Responsible For An Semi Truck Lawsuit Budget? 12 Top Ways To Spend Your Money
Semi Truck Accident Law A semi-truck crash can result in an injury of a serious nature that could cost the victim a significant amount in medical expenses. It can also cause permanent disabilities that require expensive equipment and long-term therapy. After a collision, it is essential to have an experienced New York truck accident attorney at your side. A qualified attorney can help you prove your case by using evidence such as police reports and surveillance footage, among others. Poorly-Maintained Vehicles In many cases trucking firms and owners-operators do not take proper steps to ensure that their vehicles are in good 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 used for passenger transport due to their size and heavier weight. Unfortunately the pressure of meeting deadlines and maximizing profits is often prioritized over the maintenance of a fleet. Trucks are susceptible to mechanical problems that could result in catastrophes. The brakes on trucks must be able to stop and slow down the vehicle at a single notice. When brake pads, lines or return springs on a truck get worn out and break, it could lead to serious accidents and fatal injuries. It is crucial that these parts are regularly inspected and replaced as required to keep them in good working order. Tires that aren't well maintained can also play a significant role in truck accidents. Tires that have worn out may lose traction and cause the truck to rollover or skid. If a tire is not properly designed in any way, such as having the incorrect air pressure or tread design, it could fail catastrophically. The inspections are routine for trucks along with regular maintenance to spot mechanical issues before they lead to an accident. If an inspection is performed in a way that is not correct or if the repair shop fails to follow the manufacturer's recommendations it could lead to an accident. In these cases, a firm that hired the repair or maintenance shop or was the one who supervised it could be held accountable. Another common cause of truck accidents is the failure of lights, signals, and reflectors. These devices must be correctly working to enable drivers to see their truck and anticipate its movements, especially in rural areas or after dark. Drivers and trucking companies could fail to maintain and check these equipment, or might not conduct regular safety checks. A reputable Houston truck accident lawyer will investigate your case to identify who might be accountable for your damages should you be injured in an accident caused by a faulty maintenance of a commercial truck. These investigations can uncover evidence of the defendant's negligence and help you receive the compensation you are entitled to. Distracted Drivers There aren't many things that can be more damaging than an accident with a commercial truck. These massive vehicles can weigh as much as 25 times the weight of your car and can cause more severe injuries in an accident. While many factors cause accidents that result from distracted driving, it is one of the most prevalent and risky. billings semi truck accident law firm who is distracted might lose control of their vehicle or fail to notice an issue on the road, which could lead to severe and life-changing injuries. Truck drivers are required to follow strict rules and regulations established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This includes a prohibition against texting or using mobile phones while driving. Even when truckers adhere to the rules, they might be distracted and cause an accident. This can be a result of distractions caused by manual actions like taking their hands off the wheel, or cognitive distractions like thinking about something other than driving. Many people are aware that texting while driving is dangerous, but few know that other activities, like eating or changing radio stations or conversing with passengers, could also be considered to be distracting. If the trucker is distracted, he may drift into another track and not see the traffic jam in front of him. When a trucker's attention is diverted, it takes only one second for a massive vehicle to crash into a passenger car. It is important to gather information on witnesses and to take photographs of the scene of the crash when the driver is distracted and causes a truck crash. It is essential to know the name of the driver, the company for which they work and who is the owner of the vehicle if it's an independent contractor. This will affect the person who is responsible for your accident, as the trucking company is responsible for securing skilled and experienced truck drivers. If the trucking firm is found to be partially responsible for your accident, it may be liable to you for both economic and non-economic damage. Rear-End Collisions Rear-end collisions between trucks are common and often result in severe injuries. They can happen in a variety of situations for example, at an intersection or stop signal when the trucker fails to look behind them for oncoming traffic. They may also occur when a car is able to cut in front of the truck, which forces the driver to slam on their brakes without warning. The trucker could then smash the car from behind. It can be difficult to prove fault in the event of rear-end collisions because it isn't always clear the vehicle that was at fault. A skilled attorney can help collect evidence to prove that the driver behind caused the crash by following too closely or driving with a distraction. This could include evidence such as photographs, police reports, eyewitness testimony and skid marks on the road. Sometimes, the driver in the front could be responsible for the accident also. This can happen when they cut off someone else or fail to obey their turn signal as a reasonable person would, or slam on the brakes at the very last minute and cause the driver behind to crash into the vehicle directly in the front of them. This type of scenario is where modified comparative negligence laws be used, in which the jury assigns a percentage of blame to each party and damages are reduced accordingly. Lacerations and Bruises The rear-end of the vehicle has the greatest impact in a rear-end collision so occupants are more likely to suffer serious injuries as they smash their head against the dashboard or the back window. The impact of the crash could cause broken bones when the occupants of the vehicle are thrown around the inside of the vehicle. Spinal injuries can be serious. The damage to the spine could be serious and have long-lasting consequences for victims. In addition to these kinds of injuries, victims may also experience psychological and emotional trauma from being in a horrific crash. They may have difficulty sleeping or concentrating, which may cause anxiety and depression. They may also experience stress and financial strain if they are unable work because of an injury. An attorney can investigate the possible sources of liability and assist the victim in seeking an appropriate amount of compensation for their expenses. A problem with trailer hitches Regardless of whether you're driving the vehicle of a car, van, truck, or a flatbed, all vehicles need to be securely connected to their trailers. If a trailer becomes unhitched, it can result in catastrophic accidents that result in severe injuries or even death. If you've suffered injuries by the trailer that is running away, you should contact a qualified vehicle accident attorney with a specialization in cases of hitch failure as soon as possible to discuss your legal options. The reason behind a defective trailer hitch can be caused by a variety such as inadequate securement or design. It can also be the result of a defect in the manufacturing process or a manufacturing defect, in which case the laws governing product liability could apply. The company or person at the fault for a trailer that is defective could be held accountable for victims' medical bills as well as auto repair costs as well as other losses that result 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. The initial investigation attributed the accident to the truck driver's negligence in failing inspect and secure the hitch. However, in June of 2015, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began to investigate the possibility that a manufacturing defect had caused the hitch that was involved in the crash -it was an Ultra LT manufactured by Fontaine Fifth Wheel of Trussville, Alabama — to malfunction on a large proportion of times. The trailer struck the side of the vehicles and then crashed into them. The result was numerous fatalities and serious injuries for the drivers. The truck driver involved in the accident was convicted of vehicular murder, however experts believe that he could have avoided the crash had he conducted an exhaustive inspection of his trailer to make sure that all connections were secure. Faulty trailer hitsches can cause serious accidents, since these incidents often involve a lot of speed and may cause a collision with smaller vehicles or motorcycles. In these cases the trailer can distort the car's frame and cause razor-sharp metal fragments that can impale passengers.