Semi Truck Accident Law
A semi-truck accident could cause a serious injury that can cost the victim a significant amount in medical bills. It can also result in permanent disabilities that require expensive equipment and long-term therapy.
murfreesboro semi truck accident lawyer is essential to have a skilled New York truck accident lawyer on your side following a crash. A qualified attorney can help you prove your case with evidence such as police reports, surveillance camera footage, and more.
Vehicles that are not maintained properly
In many instances trucking firms and owner-operators fail to take the proper steps to ensure their vehicles are in good condition. This causes an overwhelming number of accidents that could have been avoided every year.
Comparatively to passenger vehicles, tractor-trailers and semis need more frequent maintenance work due to their size and heavy loads. Unfortunately the pressure to meet deadlines and maximize profits often takes precedence over maintaining the fleet. Trucks are susceptible to mechanical issues that could cause devastating accidents.
The brakes of trucks are of particular importance since they have to stop the vehicle and slow it down at an instant's notice. When the brake pads on a truck, lines or return springs wear out they could result in serious collisions and fatal injuries. It is essential that these parts are regularly inspected and replaced when needed to keep them in good condition.
Tires that aren't well maintained may play a significant role in truck accidents. Tires that are worn out may lose traction and cause the truck to overturn or slide. Tires that aren't working, whether it's due to incorrect air pressure or tread design can fail catastrophically.
Regular inspections of trucks are required in addition to regular maintenance to spot mechanical issues before they can cause an accident. If an inspection is performed incorrectly or the repair shop does not follow the manufacturer's instructions, it can cause an accident. In these situations, a company that employed the repair or maintenance company or supervised it could be held responsible.
Another cause of truck accidents is the failure of lights, signals and reflectors. These components must be in good working to enable drivers to see their truck and anticipate its movements, especially in rural areas or at night. Drivers or trucking companies may not be able to maintain and inspect these elements, or they might not conduct regular safety checks.
A reputable Houston truck accident lawyer can investigate your case to determine which parties may be responsible for your losses if you were injured in an accident with a poorly-maintained commercial truck. These investigations can uncover evidence of negligence by the defendant and help you obtain the compensation you deserve.
Distracted Drivers
The result of a collision involving commercial trucks could be catastrophic. These huge vehicles weigh up to 25 times more than your car and could cause much greater injuries when they are involved in a collision. While many factors cause accidents and injuries, distracted driving is one of the most common and risky. A distracted driver of a truck can lose control of the vehicle or fail to notice an accident on the road, which can lead to serious and life-changing injuries.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has strict rules and guidelines for truck drivers. This includes a prohibition on texting and using cell phones while driving. Even if truckers adhere to the rules, they could still get distracted and cause an accident. This can be caused by manual distractions such as taking your hand off the steering wheel, or by cognitive distractions such as thinking about something other than driving.
While most people understand that it is dangerous to text and drive, very few are aware that other activities, such as eating or changing the station on the radio or even talking to a passenger could also be deemed to be distracting. When a truck driver gets distracted, they might wander off into another lane, or miss a traffic jam up ahead of them. When a trucker's attention is diverted, it takes only just a few seconds for a huge vehicle to crash into a passenger car.
It is important to gather information about any witnesses and take photos of the accident scene when an unintentionally distracted driver causes an accident with a truck. It is important to determine the name of the driver, the company that they work for, and who owns the vehicle, if it's an independent contractor. This can have an influence on who is responsible for the accident, since it is the responsibility of the trucking company to employ competent and experienced truck drivers. If the trucking company is found be at least partially responsible for the accident, they could be held accountable for your financial as well as non-economic damages.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions with trucks are common and can cause serious injuries. They can happen in a variety of settings like an intersection, a stop signal when the trucker fails to look behind them for traffic coming in. It can also happen if an automobile crosses the truck's path, which forces the driver of the truck to brake suddenly without warning. The trucker could then hit the car from behind.
It can be difficult to prove fault in the event of rear-end collisions because it isn't always evident who was at fault. An experienced attorney can gather evidence to show that the driver behind caused the accident by following too closely or driving erratically. This can be evidence in the form of photos as well as police reports and eyewitness testimony, aswell as skid marks on the road.
Sometimes the driver in front may be found to be the one responsible for the accident as well. This could happen if they cut someone off or fail use a turn signal as any reasonable person. This type of scenario is where modified comparative negligence laws be in play, where the jury assigns a percentage to each party and damages are reduced accordingly.
Lacerations & Bruises
In a rear-end crash the rear of the car is the area that experiences the most force. This means that people in the car are at risk of serious injuries if hit their heads against the dashboard or the back window. The impact of the crash could cause broken bones when the occupants are thrown around the vehicle's interior. The severity of spinal injuries can be devastating. Spinal injuries can cause serious and lasting effects on the victims.
In addition to these kinds of injuries, the victim might also suffer from psychological and emotional traumas as a result of being involved in a devastating crash. They may experience difficulty being able to sleep or concentrate, which can result in depression and anxiety. They may also face financial hardship and stress if they are unable work because of an injury. An attorney can investigate the possible sources of liability and help the victim seek an appropriate amount of compensation for their loss.
The trailer hitches are faulty.
All vehicles, whether they are a car or a truck, van flatbed, van, or are required to be securely connected to their trailers. If a trailer becomes unhitched, it can cause catastrophic accidents that result in severe injuries or death. If you've been injured in a collision involving a runaway trailer, contact a qualified vehicle accident attorney with a specialization in cases of hitch failure as soon as possible to discuss your legal options.
A defective trailer hitch could be the result of a variety of factors, ranging from inadequate securing to defective design. It could be due to an error on the part of the manufacturer, in which case product liability laws may apply. The company or the person who is at the fault for a defective trailer is liable for the medical bills of the victims and auto repair costs and other damages resulting from the incident.
For example there was a fatal crash that occurred in January 2014 along an Ohio road known locally as "Devil's Backbone," a trailer came loose from the truck, and was thrown through the air into two cars that were behind it. Initial investigation linked the accident to the driver's negligence in failing inspect and secure the hitch. In June 2015, however, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began investigating the possibility that a flaw in the hitch and an Ultra LT manufactured Fontaine Fifth Wheel in Trussville, Alabama, was the reason behind the crash.
The trailer slammed into the side of the vehicle and crashed into them. The result was numerous fatalities and serious injuries for the drivers.
The truck driver involved in the accident was found guilty of vehicular homicide, but experts suggest that he could've avoided the crash in the event that he had conducted a thorough inspection of his trailer to ensure that all connections were secure. The failure of a trailer's hitches can result in major disasters, as they typically involve a large amount of speed, and they can sidewipe smaller cars or motorcycles. In such cases the trailer may distort a car's frame and force sharp metal pieces to strike the passengers inside.