Semi Truck Accident Law
A semi-truck crash can result in serious injuries that could cost the victim a significant amount in medical bills. wyoming semi truck accident law firm can also lead to permanent disabilities that require expensive equipment and long-term therapy.
After a collision is essential to have an experienced New York truck accident attorney on your side. A lawyer with experience can help you prove your case with evidence like police reports or surveillance camera footage and more.
Poorly-Maintained Vehicles
In many cases trucking companies as well as owners-operators do not take proper steps to ensure their vehicles are in good condition. This causes many preventable accidents each 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. Trucks can be prone to mechanical problems that could cause disastrous accidents.
The brakes on a truck must be able to 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 checked and repaired as necessary to maintain their good working condition.
Poor-maintained tires can also be a major contributor to truck accidents. Tires that are worn down could lose traction, causing the truck to overturn or slide. If a tire is defective in some way, for example, having the wrong air pressure or improper tread design, it could fail catastrophically.
Trucks require regular inspections along with regular maintenance to identify mechanical issues prior to causing an accident. However, if an inspection is performed incorrectly or the repair shop doesn't follow the manufacturer's guidelines, it could cause an accident. In such cases, a company that employed the repair or maintenance company or who was responsible for its supervision could be held liable.
Incorrect lights, signals and reflectors are another frequent reason for truck accidents. These components must be in good working to enable drivers to see their truck and anticipate its movements, especially in rural areas or after dark. Drivers and trucking companies could not be able to maintain and inspect these equipment, or may not carry out regular safety checks.
A Houston truck accident lawyer will investigate your case and determine who could be responsible for your damages in the event you were injured from a poorly maintained commercial truck. The investigation can uncover evidence of the defendant's negligence and help you get the compensation you're entitled to.
Distracted Drivers
The consequences of collisions with commercial trucks can be devastating. These huge trucks can weigh up to 25 times more than a car and can cause more severe injuries in an accident. Distracted driving is just one of the many causes of accidents. A truck driver who is distracted could lose control of their vehicle or fail to notice an accident on the roadway, which could lead to life-threatening injuries.
Truck drivers must follow strict rules and regulations set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This includes a prohibition on texting or using mobile phones while driving. But even if truckers follow the rules, they could still get distracted and cause a crash. This could be due to manual distractions such as not having your hands on the steering wheel or mental distractions like thinking about something other than driving.
While the majority of people are aware that it is dangerous to text and drive, very few realize that other activities like eating or changing the station on the radio or conversing with a passenger can also be considered distracting. If a trucker is distracted, the driver could drift off into another lane and fail to notice an impending traffic jam. When a truck driver's attention is diverted, it's only a split-second for a large vehicle to strike a passenger car.
When a truck accident is caused by an unintentionally distracted driver, it is important to take photos of the scene of the accident and gather the contact details and name of any witnesses. It is also beneficial to find out the name of the driver who is driving the truck and the company they are employed by, as well in determining who owns the truck if they are an independent contractor. This could effect on who is accountable for the accident, since it is the responsibility of the trucking firm to hire competent and skilled truck drivers. If the trucking firm is found to be partially responsible in the accident, it could be liable to you for both economic and non-economic damages.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions between trucks are not uncommon and can cause serious injuries. These accidents can happen in a variety of circumstances like at a stop sign or red light, when the trucker doesn't check behind him for any traffic that is coming up. They can also occur when a car comes in front of the truck, causing the driver to slam on their brakes without warning. The trucker can 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 what vehicle caused the accident. An experienced lawyer can assist in gathering evidence that proves that the driver in the rear caused the crash through following too closely or driving distracted. This could include evidence like photographs, police reports, eyewitness testimony and skid marks in the road.
Sometimes, the driver in the front could be found to be responsible for the accident as well. This could happen if they cut someone off or fail to utilize their turn signal in the way that a reasonable person would, or decide to slam on the brakes in the last second, causing the driver in the back to crash into the car directly in front of them. In this type of scenario modified comparative negligence laws may be used. The jury will assign a percentage of blame to each of the parties. The damages are then reduced accordingly.
Bruises & Lacerations
The rear-end of the vehicle is the one that is most affected in a rear-end collision which means that occupants may suffer serious injuries from hitting their head against the dashboard or back windows. They also may break bones as they are scattered around the interior of the car due to the force of the crash. Spinal injuries can be very serious. The spinal cord houses a number of nerves that regulate the body, therefore any damage to the spinal cord could cause significant and permanent problems for victims.
In addition to these types of injuries, victims may suffer from psychological and emotional traumas as a result of being in a horrific crash. They may have trouble sleeping or concentrating which can cause anxiety and depression. They could also be facing financial hardship and stress in the event that they are unable to work due to their injury. An attorney can investigate any possible liability sources and assist the victim in seeking an appropriate amount of compensation for their expenses.
Problematic trailer hitches
Regardless of whether you're driving an automobile, a van, truck, or a flatbed, all cars need to be securely connected to their trailers. Unintentionally unhitching a trailer could cause catastrophic accidents, leading to severe injuries, or even death. If you've suffered injuries in an accident involving the trailer that is running away, you should contact an experienced attorney for vehicle accidents with a specialization in cases of hitch failure promptly to discuss your legal options.
The cause of a faulty trailer hitch could be due to a variety of factors such as inadequate secured or defective design. It can also be due to an error by the manufacturer and in that case, product liability laws may apply. The company or person responsible for a defective trailer is liable for the victim's medical costs along with auto repair expenses and other losses that result from the incident.
For example the fatal crash that occurred in January 2014 along an Ohio road locally known as "Devil's Backbone," a trailer came off the truck, and was thrown through the air into two cars that were behind it. Initial investigations attributed the crash to the truck driver's negligence in failing to examine 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 and an Ultra LT manufactured Fontaine Fifth Wheel in Trussville, Alabama, was responsible for the crash.
The trailer struck the sides of the vehicles, and then crashed into them. This led to numerous deaths and serious injuries to the drivers of the vehicles.
The driver of the truck involved in this accident was convicted of vehicular manslaughter, but experts say that he could have prevented the collision with other vehicles had he conducted a thorough inspection of his trailer and made sure that all connections were secure. Faulty trailer hitches can cause major catastrophes. These types of accidents are typically high-speed and can easily sidewipe motorbikes or small cars. In these instances, the trailer may distort the frame of a car and cause sharp metal fragments to impale any passengers.