due to the force of the collision. Spinal injuries can be severe. The spinal cord is home to many nerves that regulate the body. Therefore, any injury to the spinal column could cause significant and permanent issues for those affected.
A person who has been involved in a serious accident might also suffer emotional and psychological trauma. They may experience difficulties getting enough sleep or concentrating, which can cause depression and anxiety. If they are unable work due to the seriousness of their injury this could cause stress and financial burden. An attorney can look into any possible liability sources and assist the victim in seeking fair compensation for their expenses.
The trailer is not working properly
All vehicles, regardless of whether they are a car or a truck, van flatbed, van, or are required to be securely connected to their trailers. Unexpectedly unhitching a trailer can result in catastrophic accidents that lead to serious injuries or death. If you've been injured in an accident involving an unhitched trailer, call an experienced vehicle accident lawyer that specializes in cases of failure of the hitch immediately to discuss your legal options.
A defective trailer hitch could be caused by a variety of things, from improper secured to faulty design. It could be caused by an error on the part of the manufacturer, in which case the product liability law may apply. The company or the person who is at the fault for a trailer that is defective can be held liable for medical bills of victims as well as auto repair costs 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 directly behind it. Initial investigation linked the accident to the truck driver's negligence in failing inspect and secure the hitch. In June 2015, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began to investigate the possibility that a manufacturing defect caused the hitch at the center of the crash -an Ultra LT manufactured by Fontaine Fifth Wheel in Trussville, Alabama -- to malfunction on a high percentage of occasions.
As a result of the defective hitch caused by the defective hitch, the trailer smashed into the sides of the vehicles and then crashed into them head-on. The result was multiple deaths and serious injuries to the drivers of the vehicles.
The driver of the truck that was involved in the accident was found guilty of vehicular manslaughter. However, experts believe that he could have avoided the collision with the other vehicles if he conducted a thorough inspection of his trailer and ensured that all connections were in good order. Incorrect trailer hitches can cause major catastrophes, since they typically involve a lot of speed and can easily hit smaller cars or motorcycles. In these instances the trailer could distort the car's frame, and cause sharp metal pieces to crush passengers inside.