What's Holding Back The Semi Truck Lawsuit Industry?
Semi Truck Accident Law
A semi-truck collision can result in an injury that is serious enough to cause a person to pay a huge amount in medical expenses. It can also lead to permanent disabilities that require expensive equipment and long-term therapy.
It is crucial to have a skilled New York truck accident lawyer by your side after an accident. A skilled lawyer can prove your case by using evidence like police reports and surveillance camera footage and more.
Vehicles that are not maintained properly
Trucking companies and owners-operators often do not take the necessary steps to ensure that their vehicles are in good condition. This leads to an astronomical number of avoidable accidents every year.
In comparison to passenger cars, tractor-trailers and semis require more frequent maintenance due to their size and heavy load. However working to meet deadlines and maximizing profits is often prioritized over the maintenance of the fleet. In the end, trucks are susceptible to mechanical malfunctions that can cause catastrophic accidents.
The brakes of a truck need to be able stop and slow down the vehicle at a minute's notice. When brake pads, lines or return springs on a truck fail and break, it could lead to serious accidents and fatal injuries. These components must be checked regularly and repaired as necessary to maintain their good working condition.
Tires that are not properly maintained can also be a major factor in truck accidents. Tires that are worn-out may lose traction and cause the truck to roll over or skid. If a tire is deficient in some way, like having the incorrect air pressure or tread design, it could fail catastrophically.
In addition to regular maintenance, trucks must undergo routine inspections to detect mechanical issues prior to causing an accident. If an inspection is done incorrectly or if the repair shop fails to follow the manufacturer's recommendations this could result in a crash. In such cases, a company that employed the maintenance or repair shop or was the one who supervised it could be held accountable.
Poorly functioning lights, signals and reflectors are also a frequent reason for truck accidents. These items must be properly working to enable drivers to see the truck and anticipate its movements, especially in rural areas or at night. However, trucking companies may fail to check and maintain these elements or the driver might not perform regular safety checks.
A Houston truck accident lawyer can review your case and determine who could be responsible for your damages in the event you were injured from a poorly maintained commercial truck. This investigation could uncover evidence of the defendant's negligence and help you receive the compensation you're due.
Distracted Drivers
The result of a collision involving commercial trucks could be catastrophic. These massive vehicles weigh up to 25 times more than your car and can cause more injuries when they are involved in a collision. Distracted driving is just one of the many factors that can cause accidents. A distracted driver of a truck can lose control of their vehicle or overlook a road hazard which could lead to serious and life-altering injuries.
Truck drivers must follow strict rules and regulations formulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This includes a prohibition on texting or using cell phones while driving. However, even when truckers abide by the rules, they may still be distracted and cause crash. This could be because of manual distractions such as taking their hands off the wheel or mental distractions such as thinking about something other than driving.
While the majority of people are aware the dangers of using text and drive, very few realize that other activities such as eating or changing the radio station or conversing with passengers can be considered distracting. When a truck driver is distracted, they may wander off into another lane, or fail to notice an obstruction in front of them. It only takes a fraction of a second for a large truck to crash into a vehicle when the driver's attention wanders.
When a truck accident is caused by distracted drivers, it is important to take photographs of the scene of the crash and gather the name and contact information of witnesses. It is important to know the name of the driver, the company that they work for and who is the owner of the vehicle if it's an independent contractor. This will affect who is liable for your accident, as the trucking company is responsible for hiring skilled and experienced truck drivers. If the trucking company is found partially responsible for your accident, it could be liable to you for both economic and non-economic injuries.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions between trucks are not uncommon and can result in severe injuries. These accidents can happen in a variety of situations such as a stop sign or red light when a trucker is not checking behind him for any traffic that is coming up. They may also occur when a car cuts in front of the truck, forcing the driver to use their brakes without warning. The trucker may then crash into the car from behind.
It can be difficult to prove the cause of rear-end crashes, as it is not always obvious what vehicle caused the accident. However, an experienced attorney can gather evidence that proves the driver in the rear caused the crash by following too closely or distracted driving. This could include evidence such as photos, police reports eyewitness testimony, and skid marks left on the roadway.
The driver in the front of the car could be held accountable for the accident. This can happen when they cut someone off, fail to use their turn signal in the way that a reasonable person would, or decide to slam on the brakes at the last moment and causing the driver behind to slam into the car directly in front of them. In this kind of situation an amended comparative negligence law could be used. The jury will assign a percentage of blame to each party. The damages are then reduced accordingly.
Lacerations and Bruises
The rear-end of the car is the one that is most affected in a rear-end collision, meaning that occupants can sustain serious injuries after hitting their head against the dashboard or the back window. They may also break bones after being thrown around the interior of the car by the force of the collision. fort lauderdale semi truck accident lawsuit to the spine can be particularly severe. Damage to the spine can cause serious and lasting effects on the victims.
In addition to these types of injuries, the victim may also be suffering from psychological and emotional trauma as a result of being in a horrific crash. They may have trouble in concentrating or sleeping, which could result in anxiety and depression. If they are unable to work due to the extent of their injury, this can cause anxiety and financial hardship. An attorney can investigate the possible causes of liability to assist a victim in receiving an appropriate amount of compensation for their loss.
The trailer is not working properly
It doesn't matter if you're driving a car, a van, truck, or a flatbed, all vehicles have to be securely connected to their trailers. Unintentionally unhitching a trailer could result in catastrophic accidents that lead to severe injuries or even death. If you've been injured in a vehicle accident caused by a truck that has run away get in touch with an experienced lawyer who specializes in hitch failure cases to discuss your legal options.
A faulty trailer hitch can be caused by many different things, from improper securing to defective design. It could be caused by an error 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 can be held accountable for the victim's medical costs or auto repair expenses, as well as other losses resulting from the incident.
In a fatal crash on a highway in Ohio known as "Devil's Backbone" in January 2014, a trailer detached from the truck. It crashed into two cars directly behind it. Initial investigations attributed the accident to the truck driver's negligence for not inspecting and secure the hitch. However, in June of 2015, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began investigating the possibility that a manufacturing defect caused the hitch in the crash -- an Ultra LT manufactured by Fontaine Fifth Wheel of Trussville, Alabama -- to fail on a large percentage of occasions.
Due to the faulty hitch due to the hitch's failure, the trailer struck the sides of the vehicles, before colliding into them head-on. The result was numerous deaths and serious injuries for the drivers.
The driver of the truck involved in the accident was found guilty of vehicular homicide. However experts believe that he could have avoided the collision had he conducted an in-depth inspection of his trailer to make sure all connections were in good order. A faulty trailer hitch can cause major accidents. These types of accidents are typically fast and can easily smack motorbikes or small cars. In these situations the trailer could deform the frame of a car and create sharp metal fragments to impale any passengers.