20 Fun Infographics About Semi Truck Lawsuit
Semi Truck Accident Law A severe injury sustained in the crash of a semi truck can bury the victim in medical bills. It can also result in permanent disabilities that require expensive equipment and long-term therapy. After a crash, it is crucial to have an experienced New York truck accident attorney by your side. A skilled attorney can to prove your case using evidence like police reports and surveillance camera footage and much more. Poorly-Maintained Vehicles Owner-operators and trucking companies often fail to take the necessary steps to ensure that their vehicles are in good working order. This can lead to a high percentage of preventable accidents every year. Semis and tractor trailers require more frequent maintenance than cars for passengers because of their larger size and heavier load. However keeping deadlines and increasing profits may take precedence over the maintenance of the fleet. Trucks can be prone to mechanical problems that could lead to catastrophic accidents. The brakes of trucks are crucial as they must be able to stop the vehicle and slow it down at a moment's notice. If the brake pads of a truck lines, lines or return springs wear out, they can cause serious collisions and fatal injuries. These components must be checked and repaired regularly in order to keep them in good working condition. A poorly maintained tire can also be a major contributor to truck accidents. Tires that are worn out can cause traction issues, which causes the truck to slide or even tip over. If a tire is not properly designed in some way, like having the wrong air pressure or improper tread design, it may 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 not done correctly or the repair shop fails to adhere to the manufacturer's guidelines it could lead to a crash. In such cases, the company that hired or oversees the maintenance or repair shop could be held accountable. Another reason for truck accidents is malfunctioning signals, lights, and reflectors. 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 firms may neglect to inspect and maintain these elements or the driver could not be able to complete daily safety checks. A Houston truck accident attorney can investigate your case and determine who may be responsible for your injuries in the event you were injured by a badly maintained commercial truck. These investigations can uncover evidence that proves the defendant's negligence and assist you in obtaining the compensation you're entitled to. Distracted Drivers There are few things more devastating than an accident that involves a commercial truck. These huge vehicles weigh up to 25 times more than your car and could cause more serious injuries when they are involved in a collision. Distracted driving is among the many causes of accidents. A distracted driver of a truck can lose control of the vehicle or overlook an accident on the road that could result in serious and life-altering injuries. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has strict rules and regulations for truck drivers. This includes a prohibition on texting and using mobile phones while driving. But even if truckers obey the rules they are still prone to be distracted and cause an accident. This is often caused by mechanical distractions like turning your back on 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 while driving, a few are aware that other activities like eating, changing the radio station, and even conversing with a passenger could also be deemed to be distracting. When a trucker is distracted it is possible that he will drift into a different lane and fail to notice a traffic jam ahead. When a trucker's attention is diverted, it only takes a split-second for a large vehicle to strike a passenger car. If a truck crash occurs due to distracted drivers it is crucial to take photos of the crash scene as well as collect the name and contact information of witnesses. It is also helpful to determine the name of the truck driver and the company they are employed by, as and who owns the truck if it is an independent contractor. This could impact the person who is responsible for your accident, as the trucking company is responsible for hiring skilled and competent truck drivers. If the trucking company is found to be at least partially responsible for the accident, they could be held accountable for your financial and non-economic damages. Rear-End Collisions Rear-end collisions between trucks are common and often result in serious injuries. These accidents can occur in many different situations such as the stop sign or an intersection when the trucker doesn't check behind him for any traffic that is coming up. They can also occur when a car crashes into front of the truck, forcing the driver to apply their brakes without warning. The trucker could then crash into the car from behind. It can be hard to prove the fault of a driver in rear-end collisions as it's not always evident which vehicle was at fault. An experienced attorney can help gather evidence that proves that the driver behind caused the crash due to following too closely or driving while distracted. This evidence can include photos as well as police reports and eyewitness testimony, aswell as skid marks in the road. Sometimes, the driver in the front could be responsible for the accident also. This could happen if they cut off someone else or fail to obey their turn signal as any reasonable person would, or hit on the brakes at the last moment and cause the driver behind to slam into the car directly in the front. This type of scenario is where modified comparative negligence laws can come into play, where the jury determines a percentage of the fault to each party and damages are reduced accordingly. Lacerations and Bruises In a rear-end crash the rear of the car is the area that receives the most impact. This means that passengers are at risk of serious injuries if they hit their heads against the dashboard or the back window. The force of the crash can cause broken bones when the occupants are thrown about the inside of the vehicle. Spinal injuries can be serious. The damage to the spine could have serious and long-lasting consequences for victims. A person who has been involved in a serious accident may also experience emotional and psychological trauma. They may experience difficulty getting enough sleep or concentrating, which can lead them to anxiety and depression. They may also experience stress and financial difficulties in the event that they are unable to work because of an injury. An attorney can research all possible causes of liability and help the victim seek an appropriate amount of compensation for their losses. Faulty trailer hitches No matter if you're driving a car, a van, a truck, or a flatbed, all vehicles must to be securely attached to their trailers. If a trailer is suddenly unhitched, it could cause a catastrophic accident that could result in serious injuries or death. If you've suffered injuries in a vehicle accident caused by a runaway truck or trailer, consult an experienced attorney who specializes in hitch failure cases to discuss your legal options. A faulty trailer hitch can be caused by many different things, from improper securement to a defective design. It could also be due to a manufacturer's defect and in that case, product liability laws may apply. The person or company that is at the fault for a defective trailer can be held liable for the cost of medical bills as well as auto repair costs and other losses arising from the incident. In a fatal crash that occurred on a highway in Ohio known as “Devil's Backbone” in January 2014, the trailer was detached from the truck. It crashed into two cars directly behind it. The initial investigation attributed the crash to the truck driver's lapse in inspect and secure the hitch. But in June 2015, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began to investigate the possibility that a manufacturing defect had caused the hitch involved in the crash -it was an Ultra LT manufactured by Fontaine Fifth Wheel in Trussville, Alabama — to malfunction on a high number of occasions. The trailer struck the side of the vehicles, and then crashed into them. The result was multiple deaths and serious injuries to drivers of the vehicles. The truck driver who was involved in the incident was found guilty of vehicular homicide, but experts say that he could've avoided the crash if he'd performed a thorough inspection of his trailer to ensure all connections were in good order. thousand oaks semi truck accident case can cause major accidents. These kinds of incidents are usually fast and can easily smack motorcycles or other smaller vehicles. In such instances the trailer could distort the car's frame, and cause sharp metal pieces to crush passengers inside.