This Is The Advanced Guide To Semi Truck Lawsuit
Semi Truck Accident Law
A serious injury sustained during a crash with trucks can result in the death of an individual with medical bills. It can also lead to permanent disabilities that require expensive equipment and long-term therapy.
Following a collision, it is essential to retain an experienced New York truck accident attorney to assist you. A skilled attorney can prove your case by using evidence like police reports and surveillance camera footage and more.
Poorly-Maintained Vehicles
In a majority of cases, trucking companies and owner-operators don't take the appropriate steps to ensure that their vehicles are in good working condition. This negligence leads to a large percentage of accidents that could have been avoided every year.
Semis and tractor trailers require more frequent maintenance than cars for passengers because of their larger size and heavier weight. However working to meet deadlines and maximizing profits may take precedence over maintaining the fleet. This is why trucks are susceptible to mechanical problems that can could cause devastating accidents.
The brakes on a truck are particularly important as they must be able to stop the vehicle and slow it down at the smallest of moments. When brake pads lines, return springs or return lines on a truck wear out, it can lead to serious accidents and fatal injuries. It is crucial that these components are regularly checked and replaced as required to ensure that they remain in good working condition.
Tires that aren't maintained can also be a major factor in truck accidents. Tires that are worn out can cause traction issues, which causes the truck to skid or even tip over. If a tire is defective in any way, like having the wrong air pressure or improper tread design, it could fail catastrophically.
The inspections are routine for trucks along with regular maintenance to spot mechanical problems before they cause an incident. If an inspection was performed improperly or the repair shop doesn't follow the manufacturer's recommendations, it can cause a crash. In these instances, the company that hired or supervising the maintenance or repair shop could be held accountable.
Another major cause of truck accidents is malfunctioning lights, signals, and reflectors. These elements must be properly functioning to allow drivers to see the truck and anticipate its movements, especially in rural areas and after dark. However, trucking companies may fail to check and maintain these components or the driver may fail to conduct regular safety inspections.
A reliable Houston truck accident lawyer can investigate your case to determine who is responsible for your losses should you be injured in an accident with a poorly-maintained commercial truck. The investigation can uncover evidence of the defendant's negligence and help you obtain the compensation you're entitled to.
Distracted Drivers
There aren't many events as devastating as an accident involving a commercial truck. These huge vehicles weigh up to 25 times more than your car and can cause more serious injuries when they are involved in a collision. Distracted driving is just one of the many factors that cause accidents. A driver who is distracted can lose control of the vehicle or miss an accident on the road and cause serious and life-changing injuries.

Truck drivers must adhere to strict rules and regulations set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This includes a ban on texting or using cell phones while driving. Even if truckers obey the rules they are still prone to be distracted and cause crash. This is often caused by accidental distractions, such as not having your hands on the steering wheel or cognitive distractions like thinking about something other than driving.
While the majority of people are aware that it is dangerous to text and drive, few realize that other activities like eating or changing the station on the radio, and even conversing with a passenger can also be deemed to be distracting. If the trucker is distracted, he may drift into another lane and fail to notice the traffic jam in front of him. When a truck driver's eye is diverted, it takes only one second for a massive vehicle to collide with a car.
If a truck crash is caused by an unintentionally distracted driver it is vital to take photos of the scene of the crash and note down the contact details and name of witnesses. It is also beneficial to determine the name of the truck driver as well as the company they work for, aswell the owner of the truck if they are an independent contractor. This can affect who is liable for your incident since the trucking company is responsible for securing skilled and competent truck drivers. If the trucking company is found to be partly responsible for your accident, they could be held accountable to you for both economic as well as non-economic losses.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions with trucks are common and can result in serious injuries. These accidents can happen in many different circumstances like at an intersection or at a red light when the trucker doesn't check ahead for traffic coming in. It could also happen when a car cuts across the truck's path, which forces the driver of the truck to brake suddenly and without warning. The trucker might then slam into the car from behind.
It can be hard to prove fault when there is rear-end collisions, as it isn't always evident the vehicle that was at fault. A knowledgeable attorney can collect evidence to prove that the driver in the back caused the crash because they followed too closely or driving erratically. This evidence can include photos as well as police reports and eyewitness testimony, as well as skid marks on the road.
The driver in the front of the car could also be held responsible for the collision. This could occur if they cut off someone else or fail use a turn signal as any other reasonable person. This kind of situation is where modified comparative negligence laws can be used, in which the jury determines a percentage of the fault to each party and damages are reduced accordingly.
Lacerations & Bruises
In a rear-end crash, the rear end of the vehicle is the area that receives the most force. This means that occupants are at risk of serious injuries if they strike their heads against the dashboard or the back window. They may also break bones as they are thrown around the interior of the car by the force of the crash. The severity of spinal injuries can be devastating. The spinal cord contains a lot of nerves that control the body, so any damage to the spinal cord could cause significant and permanent issues for those affected.
A person who is a victim of a fatal accident could also be suffering from emotional and psychological trauma. They may have trouble sleeping or concentrating, which can cause anxiety and depression. They could also be facing stress and financial difficulties when they are unable to work due to an injury. An attorney can investigate the possible sources of liability and assist a victim in seeking fair compensation for their expenses.
The trailer is not working properly
It doesn't matter if you're driving a car, a van, truck, or a flatbed, all vehicles need to be securely attached to their trailers. If a trailer is suddenly unhitched, it can cause a catastrophic accident that could result in severe injuries or death. If you've suffered injuries by a runaway trailer, contact an experienced vehicle accident lawyer who specializes in cases involving hitch failure immediately to discuss your legal options.
The reason behind a defective trailer hitch can be caused by a variety, ranging from improper secured or defective design. It can also be due to an issue with the manufacturer or a manufacturing defect, in which case the product liability laws may apply. The company or the person who is at the fault for a trailer that is defective could be held accountable for the medical bills of the victims and auto repair costs and other losses related to the incident.
In a fatal crash that occurred on a highway in Ohio known as "Devil's Backbone" in January 2014 a trailer detached from the truck. It then crashed into two cars that were directly behind it. Initial investigations suggested that the crash was due to the truck driver's negligence in failing to properly inspect and secure the hitch. However, in June 2015 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began investigating the possibility that a manufacturing defect had caused the hitch involved in the crash -one of the Ultra LT manufactured by Fontaine Fifth Wheel in Trussville, Alabama -- to fail on a significant percentage of occasions.
The trailer struck the sides of the vehicles and crashed into them. The result was multiple deaths and serious injuries for the drivers.
The driver of the truck involved in the incident was found guilty of vehicular murder, however experts believe he could have avoided the collision with other vehicles if he performed a thorough visual inspection of his trailer and made sure that all connections were tight. A faulty trailer hitch could cause major problems. These incidents are often high-speed and are able to sidewipe motorcycles or smaller cars. In providence semi truck accident attorney may distort the frame of a vehicle and force razor sharp metal fragments to impale passengers inside.