Semi Truck Accident Law
A semi-truck accident can cause a serious injury that can cause a person to pay a huge amount in medical bills. It can also result in permanent disabilities that require expensive equipment and long-term therapy.
milwaukee semi truck accident case is important to have a reputable New York truck accident lawyer to assist you after a crash. A qualified attorney can help to prove your case using evidence like police reports and surveillance camera footage and much more.
Poorly maintained vehicles
In a lot of cases trucking companies as well as owner-operators don't take the proper steps to ensure their vehicles are in good condition. This can lead to an overwhelming number of accidents that could have been avoided every year.
Comparatively to passenger vehicles, tractor-trailers and semis will require more frequent maintenance work due to their size and heavy load. However the pressure to meet deadlines and maximize profits is often more important than maintaining the fleet. This is why trucks can become prone to mechanical problems that can lead to devastating accidents.
The brakes of a truck need to be able to stop and slow down the vehicle at a moments notice. When brake pads, lines or return springs on a truck get worn out and become damaged, it can result in serious accidents and fatal injuries. It is essential that these components are regularly inspected and replaced as necessary to ensure they are in good condition.
Inadequately maintained tires can be a major factor in truck accidents. Tires that are worn down can cause the tires to lose traction and cause the truck to slide or even roll over. If a tire is deficient in any way, for example, having the wrong air pressure or improper tread design, it could fail catastrophically.
In addition to regular maintenance, trucks require regular inspections to identify mechanical issues before they can cause an accident. However, if the inspection is done incorrectly or the repair shop doesn't follow the manufacturer's guidelines the result could be a crash. In these instances, the company that hired the maintenance or repair shop or managed it may be held accountable.
Another reason for truck accidents is malfunctioning lights, signals and reflectors. These devices must function properly to allow drivers to detect and anticipate the movements of the truck particularly in rural areas or at night. Drivers or trucking companies may not be able to maintain and inspect these components, or they may not carry out regular safety checks.
A Houston truck accident attorney will review your situation and determine who could be responsible for your injuries in the event that you were injured from a poorly maintained commercial truck. Investigating your case can uncover evidence that demonstrates the negligence of the defendant in the accident and help you recover the compensation you deserve.
Distracted Drivers
The result of a collision involving commercial trucks could be devastating. These massive vehicles can weigh up to 25 times more than a car and cause a lot more injuries when involved in an accident. While a variety of factors can cause accidents, 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 notice an accident on the road, which can lead to serious and life-threatening injuries.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has strict rules and guidelines for truck drivers. This includes a prohibition on texting and the use of cell phones while driving. Even if truckers abide by the rules, they could be distracted and result in an accident. This could be due to accidental distractions, such as not having your hands on 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 can also be considered distracting. If a truck driver is distracted, they may wander off into another lane, or not be able to see the traffic jam ahead of them. When a trucker's attention is diverted, it will only take just a few seconds for a huge vehicle to strike a passenger car.
It is essential to collect information on witnesses and to take photographs of the accident scene when an unintentionally distracted driver causes a crash of a truck. It is also beneficial to determine the name of the driver of the truck and the company they work for, as well and who owns the truck if they are an independent contractor. This could have an influence on who is responsible for the accident, because it is the responsibility of the trucking business to recruit competent and experienced truck drivers. If the trucking company is found to be partially responsible for your accident, they may be responsible for your economic as well as non-economic damages.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions with trucks are quite common and can cause serious injuries. They can happen in a variety of settings like a red light or stop sign, when the trucker fails to check behind them for traffic in the direction of oncoming traffic. They may also occur when a car cuts 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 rear-end collisions, since it's not always clear which vehicle caused the accident. However, an experienced lawyer can assist in gathering evidence to show that the driver behind caused the crash through following too closely or driving distracted. This can include evidence such as photos, police reports, eyewitness testimony, and skid marks on the road.
The driver in the front of the car could also be liable for the collision. This can happen when they cut off someone else or fail to obey their turn signal in the manner that a reasonable person would, or decide to slam on the brakes at the very last minute which causes the driver in the back to crash into the vehicle directly in front of them. In these situations modified comparative negligence laws can be applied. The jury will assign a percentage of blame to each of the parties. The damages are then lowered accordingly.
Bruises and Lacerations
The rear of the vehicle is the most impacted area in a rear-end crash, which means that the occupants could suffer serious injuries after hitting their head against the dashboard or back windows. The force of the crash can cause broken bones when the occupants of the vehicle are thrown around the interior of the car. Spinal injuries can be serious. The spinal cord contains a lot of nerves that regulate the body. Therefore, any injury to the spinal column could cause significant and permanent problems for victims.
A person who has been involved in a serious accident might also suffer emotional and psychological trauma. They may have trouble being able to sleep or concentrate, which can cause depression and anxiety. If they are unable work due to the severity of their injury, it can create stress and financial burden. An attorney can investigate the possible sources of liability and ensure that the victim receives an appropriate amount of compensation for their loss.
Troublesome trailer hitches
It doesn't matter if you're driving either a car, van, truck, or a flatbed, all vehicles have to be securely attached to their trailers. Unintentionally removing a trailer's hitch can cause catastrophic accidents that lead to severe injuries or even death. If you've suffered injuries in a car accident caused by a runaway truck, contact an experienced attorney who specializes in hitch failure cases to discuss your legal options.
The reason behind a defective trailer hitch can be a variety of things such as inadequate security or design. It could be caused by a defect on the part of the manufacturer in which case, product liability laws may apply. The company or the person responsible for a trailer that is defective could be held responsible for the victim's medical expenses along with auto repair expenses and other losses resulting from the incident.
For example there was a fatal crash that occurred in January 2014 along an Ohio road locally known as "Devil's Backbone," a trailer came out of the truck and crashed head-on into two cars behind it. The initial investigation attributed the accident to the driver's lapse in examine and secure the hitch. In June 2015, however, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began investigating the possibility that a defect in the hitch the Ultra LT manufactured Fontaine Fifth Wheel in Trussville, Alabama, was the cause of the crash.
The trailer struck the side of the vehicles and then crashed into them. This led to multiple deaths and serious injuries to the drivers of the vehicles.
The driver of the truck that was involved in the incident was found guilty of vehicular manslaughter, but experts believe that he could have avoided the collision with the other vehicles if he done a thorough visual inspection of his trailer and made sure that all connections were secure. A faulty trailer hitch can cause major accidents. These accidents are typically high-speed, and they can easily cause a collision with motorcycles or smaller cars. In these instances the trailer can distort the frame of a car and cause sharp metal fragments to impale any passengers.